Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-06-29
IN W0MAN'S BEHALF.
IN HE DRUG Trade.
A Line in Which Competent and Energetic
Women May succeed.

makes some practical suggestions about
the drug trade for women The fact
that kn edge and reliability are the
main facto.s in getting a start rath-
er than capital renders it possible for
women left without means TO gain a
comfortable living
Capable druggists command good sal
aries, and there is no obvious reason
why young women should not be as eff
ficient in the profession as young men.
There Is little or nothing connected
with general drug business beyond
their physical strength, and certainly
nothing beyond their mental capacity
in educating and properly equipping
themselves for It.
To handling that department known
as druggist sundries, woman is espe-
cially adapted; she Judges the quality
of lotions, toilet powders, soaps, per-
fumes, brushes and combs by her con-
slant use of them, therefore, she is best
qualified to recommend them to buyers,
who are largely of her own sex.
When the character of the stock is
considered, also the fact that she has
entered all other avenues of mercantile
trade, not excepting hardware and
groceries. it is surprising that her face
is not more frequently seen behind the
counters of drugstores and prescription
cases. She is naturally neat and or
derby, a prime requisite in keeping
stock in attractive shape, and when
fancy goods are included in the general
line. her innate love Of the beautiful
should make her valuable saleswoman
and assistant in selecting salable
articles from samples or wholesale
stock
The main objections to the business
are the long hours and close confne-
ment. People are i'll and ailing week
days and Sundays, day and night, and
the druggist is expected to be at his
post of duty on within calling distance
when suffering humanity may need his
services.
But the bread winner may not al
ways choose the shortest hours and
hghtest labor. Necessity is hard task
master and when natural tastes ex-
pediency, opportunity and other essen
tials entering into the chord of how the
bread is won shall be decided upon, it
then remains for the girl as well as the
boy to be thorough and reliable, asking
no favors, demanding no concessions
because of sex, provided, she receives
the same pay for the same honest, eff
ficient service as her brother.
Women possessing business ability
probably inherited from a father who
has been man Of affairs, possessing
some means, frequently feel the neces-
sity of adding to the original capital
young girl, perhaps, compelled to
earn her living may have more natural
aptness for trade, than the usual occu-
pations open to her sex. For these the
book and stationery business opens a
profitable avenue of activity.
The stock is easily handled, is light,
clean and attractive, fully as well
adapted to women as men. 1t does not,
however, turn over into money as rap
idly as staple goods, such as groceries,
bread, meat and things people are
obliged To use. That is, the demand is
not as great and the goods do not sell
as rapidly as staple articles, but the
average profits on sales are much
larger, with a few exceptions. such as
school books and news. The first re-
quisite for success, is a thorough lznowl-
edge OF the business, which is gained
only by actual experience.
1t would be advisable to serve an APP
premiership as clerk for a time. without
pay if necessary. rather than risk mon
ey in an enterprise without this expert
ence. Otherwise you can not manage a
business; it will manage you, and that
implies anxious days, sleepless nights,
ultimate failure and loss of money in
vested.
The extent of the stock depends upon
the capital at command; buy the
amount of goods you can pay for, but
never under any circumstances engage
in a mercantile undertaking on bor-
rowed capital. You will find that clerk
hire, rent, insurance and legitimate ex-
penses make deep enough inroads on
profits without paying interest on
money. 1t is true that men frequently
achieve success on borrowed capital,
but more often they fail than succeed;
and, aside from that, men can afford to
take greater risks than women. The
world is more lenient with their fail
ures, and their opportunities greater
for retrieving mistakes.
Another essential to mercantile sue
cess is this: do not overstock. 1t is bet
ter business Judgment to buy in small
quantities and turn over the money
quickly. as it is termed, than to lay in
a large stock have the goods lie on the