Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-03-19
The Yankee Drummer Abroad.

In this country the drummer is some
thing of a Sing. He is welcomed every
where. and has pretty much his own
way throughout the land, whether it be
in the railway train. i'm the hotel office
or in a customers store. He knows his
business. and is the embodiment of
brains and action. Formerly he used
to put in much time telling stories. but
conditions are different now, and most
of the stories are cut out. He is the
typical American hustler; fun of bust
ness for "A hours a day; always Il gem
tIeman, and u man whom it is always
Il pleasure to meet.
In this country we appreciate the
drummer, but he strikes an altogether
different proposition when he goes
abroad. The department of commerce
and labor has just issued a pamphlet
which gives US Il good idea Of the diff
culties me. by the American travelling
man, who endeavors to introduce his
W lIlto t'lt N'iS vi
Europe. Many countries of Europe are
so frightened at the American trade in
vasion. that laws have been passed with
Il view to single out and strange Amer
lean commerce. Take Russia. for in
stance. In that land of oppression and
extortion the representative of for
ei%n house who tried to do business
must first pay an annual tax Of $i,..I.
II hc is Il Jew. or the head of the house
is A Jew, he must pay S2551.30 annually.
Then there is the communal tax of $23.-
l.. n travelling tax Of S23.11, and in adj
have Il power to impose taxes and fees
which they neven fail to exercise. In
Germany it is almost as bad. There
the doors are closed against foreign
drummers ana to get in he has to pay
various kinds of licenses. They even
have the power to shut him out alto
gether on such a silly preteXt as not
liking his personal appearance. But in
spite of these taxes. and the stumbling
blocks which the foreign mind has de-
vised as bars to the progress Of the
Yankee drummer, he has gone cheer
and is selling his goods i'll increasing
quantities.
Everywhere. from London to Port
Arthur. and from northern Sweden To
Cape Town, you will find the trail OF
the Yankee drummer The children of
the African savages play empty canned
| beef tins from Chicago. and there is al
| most an endless chain of American BIZ
cycles passing the Pyramids. The Rus
| sian army is now hurrying to the front
in trains drawn by American locomo-
| tiNes over rails made in Pennsylvania
which are laid upon ties cut in Wash
ington and Oregon. The great rivers of
| Europe. Asia and Africa are spanned by
| American steel bridges. and the streets
of every city in these three continents
are daily trod by American shoes. The
camels of Asia are htched to American
ploughs. and the hum of the American
sewing machine is heard in the ancient
capital of the Caesars. The Yankee
drummer is not to be discouraged by
trifies, he is winning triumphs every.
where and his triumphs will be over.
Swallowed by greater victories to come
The opposition which the Old World i.
making TO the American trade invasion
will only stimulate the fighting bloc,
. of the Yankees. the keenest. most tire
less and most aggressive race of bust
ness men that the world has eve
known.