The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-02-07
A Drummer's Calculation.


| To the Editor OF the Comet;
Your flattering editorial of the Isl
inst, will be read and appreciated by
the drummers generally, and you will
have our thanks, but you are much
mistaken in your calculations. There
are at present not $4,000 men travel
ing, and the average cost is not SO per
day-hardly $5-but for comparison ]
will accept your figures. Now $4,000
ut So, 100000 per day-but we will not
average over six months travel per
year, hence we have SD, 100000.
Neither will they average 81 600 a
year, instead of 81, 800. But for COM
parison will accept $1,000; hence we
have for salaries $4,000, 900, total Sl04,-
100000; while 1 am satisfied these
figures are beyond the true ones, | ac-
accept them.
Now for comparison The business
houses will not average over three
drummers per house, this gives 1851
houses, and the cost of printing in
5000 papers for six months would be
for each house SIS per paper-whlch
you must admit is low-is$75, 900. Now
if all these houses advertised, it would
cost them 81, $50, ops, 900, which would
be a heavy tax on the consumer, much
heavier than the business could stand.
Say but oue-tenth would advertise,
and we have $l25,002, 800; hence we
find saving of $50, 252, 800, besides the
travelling expenses to the merchant,
which is very great. Now all business
men know that all expenses must be
paid by the consumer, and that we
are all trying to sell at the lowest rates,
and experience has, and is now teach
ing, that this is the cheapest and best
way of doing business. Travelling
men are not taxed merel y for revenue,
but simply from narroW-mindedness
on the part of Others, who think we
are coming in the country interfering
with their trade. This comes princi-
cipally from parties who live in the
metropolis of each State, and say all
the country merchants should patron
ize them, simply because they are
wholesa ers. But fortunately for us,
the United States Supreme Court says
no tax can be imposed on the citizen
of one State that is not imposed ON its
own subjects.
RECAPITULATION OF EXPENSES.
DRUMMING:
80 OO0 representing 16, 667 houses, at
Sc per day for 1927 days...,...........S d. fooUO0
SO 900 representing 16,667 houses, at
81 900 per year salary ..,.............. 0o0ooooo
Sl04, 10000
ADVERTISING:
1G, CO.. houses for six months in 5000
papers, at Sl5 per paper.,.........SlZo o,o29'ooo
6 667 houses for six months in 800 pa
pels at SO per paper. i2oOoz,o0o
104 100000
At lowest calculation drummers save
,lasrence $40, 252, 500
besides travelling expenses OF mer-
chant, or this represents travelling eX-
penses and salary of salesman.
Unfortunately for us as class, we
have some bad men among us, but
suppose we would condemn all classes
on account of the black sheep, where
would newspaper men be? My figures
can be partly verified from our asso-
Citations for insurance benefits etc. 1t
is also we'll known fact to business
houses that the average cost of selling
by travelling salesman is not as great
as house salesman. Drumming is
only in it's infancy, and | expect to see
the time when the bulk of the trade
of this country will be done that way.
In conclusion let me say it is nonsense
to throw any impeachment in the way
of trade, business will seek the cheap
est and most convenient channels.
Besides the travelling community
spend this i'll the country of their Gus
toners, and give employment to vast
in hotels etc.
Yours Truly,
DRUMMER.