The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-25
EROA OTHER PENS
AMERICAN SOUVENIRS LETTERS.

AMERICAN SOUVENIRS LIFTERS.
1t should be highly gratifying to the
national pride to note that the oblig-
ing managers of the leading London
hotels have rushed to the defense of
the American guests. 1t all came about
because one Of the London papers as
serted that the hotel managers of that
city were laying in large quantities of
small articles of table ware to provide
against the Yankees with a propensity
for swapping up unconsidered trifies-
usually silver-as souvenirs. When the
unpleasant article was shown the man.
ayers they were free with their dis
approving comments. One manager
said that If his disappearing silverware
was being lifted by Americans they
were welcome to it. He added that he
would be willing to lay in big supplies
come to collect it. Another manager
was of the opinion that Americans
haven't the deft touch that can be
looked for in croSs-channel visitors.
They are not SO artistic, for instance.
as the French" he said, while their
pockets are not so big as those of the
Hungarians. All of the managers
declared that they gladly welcomed the
Americans, and the more there were to
welcome the better they liked 1t.
To fastidious person this quick and
cordial defense may seem to be of an
equivocal character. 1t would suggest
that with all their faults the managers
love the American still. The silver tri-
f1es that they may surreptitiously an
mex are as nothing when compared with
the amount of welcome cash they leave
behind them. The missing tableware,
the disappearing spoons, the vanished
salts. will be cheerfully passed to the
profit and loss account and then for
gotten. All of which would seem to
convey the impression that souvenir
larceny can be readily condoned when
the touch is offset by the length of
the bill.-Cleveland Plain Dealer.
CONSULAR REPORTS.
In The Far Eastern Review Joseph
]. Keegan makes merry over the con-
sular reports, whose value to exporters
he regards as next to nothing. While
there is some force in many things that
he says, his statements are sometimes
inaccurate and his conclusions are not
just.
These reports are not of the highest
value. They cannot compare in defin-
iteness, accuracy or promptness with
the letters of commercial traveller to
his house or of foreign merchant to
his correspondent in this country. The
consul is not a commercial traveller. III
he knew as much about any one line of
business as a man in that line does. he
could not possibly know as much about
all lines of business as men in each OF
them do, and in most cases he was
never salesman in any line. To q
man seeking a foreign market these
reports do not compare with the re-
ports he would get from his own agent.
But they have attracted the attention
of English and German exporters, who
have urged their governments to pro-
cure equally useful consular reports.
1t is true that the new consul rs
eager to prove his usefulness by max
ing reports before he has learned his
| field, and INDUCES in generahties about
| the possibilities of trade with the Uni
| ted States which are of no practical
use. But the best reports come from
| the consular clerks, who are appointed
when young, hold during good behavior
| and pick up good deal of commercial
| information and the languages of the
| countries in which they serve. Some
| OF the consuls who have been in the
| service good while. or are particu-
| larry Industrious, also make useful re-
ports.-Philadelphia Record.