The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-08-23
NOT ON THE AMERICAN PLAN.
Letters of Introduction Needed to Do
 Business Abroad.

Letters of Introduction Needed to Do
 Business Abroad.
 "An" one who goes to Europe from this country and tries to do business and introduce American goods to the foreign public there is up against a hard game" The, speaker, a ruddy faced. square jaWed man, with a Ear Western accent, sat on plush covered sofa in the corridor of an uptown hotel, puffed at a fat perfecto and told Tribune man of his experiences aboard.
 Why, to try to sell on the American plan over there would be like trying to break through the North Pole with an icepick. You have got to have a letter of introduction to reach the man you are trying to sell to- Before you can do a paying business you have got to have a trunk full of letters of introduction, | belong to a dozen clubs and have wide social acquaintance When I i went to London some little time ago I represented a large firm of we'll known manufacturers in Michigan, who at the time were placing on the market 8 railroad inspection car, designed to take the place of the ordinary hand operated car. This naturally wished to introduce to the notice of British railway officials and with this end in view I sent descriptive circulars and i literature to many of them. .,, After a long wait in my London office a, superintendent of a railway sys- tenn in the north, of England wrote me, saying that if. I was in his neighbor- hood he would, be pleased to have me call upon him. scentng a possible or der, I straightwayl packed my grip and presented. myself at his office in the city of, York as soon as possible, and sent in my card by one of his clerks, who returning in a few moments, said:
 s MT. Blank regrets to say he does not find it necessary to see you. being busy and as be knows all about your cars.'' , %y
 Naturally I was exceedingly sur- prised and set back at this reception, after my long journey, and did not feel like being turned away so abruptly. A scheme flashed on my mind. "Oh I have not come to see MT. Blank about those cars, I wish to see him on purely personal matter" r
 Very well, sir, said the clerk, if that is your business I will ask him whether he can see you now
 After minute os so he-retuned from the inner sanctum, saying:
 MT Black wishes to know upon what personal business you want to see him." ...-
 Go and tell him said I, that I have a high salaried position to offer him.
 of wen the clerk and returned al- most Immediately, saying, MT. Blank will see you at once, sir l..
 Upon my being ushered into his pre- sence MT. Blank cordially shook hands and, after bidding me to be seat ed, turned beamingly upon me and Esaid. Now, MT. Jones, understand you wish to see me with regard to offering me position. May I ask you what it is?'
 The position is that of general manager and chief engineer of my firms work in Michigan. My firm is looking for an experienced man, and I have been deputed to find one, and you have been recommended to me by friends in London as being able to fill the position.
 And what, may ask, is the salary attached?,
 Fifteen thousand dollars year.
 Why, that is more than am get 1 ting here! And what are the main qualifications necessary
 '"The first is, mainly to draw your salary, and the second is a thorough knowledge of our cars, which so few I Englishmen over here possess.
 But, may dear, I do not know any, thing at all about your cars, and am afraid could not qualify on that point
 If that is the case. "I'm sorry I haven't any position to offer you; there being in fact, none to offer. II regret. MT. Blank, that I have had to resort to a trick to gain an interview with you, said I, with my voice changing to something approaching sternness, He was dumfounded, but admitted that he had been outwitted. and we proceeded to talk business.'