Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-09-25
PEDDLING.
Manufacturers Who Have Grown Rich by TAX
ing Precautions Against an Unfair
u,odtnr TTDo, Tbo{, Coo5g

Manufacturers Who Have Grown Rich by TAX
ing Precautions Against an Unfair
Trading Upon Their Goods
From The Advertisers Gazette, June, 1889.
'Doesn It want to hear him talk -
was the title printed under a free hand
drawing which adorned the first page of
a circular recently sent out by the Re-
ligious press association of Philadelphia
seeking to draw attention to their list
Of weekly religious papers. The draw
ing illustrated the reception ac-
corded a door door peddler in
his effort to force upon the woman of the
house preparation that needed the boil
ster of a fluent tongue to replace some
standard article in daily use in the house
hold economy. The moral of the circu-
lar was that the confidence OF the buyer
was not given to the peddIer, and that
much futile effort was used and expense
incurred that could have been saved
through the use OF advertising columns
of papers which had the confidence of the
people who read them,
The evidence of the great fortunes
made through the slillful use of news
paper advertising space would seem to
establish the truth of the point made in
the circular. There is, however, another
phase of the peddling question which
more directly claims the attention of the
readers of The Advertisers Gazette
The element of self-DrotectiOn enters so
strongly into it that it becomes a matter
of some surprise that more local action Is
not taken to suppress so manifest tax on
home trade The manufacturer has ere
ated a general demand for his product
through general advertising, or the local
dealer, as his agent, has used his town
paper to make known the value of the
articles he has for sale. The demand
thus created is supplied to the satisfac-
ton of both purchaser and storekeeper.
The reputation of the article grows until it
attracts the cupIdity OF some dealer who
sees chance to make money by forcing
cheaper article on the community. Nine
times in ten the article is as much
cheaper in quality as it is in price. The
injustice is apparent. the newspaper
advertiser makes a demand for his goods,
the peddler supplies it with limitations
which he claims are as good, or better,
and which he offers at great induce
ments. The very inducements offered
throw suspicion on the goods presented,
out the peddler's voluble tongue is ever
ready to meet the particular case in
point.
1t does not concern us here TO speak of
the discomfort to housekeepers and the
annoyance Of the frequent calls to the
door and the experience had there The
newspapers have made merry over it,
and very witty and laughable articles
have been penned on the subject
There is, however, very serious
side of the question even for the newspa-
pers. The danger of the loss of revenue
to newspapers is more apparent than
real. Fortunately peddling as an adver-
Using scheme has not as yet been found
profitable. It's effect is too transitory to
prove permanently valuable. But sup
pose some man more wise than his fellows
inaugurates peddling scheme that is both
permanent and profitable. What becomes
of newspaper advertising space then.