The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-25
PLETHORA OF YANKEE
GOODS IN SEAPORTS,
FEW IN THE INTERIOR
Agencies in the Inland Cities Nee
essary if Business Is TO Be
Properly Developed.
BRITISH TRADE OUTLOOK
Pessimism Overtaxed by Mer-
chants and Factors-Europe
Seeks a New Cotton Supply.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

Seeks a New Cotton Supply.
Special the Indianapolis journal.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24-Foreign seaports
are well stocked if not overstocked. with
American goods; but the inland cities on
the European continent are strangers TO
American products. Many efforts have been
made to reach the country people Of France,
Germany. Austria. eSc.. through correspond
ents. the placing of circulars. the securing
of merchants names, even the occasional
visitations OF agents or exposition Of scat
tered samples, but results are not satisfac-
tory. People will look with semi-curiosity
at an American washtub and clothes wTinger
and proceed to hammer their clothes at the
water basin In the same old way. hint
may be taken from the American dentists
who have established themselves in Eu-
ropean cities, and built up splendid prac-
tees by daily demonstrations of the value
of their work. If people become accustomed
10 things by constant association, they fall
into the habit of needing them An Amer
lean store in an inland French or German
city, well stocked with goods from the
United States, the inventions and commod-
tiles that make life in this country more
of the globe. would surely meet with sue
cess. Yet there are few merchants or
risk of such an experiment. cooperative
scheme or department store. supported by
various American industries, should prove
a moderately economical plan for introduc-
| ing manufactures from the United States in
what has been voted the most successful
manner.
From the lamentations constantly going
up from the trades people of England it
would seem that they are in dire need of
NJ
| in so far as facts and statistics may be re-
lied upon. il is not easy TO correctly estimate
actual conditions. Newspapers, trade jour
nails and managers of manufacturing plants
cannot be too implicitly believed. without
any intention of making misleading state
ments, they are all addicted to the habit OF
making a good story out of the situation.
Furthermore the English press and indus
trial leaders of to-day have contracted the
| mental habit of measuring conditions In
| this century by those of the old days, when
British manufactures had little opposition
| and profits were enormous. AS a result
| they take a pessimistic view of the trade
conditions of the present. The monopoly
| they long to enjoy at home and in many
| outside markets having come 10 an end,
| the requirement of vaster production at
| much lower prices to make Industries pay
renders vivid the memory of the easy-going
| times of prosperity and gives n distorted
| view OF the existing situation. In fact, the
| chief apparent danger 10 British manufac-
reluctance to turn r away from the past and
| forget all about il and to face the present
| and future-face the necessity for bringing
ground and probably will continue to lose
| ground. for their rivals in the Industrial
| field are formidable; but if they adopt ad-
| Yanced scientific methods in all departments
| they should be able TO hold their own None
| will admit this more frankly than the
| American captains OF industry.
At least one English town has been too
hard at work to have time to join in the
general carping against British hard
times" A noticeable accession of industry
has come to the peorIe Of Bristol within
the last few years. Il is the optimistic and
go-ahead communities with which ii pays
best to establish commercial relations.
American exporters OF manufactured goods
have in the past either overlooked the adj
vantages of Bristol or. in endeavoring 10
utilize them, have not always received en-
couragement. Conditions in Bristol and its
| vicinity steadily improving. and. while
| il has some disadvantages as compared
| with London and Liverpool as headquar-
| tiers and principal storage places IL
doubtedly has many good points which
would make 1t fair distributing center
for American manufactured goods.
| In Bristol as elsewhere I'm foreign coun-
tries, the only satisfactory method OF in
| Producing a new article is through the spe-
| cial representative or by giving an ex-
| elusive agency to some large English firm
AS the former method is too expensive for
the small manufacturer. the latter is more
! generally adopted There has been cur
| ous lack of the middleman or general
| jobber. In Bristol There is not at the
| present moment In Bristol, any consider
able number OF firms OF capital and stand
ing who prepared TO take up and
handle new commodity.
|
The great advantage which Bristol pos
sesses as a center from which to develop
a national inland trade is that of economy
The rents Of business premises and ware
houses are considerably less than in Lon
don or Liverpool, and taxes, salaries and
expenses generally are very much lighter
1t is expected that within short time the
new docks. now in process of construction.
will be completed. which will enable the
largest vessels to come direct 10 port. and
will doubtless have a stimulating effect on
| Bristors local trade.
| The only practicable way OF doing bust
| ness with the English middleman. or job
| Der, Is by offering him exclusive territory
| for definite length OF time. In no other
! way he be induced TO push product
| with energy and discretion. He does not
wish TO run the risk OF expending time
| and money in introducing something new
| and finding when the ground has been
broken and his hardest work done that
| SInOeone else steps In and reap5 the
ward. On the other hand. the American
manufacturer has a natural disinclinatfon
to tie himself up for any considerable time
| He fears to find that he has bound him
| self TO someone who is spelling territory
| preventing or delaying them in establish
ing demand in the English markets The
only means OF avoiding such a denoue-
ment is to search carefully. in fact, do the
| best possible in securing the agent
| Too frequently letters drumming for ex-
port trade are scattered about in a hap