The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1908-06-06
By DUBIOUS MEANS
BUxfNs or GOODS FORCED TO
PAY ExoRslTANr PRICES.
soMe COMMON CRAFTS
Allsb6u Wholesale Houses Growing
Rich Through Trade Secured by
Apsnts Who Work In the
Rural Districts.


gsave dealers profits" that costs many
residents OF rural communities vast
amounts OF money. II Is the seduc-
tive ar4fment held out by certain
classes VI houses that seek 70 do bust
ness through the mails, that the local
dealers are charging too much for
their goods, and that IL is fair for the
consumers TO save their dealers
profits themselves, that causes many
10 gain experience that is costly.
For many years past travelling
agents have been numerous In agri-
cultural sections soliciting orders for
goods among the farmers. This class
OF agents is known as box-car men.
They enter a neighborhood. and aim
TO sell sufficient goods so that a car
losd can be shipped TO the nearest sta
fien and distributed. The ways OF
these agents are much like the heath.
en- Chinee'--"ways that are dark and
tricks that are vain" But neverthe-
less, they reap rich rewards. or they
would quit the business.
II should be known 20 every intelll-
gent person that all glasses OF goods
have q real value. These values are
based upon conditions The law OF
simply and demand has not ali 10 do
with fixing prices. To concisely sum
IN the factors OF cost OF manufRc-
tured article there arc three principal
clements. viz. The cost OF the raw
material, the. expense OF manufacture
ana the expense or distribution. From
the producer OF the raw material TO
the consumer, all interested IN the
transactions are entitled 10 equitable
compensation. The farmer, the grow
or of oats sells his oats 10 the mill OPP
orator, The oats is manufactured
into oat meal, or breakfast food. The
wholesale and retail dealers are en-
pIoyed TO distribute IT, The Wholesale
dealer As nothing more than ware
houseman and his compensation Is Tor
storage, and for costs Of handling, and
the guaranteei ymto the manufactures
the cost 49, sbds sold lie receives
only a sml Margin of profit 1t may
be said thai the retailer fills place
as to the consumer as does the whole
saler 10 the retailer. Now it Is Inn
practical for the manufacturer to
maintain stores OF his own In hue
dreds and thousands OF towns. II ne
0kould find a more economical way
h distribution than the wholesaler
and the retailer he would do SO. But
II they are cut out a more costly
system OF distribution must be IN
auguratec.
Now as 70 the travelling selldirect
to-the.consumer agent lie does his
business chiefly with the people who
give little study 10 commercial mat
tors. He represents himself as agent
for a large Wholesale house. lie
talks continually Of how the consumer
by buying from him can save the
nrofits that the retailer would make
But the fact Is that the expense u
NOT eliminated. The average traveller
who sells goods TO the farmers re
celves a commission OF from 70 70 AZ
per cent, or about Is TO 20 per cent
more than the retailers average OF
such goods as he.sells.
But this is not all. These men arr
downright dishonest as a general rule
They are development OF th'
proyerbial lightning rod agent The!
practice the same principles, onl!
shift the kind OF goods sold. In rae
the majority OF them represent ALLEGED
houses that exist only IN name. II
enc western city are located numbe
OF men who are doing business unde
a half dozen different names. The
even haven't a warehouse. When OF
ders are sent TO- them by their agents
they 10 to some Wholesale grocer an
huv the goods. Not alone this, bu
after they purchase what. they nee
they adulterate the same. They bn
dried fruits in bulk, the cheapest kim
and repack them In boxes supposed !
weigh 25 pounds each, but In realit
(only weighing from 20 to % pound
cases included. The spices that an
bought are adulterated with groun
nut shells. starch, and other materi'
TINT makes up weight. The cone'
are OF the very cheapest and the tea
the same. II is seldom that the article
seat 10 the purchaser are the same
tie samples shown IL must be r
membered that the agent Is una'
Heavy expense. four 20 six dollars
day for team and hotel bills, and tn'
he receives rs per cent commissi.
on what he sells. To this must
added the profits for the house, wni'
Is. about another % per cent All %
must be made and the buyer OF =
goods Is the one who must make GOO
- Lately n the western states the DC
car men have adopted dubious me'
DDS OF getting trade. knowing hs
anxious the farmers are TO secure :
highest prices for products, they ma
Leen travelling around through
country pretendlns y he buyers
produce. They contract win
farmer for butter, eggs, poultry q
promising about IS TO aQ per see
above the market price They ela