Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-14
Shipping. American Cottons.

Americans are slow to learn that
What is worth doing is worth doing
we'll. Slipshod ways are likely to pre-
vail in all branches OF business, even
where the intent has been to be SyS-
,emalic and thorough, and the end is
often defeated through carelessness or
tEouShtlessness or an ignorance that Is
lneXcusablc. A conspicuous instance
Is brought TO attention, not for the first
time. but in an effective way, in re-
port from China, by a special agent of
this country, in regard to the bad pack
ing of goods shipped from America to
that country, with Photographic views
that confirm the truth of the report
and that show in contrast the good re-
suits secured by packers of some other
countries through their better methods.
American cotton goods are popular in
China, but apparently the American
manufacturers are trying the patience
of the Chinese dealers almost to 1.-The
breaking point. For instance, in
stock of piece goods landed in Tien-
Tsin, including over five hundred bales
from different countries, with some so
per cent. of them American product,
fully so per cent. of the bales had their
contents exposed through loss of some
or all of the rope binding in the course
of shipment and transhipnent, with
the result that the cloth was more Or
less soiled and damaged through abta-
sion and tearing. The pictures of
groups of such bales is distressing to
any careful person, and ought to wiring
tears frcm the most obdurate shipper
OF goods. Bale after bale Is falling to
pieces, the sheeting hanging out Or in
various stages of uncoveredness, look
ing slack enough and shamefully
wasteful. Wooden cases of goods are
shown in different degrees of dilapida-
ton, even to the complete disappear
ance of all wood, the goods in some in
stances merely enclosed in the tin lin
ing of the box and tnat torn and inse-
cure. The wood has been too light
and its fastenings ineffective. In the
matter of the bale goods, rope has gen.
orally been used for binding where
metal bands should have been used.
And the results with either case or bale
have been disastrous.
And the worst Of it for the American
manufacturer is that there is no excuse
for his goods to arrive at the foreign
port in this discouraging condition, for
cases and bales from Holland. Japan
and India have arrived at the same
port as trig and compact as the day
they left the factory; and a few bales
of American piece goods metal bound
show the good results Of adequate fas-
tening.
The receipt of goods in this damag-
ed condition is not calculated to put the
buyer into a friendly mood with the
American manufacturer. The allow.
ance of claims for damaged cloth i:
said to be constant element, in tht
importation Of American goods, which
does not figure prominently in the cal.
culation of the prices Of goods from
other countries; and as the allowance
for loss through damage to parts o.
the stuff necessarily puts the remain
der at a higher price than similar
goods better packed. the American
manufacturer stands at disadvantagt
through his own act. The loss usual.
| ly falls on the commission house. sc
that one can see how great would bt
the provocation to ignore the Ameri.