The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-03-17
Bill APPS Letter.

l was Illuminating about the grand army
OF middle men that it takes to carry on
the trade and Of this country
L verify believe that they make more
money that the manufacturers and there
are twice as many of them. A friend
OF mine recently visited a large manu-
factory of sewing machines ana the su-
perintendencnt told him that the primo
cost OF a frst-class machine was 50. 60.
and they jobbed them off at $13. The
jobber sold them for SIS to agents. The
agents retail them at $35. for he has to
rent 4 store room and keep a horse and
wagon and make repairs free and sell
on installments and sometimes has to
take a machine back for non-payment.
When the original Bill Arp moved to
Texas he took his wife's machine with
him and left his note behind with SO
unpaid. Shortly after that a new agent
vas sent here who was not acquainted
with the Arp family and he came out to
my house and wanted me to pay the note
| had hard work to. convince him mat !
was another Arp. The note was sigacd
William Arp, his mark, ana Cinderell.
Arp, her mark. My wife was very in
dignant that she should be suspected OF
making her mark.
Well, now you see how much money
went to the middle men after the ma
chine left the factory-$22-tWicc as
much as it cost to make it. Just so it
is with thousands of other things that
go through the hands of middle mon.
| was Eliminating abds7t this because |
received a report of 500 copies Of my new
book that Mr.. Byrd had sold. The book
cost So cents TO electrotype and print and
bind it, and | was to have half the pro-
fits arising from the sale. The price
was $1.25 postage paid, which WIS II
cents. Thirty copies had beeI sold bore
at the book store for $3.50. The book
store kept % per cent, or $9.37. Mr..
Byrd got $28.13. The freight ant Incl
dental expenses amount to 3 cents q
copy. 50 the cost was So cent. and ii
Melted 90 cents and my half of the dif-
ference was 2h cents on a copy The
publisher and agent or middle men get
about all there Is in a book. ! am not
complaining at anybody bat myself. or
Mr.. Byrd told me that the price would
have TO be $50 to make anything, bit
/ wasn't thinking about agents charging
50 much and wanted tho people 10 have
it as cheap as possible. But It cant go
on this way. The publication must stop
or the price be raised to $l.50 and if an
agent Won't sell for 25 cents a copy, he
needn't sell at all. He runs no risk.
He loses no time. The books sell them
selves on the counter. But MIR. Byrd can
continue to sell on mail orders for $123
and 10 cents more for postage. This viii
be a fair divide all around and give the
poor author about Is cents a copy.
senator Hoar's speech at Chicago is be-
fore me. Nothing since the war has so
cneered no and impressed m" as that
beautiful speech. Why doesn't every
newspaper in the South copy it, or that
| part of it that pays such a tribute 10
the Southern people. When ! finished
reading It I would have Rugged the oil
man, if he had been near enough Listen
My life politically has beer 4 life Of
constant strife with the leaders OF the
Southern people, yet as | grow older, |
have learned not only to respect on1
esteem them, but I love the great quail
ties which belong to my countrymen Of
the Southern States. They are a noble
race. We may well take pattern from
them IN some Of the virtues that give
strength and glory to a free people.
Their love of home; their chiva1ro@s re
spect for woman-tteir courage-thelr
delicate sense of honor-their consistency
which can abide by an opinion or q
purpose through adversely and prosperi-
ty and through years and generations.
And there is another thing-covetousnesc,
| corruption and the low temptation u
money has not yet found any place IN
Southern politics.
MY friends, we cannot afford to live
in a state of -estrangement from a people
who possess these qualities. They are
friends of ours, born of our borning,
| flesh of our flesh, blood of cur blood ard
if I have a right to speak for Massa-
chusetts, will say. 'Entreat me not to
! leave thee or forsake thee, where thou
| goest, 1 will go. Thy people shall be my
| people, and thy God my Cod"
! This is only a part of it. l have placed