The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-13

NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 12.-At the
annual meeting of the National League
of Commission Merchants here today
c. c. Emerson, of ST Paul, delivered
an address, in which he said:
The commission man must know something
about everything, and everything about any
thing anybody can possibly ask, any time,
anywhere fool can ask questions that a
wise man cannot answer. but a commission
man must be able to an-wer with never fail
ing accuracy al kinds OF fool questions He
be abused on general principles, and Is rare
ly disappointed.
The first thing necessary to secure con-
signments by any methed is to establish con-
fdence and maintain it, To inspire con-
fidence we must be worthy of It, Prompt
attention to shipments, replying promptly to
all inquiries, prompt accounting for goods
when sold with full information relative to
anything unusual in the transaction, will go
long way towards convincing shippers that
market quotations is also very important.
What Is the market today? What are the
prospects? These are the questions that
must be answered over and over again every
day How shall we answer them? I con-
tend that We should always report the mar
ket conditions fairly see them. 1t is
a temptation sometimes to exaggerate mar
ket prospects in the hope of thus securing
consignments. This is wrong in principle
and detrimental In practice. 1t dooms the
shipper to disappointment from the outset
ways take a pessimistfc view of the market.
In these days of keen competition, quick
sales and close margin. the utility of any
method is determined by its cost. There arr
two ways to solicit consgnments-by letter
land in this l include circulars and adver-
tisins) and by travelling men. Which is most
expensive? the commission merchant must
keep his trade informed of the market To
do this he must necessarily maintain large
correspondence. The same letter can just
as well ask for consi gnments, explain pre-
vious sales, and carry the remittances. In
der this system the communication between
the merchant and his shippers must be more
travelling men, and If properly conducted,
ought to be equally satisfactory. Speaking
for myself, l have found this method of
soliciting quite satisfactory and certainly thu
most economical Perhaps this method SUP
plemented by trave.ing man. who makes &C.
casional trips, would be still more satisfac-
tory.
l have frequently inquired of my neighbors
what they considered the cost of doing bust
nesl and have been surprised to find wide
variation in the figures given. Different
penSe, perhaps, account for these variations
uniform system of bookkeeping and an IN
Outstanding among merchants as 10 what
should be charged to expense would in my
opinion, lead to more uniformity in cons
missions and better profits. IL the expense
Of doing business is from to per cent It
does not require much argument to con-
vince the most Indifferent that he Will not
grow exorbitantly rich in one life time on !
per cent commission Low commissions are
frequently the result of ignorance Of the
cost of doing business
| contend that 10 per cent is not too high
commission. and hope that there will
be sufficient discussion of this branch of m,
subject to call out a general expression OF
opinion. / contend that shippers are wiling
to pay 10 per cent on almost every kind OF
farm produce when the matter is properly
understood by them. l hope we may have
the educational benefit of an energetic agta-
ton of this subject. A shipper recently said
to me- When | pay 10 per cent | believe
| get a fair deal, but when I pay 5 l be-
lieve am robbed in grade or price" Ger
tain it is that no one can long survive en-
commissions that are less than the cost OF
doing business without robbing somebody.