The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-06-16
THE DRUMMER.
A COMPOUND OF BUSINESS, sHREWo-
NESS AND WORLDLY WISDOM.
Partner in the House, in All but Pos
session of an MISUNDERSTANDING
the Houses Customers-Other
Secrets of Success.
Springfield Republican.l

a commercial traveller who has seen
service or who devoteS his whole energy
to the work, will say that the life is a
hard one The young man TO whom the
excitement is pleasant novelty, the travel
and attendant amusements. good sports,
laughs at the story at first; but not after a
couple of years The constant strain
irregular hours and habits and frequent
temptations to imbibe, quickly combine to
tear down the strongest system. The last
item is a large one. Mess a travelling
man is very careful. says a veteran in his
line, he is apt TO turn out "a drunkard be-
fore he knows it.
For the travellers themselves, they pre-
fer chic 10 cheek, and would be termed
self confident rather than ~gally," but
whatever it may be- no drummer with
any other manner could sell as much: and
the compound of b5nhOmie shrewdneSs.
knowledge of human nature and acquaint-
ance with the word his custom
ers and particular lines of goods
wins the day. Sam1 of POsen has it all
condensed in a degree exaggerated to the
point of burlesque. and the beginner at
the business is apt to assume the CONNER
cial manner to an extreme to conceal his
greennesS, but in the trained man it is
pleasantly mellowed and Indispensable.
Some men never get this faculty COM
pletely. and perhaps in way "a drum
mer is born, not made. Meeting a new
customer, he must be able to get his size
in fash. To sell him goods it may be
necessary to joke, wheedle or bully. A
good story may catch a man at once, or
strike him so unfavOTably that he cannot
be worked" at all. And only by aid of
a keen eye and mind will the traveller meet
success.
But once acquainted with a customers
ways and stock the drummer is always
sure of his ground i'll the future He will
be careful in selling so as to sell again.
He will not be niggardly in doing the
right thing, or annoying "A good
drummer says a keen old commercial
man, is partner in house in all but
possession of an interest One leading
shoe house in this city, indeed, is said to
encourage its travellers by giving them
small interests in the concern The drum
mer's business is to know all about the
this the better able he is to sell his goods,
both protitably and safely. If he knows
where his head is level, he stays with
good house when he gets with one. The
man who is continually lodging from one
firm to another hardly ever does well,
either for himself or his employers. He
must be posted thoroughly on the goods
and prices of his competitors, for t is
comparison in a majority of cases that
makes the sale.
The commercial traveller is good talker
To get into the graces of his customers he
finds the news of the day help, and he
devours newspapers In the last cam
Uaign no one man was more prolific in
Speculations bets, or so full of alleged
political news as the drummer The train
that he was on never escaped the taking
of straw" vote The commercial trav-
eler rarely accumuates money. The
evenings of his inevitable hotel life offer
nothing to occupy him. His devotion to
the rink is favorite theme of newspaper
writings; billiards, the theatre and kindred
kill-times knock wide holes in his other
wise large salary. 1t is conceded that
with 81, 800 on the road a man saves no
more at least, than one with 81, 900 stay
ing at home, the persons having the same
tastes.