Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-11-09
OUR FOREIGN LETTER
Dealing with Commercial and In
dustrial Conditions Abroad.
One of Japan's Ways Of Securing New
Business-Stagnant Markets In
Germany and Other Inter-
esffnS Items.

There has recently been established
in Bankok museum Of japanese man
ufactures and prod
Japanese ucts This institu-
at pan ton is under the
direction of the japanese government,
which pays all the running expenses,
except the salary of the director.
The establishment occupies large and
commodious rooms in one of the busiest
portions of the commercial city. In
these rooms it is proposed to display
sample of every commercial product OF
Japan. There are number already
on exhibition, and our neighbors of the
far east are making decidedly favor
able showing of their manufactured
products. A corps of polite clerks is in
constant attendance to assist any who
may wish to look over the exhibit, and
anyone can order goods from the sam
pie, per cent. being added to the price
mark. This per cent has been fixed in
Japan, and is invariable. In case the
purchaser wishes to pay freight him
self, the per cent. is simply the commits
sion that goes to the director in place
of salary. If desired, however, the
blishment will deliver the goods to
the door of the purchaser, adding to
the producers price such a percentage
as will cover commission and expenses.
All items of expense, whether of post
age, cable, freight or commission, are
entered upon the bill of the purchaser.
By employing as director a man who
has other business interests in Bang
kok, the government has been able to
secure a valuable agent of successful
business experience and wide acquaint-
ance with the people.
The museum has been opened now for
some nine weeks, and is proving an in
creasing success. The oriental mer-
chant has little use for catalogues, price
lists and pictures. He objects to the
salesman for the reason that his sam
pies go with him, and he leaves nothing
to enable the purcha ser to compare the
goods delivered with those ordered.
Here, the samples can be inspected and
the goods compared with the samples;
the merchant can deal with firm that
is established in his city. and the goods
are not paid for until he is satisfied
that they are what he ordered. The
straigh tforward manner of fixing the
purchasing price appeals to both ORR
entail and occidental.
Orders are accepted for large or small
quantities, and the small purch ser
gets the advantage of freight rates on
the large orders if he is willing to wait.
AS result, the patrons of the museum
are by no means confined to the mer-
camille class, and the European popu1a-
ton of the City are availing themselves
limo small degree of this opportunity of
doing business with a splendidly
stocked Japanese bazaar.
The trade between Japan and Siam
had not assumed proportions sufficient
to warrant notice in the annual Gus.
toms reports of Bangkok until last
year, when, as the first fruit of Japan's
intelligent endeavor. this trade is re.
ported as $74,96O.
The French naval department. has
an exhibit in the Paris exposition Civ
Q o. :. ing graphic view
of the development
of oyster cultiva
ton in France. During 1s79-1ss7 the
yearly average production of French
oysters amounted to $2,123,OOO, gradu
ally increasing to $4,s25, 900 for The
vaor 1909 xybop TX SOn NnO Ero-ob