The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-08-08
FIRST PRICE OF THINGS.
What II Costs TO Make "a Sewing Ma.
chine and Typewriter.
From the New York Press

FROM the New York Press.
manufacturer put a flea in the ear"
of the Committee on Profits of the Mug
House CLUB the other night you peo-
pie kick about high prices" he said, but
you never have a word to say against
high wages. You forget that the latter
malt the former You imagine that the
manufacturer makes all the profit on the
articles he sells. You overlook the mid
dieman, or the agent or the commission
dcaler-call him what you please Let us
take, for example, the sewing machine
There is one in nearly every family In the
United States. few years ago, when
patents held good, first-class machine
cost about 800. II was regarded as
luxury. To-day the same machine, or a
better one. may be bought for one-quarter
OF that sum, and If the whole difference
between cost of manufacture and selling
price went to the maker he would have
no hard tin:es to complain of.
The finest machine in the market to-
day does not cost more than $14 TO manu-
facture, and some very useful ones cost
much less. o. course, I do not mean that
an enameded or jeweled machine can be
made for that sum. Machines that cost
us TO make from from 80 to Sl4 are sold
10 agents at from $40 to $22 each, and 1t
Is the agent who charges the high price
He has TO cover the cost of putting out on
trial several times before selling, and Of
ten several times without selling, for
there are many persons who will spend
their lives trying and never have the re-
hottest intention Of buying Repairing 10
make look like new 10 expensive. Ye. II
must be done constantly. Ii really costs
more to sell machine than ID does 20
make one. fact which you gentlemen en-
tirely overlook.
Take the typewrlting machine" went
on this manufacturer There Is only one
In the market that costs as much as $24 to
manufacturers. while most OF them can be
made for less than s16 But II costs q lot
to sell them. The agents must have their
commissions, and any number of machines
are sent out on trial and never sold. All
such have to be repaired and made new.
The purchasers have to pay for this non
sense. The typewriter Is one of the few
machines in general use that have not
come down TO a reasonable price. The BIZ
cycle was 500 few years ago, whereas
to-day you can get a stench one for $i7.
Some wheels cost less than $40 to make,
but s25 20 sell In five years you will be
able to buy the best typewriter IN the
market for $25 and a chainless wheel for
$40. When we can get rid OF the middle
man things will sell for what they ore
worth"
1t has been the cry for generations.
Take away the middleman; he makes all
the prolt and the manufacturer gets all
the blame for UNFOLDING prices" The
other day a woman who did little plait-
ing In a modest shop was burned out She
had got together a mere handful of goods
and apparatus which she insured for 81 900
Everything was destroyed, even the hat
on her head and her arms were burned
fearfully trying to save something from
the wreck. The fire occurred on Satur-
day. At O'Clock Sunday morning, while
she writhed with pain. the Insurance ad-
justers began TO ring the door bell-the
middle men" They kept Il up all day,
and probably would have been ringing all
night but for the physical interference OF
friends OF the victim. They we're as a
swarm OF flies and as insoIent as the do
nestle variety OF that plaguey insect
when II has tasted half lifetime
The poor woman told one fresh youth
that she did not need the services OF any
one; that her affairs we're IN the hands
OF Messrs. So-and-So, who would look sf-
ter her small insurance. why, ma'am.
l know the firm well. and have been do
ing business with II for years" protested
the scoundrel. This Is Just such a case
as they would put into my hands. Let me
take II In charge, and will 20 right down
and see them about It," She was on the
verge OF yielding when her landlord in
terfered demanding the youths name aud
address for purposes OF investigation. or
course. the villain was entirely unknown
to the firm. Somebody Is going 20 make
things warm for him. The insurance COM
panies could easily put Quietus on these
fellows IL they cared 10. / have come to
the conclusion that they don't care 10.
Possibly some OF them secretly encourage
the adJusters-or middle men.