The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1905-03-28
ADVERTISING UNITED STATES
Business Proposition Looking to he
Introduction of Our Goods Abroad.

Congressman Coverings proposition
Introduced in the Fifty-eighth Congress
fo~ an industrial commission TO visit
the markets. OF the world and exploit
american products, is said 20 have re-
ceiv@d the support OF President Roos-
eyutt, ana along with the provisions
for extensions If the drawback privil-
eyes under the tariff laws is likely to
be renewed al The next session. In
douDtedly there are many who will re-
gard this as Il mere "junketing COM
mission but those who are. familiar
with the views of the Massachusetts,
Congressman know that nothing can
be further from the truth. Congress-
man Lowering is a business man Who
believes that the manufacturers OF the.
United States are making gooSs which
ought to be sold in foreign markets.
where there would be a demand for
them if their character were fully un-
derstood.
The whole proposition, SO far as it.
relates to an industrial commission Of
exploitation, is this: Shall the United
States become an advertiser? Now, II
would seem that in the business world
the benefits of advertising are 81 fully
understood that no argument should be
necessary to impress upon the minds
of the people the benefits of adverti5-
ing in this country each year woGi6
not be spent il the advertis-
ers did not find IL a paying
the advertisers did not find IL a paying
investment. And If advertising is a
| good thing for the individual IL has
also been found tu be a good thing for
organizations. Cities n towns "a
plot their advantages and opportuni-
ties in many ways and at considera-
ble expense, and doubtless with bene-
FIT, although the benefit may not be as
clearly apparent as in the case Ut a
dealer in some patent medicine. Goy-
ern.nents have advertised, not only in
different departments, but as a whole,
by exhibitions at worlds fairs and ex-
positions. However much may be cred
tied TO LEGAL pride, the main purpose
IF exhibiting at these expositions ls a
desire 20 secure new markets and 10
show TO other exhibitors and to the
visitors from other countries what the
country exhibiting is producing prinla-
riIy in the hope of opening up new
markets. The United States has main
tanned consular and commercial agents
in foreign cities for the purpose III
helping American manufacturers ami
exporters 10 dispose of their goods, and
to furnish tier, with information re-
gariing b conditions to be met with
in foreign markets. There IL album
dant precedent for the action which
Congressman Coverings bill proposes.
This bill, however, proposes to adj
~rertise, not SO much by a display OF
goods, as by getting. directly before
Ftbe dealers and purchasers I'm foreign
com ies, and having a talk with them
about American goods and American
merchants. Such a commission. "
rightly chosen, is capable of doing q
good deal of work which may result In
widening American markets. Primari-
~ We must have the goods TO offer ~
must any advertiser who propose to
hold his customers and make new ones.
But the United States might be run
ming over with manufactured goods
which would be desired by the people
OF other countries and would receive
no benefit If we did not tell them about
these goods. A well -seiected commits
SIGN would find a trip around the
world not a mere pleasure excursion.
but a our which would bring IL pien-
" Of hard work Its scope Of labors
should include an inspection OF our
foreign commercial agencies to find out
tr.t how well the United States is
, represented abroad, and we must also
couple with this extension drawback
privileges which viii enable our manu-
facf1-eTs TO put their goods IN foreign
markets on advantageous terms-Eos-
. ter Transcript
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