The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-11
RIGHT WAY TO SECURE
INCREASE IN AMERICAN
COMMERCE IN FRANCE
Active and Competent Agents in
the Territory Are Needed to
Bring 1t About.
RICHES FOR THE FARMER.
Found in Cooperative Husbandry
in Denmark-Plans for a Ger
man Steel Trust.
RICHES FOR THE FARMER.
,ecial to the indianapolis Journal.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-The American
consul stationed at Rheims. France. WI
liam A Prickitt 10y name has made few
observations on the possibility of extend
ing the market for American goods in
northwest France. In his communication
to the State Department Consul Prickitt
employs a much livelier style of compost
ton than is usual in government cOmmuni-
cations He treats of serious matters In q
conversational way which brings the
points home to the reader In a most eff
fective manner. His most recent communi-
cation TO Washington is worth quoting in
full, not only for the information it con-
tains. but for its readable character. He
is positive in his statement of facts and
lucid in his deductions He says that the
best way 10 sell American goods in this
part of France is TO establish a general
agency at Paris and work the surround
Ing territory by means of travelling or local
agents.
In this manner more goods can be ex-
ported at one time and much lower rates
of transportation secured. Have the cata-
logues and advertising matter printed in
French, and have capable men familiar
with the goods for agents. The Paris
pany has established a local agency at
Rheims during the past year. 1t has an
excellent agent who has succeeded in SELL
ing many machines.
Two of the most extensively advertised
breakfast foods have been placed on sale
at one of the finest grocery stores in the
are printed on all sides, with statements
describing their merits. directions for use,
etc, in the French language a little pam
phlet in French is given TO each customer.
fknnn ft4r hnNr q rc
being pushed, having good sales.
American evapOrated fruits, particularly
apples and apricots, are having increased
sales. Very inferior native apples are SELL
ing at retail in the markets at this date
st cents pound, owing 10 the failure
OF the apple crop. There is heavy duty
on apples for the table-S2.9O per go pounds.
During my administration as consul"
he says, II have explained many times
why the merchants here do not import di-
rectly from the United States. The diff
ference in the money, weights and meas
ures and the absence of a port of entry
make it very difficult TO establish direct
communicat ion between would-be sellers in
the United States and purchasers at
Rheims. / have succeeded in doing this in
a few instances but even after one or two
sales were made the seller lost the trade
because he had no one on this side to look
after II. The commercial traveller Is al
ways in evidence. and the solicitor for trade
on the spot, and his something which he
declares just as good or better than the
article furnished by the absent seller is al
most sure OF success. AS a rule, COMPETE
ton is now so great that trade must be
continually looked after in order to keep IT.
But the most difficult thing to do in
France is 70 introduce an article to which
the people are not accustomed. 1t will not
do to count on selling things in France be-
cause they are popular in the United
States. Here is a case in point:
almost all articles of use are well made
in France, for they are to last and to do
good service, but the article is often made
too heavy. / am fond of driving. and l
thought l would show the people here how
much superior an American buggy is to
their heavy and uncomfortable carts. In
1901 imported an American phaeton weigh
ing 40 pounds which would be considered
heavy in the United States. 1t is an up-to-
date carriage, with leather top. rubber tires
and self-Oiling axles. / was sure that l
could easily sell it if | concluded not to
keep it. / reckoned without my host. The
freight and duty from New York to Rheims
was $780, which shows that carriages should
not be imported singly. / was astonished.
for / had not figured on over One-half of
that amount. But / said. Never mind; l
will give these people an object lesson 1
have given the lesson, but without effect 1
wish to sell, for | have found that / cannot
afford to keep a horse and carriage 1t is
no trouble to sell a horse, but the phaeton
is still in my possession.
81 have offered TO sell 1t at a bargain. l
have advertised it in the newspapers.
have pointed out that If bicycle weighing
twenty-five pounds will carry a person
safely thousands of miles. ii is entirely flu
tile to use a carriage weighing half a ton
to carry two persons. | have explained that
il is on account of the heavy vehicles that
so many of the horses here are knee sprung.
All this has no effect; the people are not ac-
customed to light carriages. They look at
my phaeton, shrug their shoulders and say,
Pas solide.' "
In her book, entitled Danish Life in
Town and Country" recently published,
Mrs Jessie Brochner. of Copenhagen. de-
votes a very interesting and instructive
chapter to the subject of agricultural CO.
operation. Some significant figures are pre-
pared TO show the great influence which ag-
ricultural cooperation has had in the devel-
opment ofsDenmarks export trade. Mrs
Brochner states that cooperative dairying
is directly responsible for an increase I'm the
value of Danish butter exports from about
100000 in 1882 the date of the formation
of the first cooperative dairy in Denmark
to over s29,OO0.000 in 1900. Mrs. Brochner
adds:
This vast increase has been brought
about both by the increase of production
and by the marked Improvement in quality
which is placed at something like 80 per
cent. and without which Danish butter
would have secured nothing like its present
privileged position. The first Danish CO.
operative dairy dates from 1882 Now there
are 1,O57 cooperative dairies in Denmark
comprising some 10000 members and re-
ceiving milk from $50 600 cows. or more
than four-fifths of the total number of
cows. Next in Importance To the diaries
come within the cooperative movement
the bacon factories. The cooperative bacon
factories have undoubtedly tended greatly
to increase the farmers revenue from his
pigs and one just erected is the twenty
seventh. The Danish cooperative bacon
factories now have about $500 members
and last year they killed 5000 pigs and
lO.000 head of cattle, amounting in money to
Sl0.570,O00. the price received for bacon I'm
the English market averaging cents per
pound above the average price of bacon
from other countries.
The third OF these staple articles of food
which Denmark eXportS-eggs-w the last
TO come under the beneficial influence of CO.
operation and had 10 wait another ten years
before there was any question of 'co-opera-
tive eggs. In 1895 Danish cooperative egg
export society was started and IL has now
about 10000 members under obligation Ia
collect the eggs. which are all stamped
every day, with a view to their being taken
10 the district centers. Last year cO-Opera-
tive eggs were sold in England To the value
of about $l.606.O00. and greatly owing To the
ports of eggs from Denmark has risen from
S1.947Oo0 in 1885 to more than S. $50. 900 in
1901. Danish eggs now averaging about
cents more per score $50 cents per dOzen)
I'm the English market than other foreign
eggs. If Denmark last year had received