Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-01-17
0NE FEATURE
Of the Jo,bing Trade Little Under.
stood.
By the General Purchasing Puonc
An Insight Into the Strictly
Modern Method of Handling Ger
tain Staple Commodities.

The coffee and sugar loDoeIS u
Wheeling, and fcr that matter through
ont the whole country, no longer con-
troll and make prices to the retailer and
are no longer full purchasers and own
ers of sucn goods, but are simply the
AGENTS and factors of the Eastern col
fee and sugar combinations and hrms'
This new departure in commercial al
fasrs-a largely eX-parte arrangement
is not generally known 10 the pup
lie. and is perhaps Of no particular con-
Germ as a matter OF profit or loss 70 CIe
general public. IL mas It's Agreeable
and unpleasant features 20 the JoDDerS
in sugar and coffee and possibly also
The retail dealer, bu. in al least It's the
oreucal aspect it would seem TO border
near tle lane OF operations in restraint
of trade, while furtherirg u1e
shrewd arrangements by tA East
ern coffee and sugar trusts TO
apparently obey he .3W Of the land, ana
il surely adds another poke 10 tle COM
p. wheel OF America commercial ana
business affairs and as whole speaks
volumes for the inventive genius OF this
counw.> Such arrangements are not
alone in Wheeling or restricted 20 the
coffee and sugar productions, but l.
would seem that i'm the sale Of these
classes Of goods tls Eastern trusts have
secured the most extensive and detailed
arrangements Of the factor and agent
process over other lines eff cOm0in3-
ton AID products in the country.
In coffee and sugar jobb-ng TO-
day the Eastern concerns without an
exception to any extent consign TO the
Wheeling jCbbers the produc, in GER
tain amounts, not to them as purohas-
ers. but as agents or factors. The title
of ghe goods removing by reservations
in the bills Of lad.ng and circular in
structions and other arrangements is in
the consignor subject TO the advances
and necessary expenses incurred by the
cOnsignee. The sugar and coffee is
filed in the name Of the local jobber
by the direction of the Eastern con-
s.gn0r. but with The assertion that the
goods are in fact billed to tlAe ccnsignee
as the factor and agent Of the consignor.
The price of coffee and sugar is fixed
and given the local jObber as per equal
itv rate books from time to time by the
Eastern trusts, as also the terms Of
paymen and discounts TO the retail
trade which cannot be altered or
charged by the local jCtber and Inc
prices ard terms of payment and dis
cOunt. with of course freigh, additions,
are also fixed separately for certain
divided territory in the country and
81 was Of only recent occurrence for a
brief time that local re,ail dealers in
this city. found that they could pur-
chase over the river in Chic coffee and
sugar cheaper than Of the home
| iobbers but this condition OF
the market I'M the Two loca-
tons. practically altogether the
Wheeling territory. was brought about
by the fixing of prices for certain terri
tory by the Eastern principals and
trust organizations. and as said before,
wa of very brief duration.
me question naturally presents it
self how are the local factors and
agent jobbers compensated. and how
40 they prof-. if at all? They are "a
lowed a certain trade discount on
gwen quantity of the goods invoiced-
discount for cash as advance on goods
DAYS and a further per cent commission
on the number of pounds sold. The
/ diseOuE. items are retained from the
remittances by way Of so-caled adj
vqnces and the commission rcblted once
/ i'm so often. generally ninety days. but
While the factor and az nj features,
/ commissions and di=cCU0.s would seem
( as vet to harm 10 one in this locality,
and as he Register is informed. posi-
bly, permits the jCbbers Of wheeling in
coffee and sugars to make a profit at the
/ pres mt time which was not always t'le
R case vet by virtue Of these new de-
par,ure arrluyements they are still
/ he'd by the Eastern firms and concerns
responsible for the payment of the
/ goods. FREIGHT or loses in the time and
at the prices fixed by the invoices and
certificates and are alone responsible
| for the sales made to their retail Gus
| toners. So far in the coffee and sugar
/ industry Of Wheeling no one seems to
have been injured. They are cheaper
today 10 She consumer than ever be-
fore i'm the history Of the trade This
may De the result Of first production,
governmental policy and new business
methods combined. l. IS quite prob
/ able however. that the average Ameri-
can is net mu-h of a believer in any
very extensive system that allcws a
few men and firms to fix prices and
terms and also say to the large jObbers
of coffee, sugar or any other product in
the country. we vii. not sell YOU these
goods. but VIII appoint YOU as our
agents or factors. Yet this is the pres
en- situation OF the coffee and sugar
industry in this country, and if j1bbers
were 50 disposed it would seem that
they would be pOwerless 10 make pur-
chases CT these goods from any other
source or upon a different plan than
! now pursued.
The whole question Of prices for the
staples Of life in this country in the
frs instance. and how The same are
fixed IN the commercial makeup Of the
country is one these times of great
complex. Back of the work and COM
birati0rs IN coffee, sugar, breadstuffs,
meats and canned goods are the eX-
changes of New York and CNoa 90. in
which combines and others fix and alter
almost daily the prices Of the crude and
raw material 20 a great extent and for
a long or short period, and It would
seem That each year in the history Of
the country The consumers and produc-
ers are further separated from each.
other. and facilities os supply and de-
mard more completely subjected to the
changing features of a new commercial
and trade era in this country.
r,o..i sttrr1 4. % ,and snrn