The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-23
How 20 DISPOSE Of Farm Products.

Letter to the Country Gentleman.
Until some three years past have been
for nearly forty years engaged IN buying
as well as producing form products, such
as butter, cheese, eggs, poultry. hay, bar
ley' and potatoes, and have had a variety
OF experiences in selling the same for the
first years. I depended almost entirely
upon commission men IN different cities and
have occasionally ever since, and can re-
cali In the many thousand OF dollars worth
Of goods 50 sold but very few sales that
ever brought me a profit, while m hun
dreds barely carns out even or with losses
more or less heavy. II was often exasper-
ating and more often perpiexing to read
the reasons given when returns were made
why the goods did not sell fer a better price.
After five years OF hard work and the
handling OF many thousand dollars worth
OF goods. ! made up my mind thai must
adopt some other method In selling goods
IL ever expecsd 20 make the business Jay
any profits. 80 my first decision was not
to trust my property 10 those who had no
interest in my success but only In their
own: and then the question was, what other
way could adopt to sell so as 10 make
profltg Ny first plan was 10 send my gooas
to some city, go with them and make ny
own sales. This answered very WELL as
always succeeded In making sales at
far profit, but this d.d not answer my fun
desires, anu Bt-AE1 tAasaG NFAN - NfAt~taF
after While. proved more satisfactory
and profitable.
I have given this little resume Of per-
sonai history for the purpose or saylng-I
That the sending OF goods BY country buy
ers or farmers TO city commission mer-
chants for sale is a most unsatisfactory.
careless and Improbable way OF disPosing
OF them. 2 That farmers on the whole wth
get better prices, b. better treated and dis
-. al NJ a
when sold 10 weIi-known home dealers. 4
That country buyers can sell their own
goods TO betters advantage than other per-
sons win for them; and that the best way
10 ell goods Is 20 sell them before they are
shinuezd. thus insuring acceptance at time
OF sale. doing away with All TIE chances
for claims and reclaua tons which are 50
common when goods are sent Tor sale on
commission. or 10 10 accepted on arrival
at purcha seT's station
This leads ne 10 the poin; that the true
wrav for farmers or country buyers u 20
seu heir goods AZ home that no goods
should be Slipped until sold. Let country
y~o9zlce be held at home. Let city dealers
sarsf ;hel~ tslyers 70 the country and make
their purchases. In MS way there would
fa few losses. for the city dealers * they
owned the goods. would not sell them al a
gosS as they would buy only 20 meet de-
r.
ayt4 prices would hold more even
DszIers IN farmers S'feetce generally
throughout the country would. think.
favor such a change: but the question
wIH he. hoz can such = raaieal change BE
hrcugst ah8wE The system OF selling by
commission Is 50 Widespread. has ssizh-
Hsnes. 50 firn a hold. thai u would de-
-rana A long and anlte5 effort ard wsa
diesste2 pan &C a setter way. a-f0Te ne
system could Re changed Indications
sasw that many are thinking upon this
subject TIE farmers In Washington ase
pssi.ding large store houses. where they naa
sf0ra theft grain and effect sales direct.
wathout the Intervention OF cEarn-sSton
men. and two years trial proves tie
Plan a satisfactory one-so much 80 rEst
several u@x Warehouses extending over
a s2Txe area are preparing for s0ca CO.
operative work. The Hay ard Straw As
soctst4Sn % ills state has for os1e % fis
osteets s1eS = plan 81 view. gss state