The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-06-12
EDAIIA Mo.
BOOK AGENTS.
A correspondent writes as follows

BOOK AGENTS..
A correspondent writes as follows:
81 am at present engaged in the
work of soliciting subscriptions for
books. Now, know that the generally
accepted opinion of the world is thatit
is q degrading and offensive work.
And it is also to me intensely disagree
able business, as l am not Of partic-
ularly retiring disposition. But l can
make a much larger income in that
way than any other: I know Of. l can
assure myself anywhere from five to
twenty dollars per day, usually aver.
aging considerably above ten, AID
this, of course, without any investment
but nv brains. As have those de-
pendent on me who make it nee, Sly
for me to have q present income, the
question comes up to me whether it is
the proper thing for me to do. l am
of good personal and business ap-
pearance, but am continually panied
to see peoples ceuptenances change
from cordial welcome to intense dis.
appointment, and many times disgust,
On making my business known. 1
have invariably been engaged on works
that were Of intrinsic merit, and which
the world is really better for reading
encyclopedias and the like. Is it the
right thing to do :"
Of course it is the right thing to
do. You are engaged in an entirely
respectable and entirely honorable
business, and though Aippant news
papers may laugh at it, your eccupa-
ton is one which serves the conven-
fence Of the public.
1t is true, men are not so glad to
see you when they kn'w that you
come to sell a book as they would be
if your visit was to pay bill. You
may also drop in on them at times
when they are pressed with other
matters, and then they may look on
you az an intrusive bore.
Doubtless, therefore, the business of
q book agent is disagreeable, but so
are many other ways of making q
living out Of which you could not get
an income a quarter as large as that
you now earn. IF you encounter re-
butts, you must also meet people
who are glad of the opportunity Of
obtaining the books you have to offer,
and which they might not be able ia
get in any other way than from q
soliciting agent. You at least cal
their attention to works they might
not see, and that meet want is shown
by your handsome success in making
sales.
Of late years very large share
Of the merchandise sold to country
merchants is sent in response to orders
piyen to commercial travellers
These drummers, as they are called
are now numbered by the thousand
and there are 90 many Of them that
hotels oftimes almost entirely sub
sist out of their patronage. 1t wa
the fashion once to ridcule them q,
nui,ances, and the name Of drummer
was applied to them originally in
derision. But now they are q recog
ni.ed necessity, and soliciting orders
from country dealers has revolution.
lied the methods of the city trader.
The drummer is in fact, only trav
cling salesman, sent out for the con
fidence Of the buyer, who is thu
saved the necessity Of expensive jour
neys to the city to buy goods, and il
enabled to get what he wants from
week to week. Of course, the bust
ness of the drummer would not sui
everybody. tits tiresome to be Of
the road all the time. But 30 far q
responsibility goes, why should it b
nut below that of the stationary sales
man, who stands behind the COUNTS
to supply the demands of customers
or who conducts them through tn
warehouse of his principal : 1t j
gust - respectable.
And 90 selling books from house t.
house is just as respectable as selling
them out of . bookstore, whether tn