The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-04-16
BUYERS OF GOODS FORCED TO
PAY ExoR8ITANT PRICES.
SOME COMMON CRAFTS
Alleged Wholesale Houses Growing
Rich Through Trade Secured by
Agents Who Work in the
Rural Districts.

classes of houses that seek to do busi-
ness through the mails, that the local
dealers are charging too much for
their goods, and that it is fair for the
consumers to save their dealers
profits themselves, that causes many
to 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 50 that a car
load can be shipped to the nearest sta
ton 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.
1t should be known to every intelli-
gent person that all classes of goods
have real value. These values are
based upon conditions. The law OF
supply and demand has not all to do
with fixing prices. To concisely sum
up the factors of cost of manufac-
tured article there are three principal
elements, viz: The cost of the raw
material, the expense of manufacture
and the expense of distribution. From
the producer of the raw material to
the consumer, all interested in the
transactions are entitled to equitable
compensation The farmer, the grow
er of oats sells his oats to the mill op-
orator. The oats is manufactured
into oat meal, or breakfast food. The
wholesale and retail dealers are en-
ployed to distribute it. The wholesale
dealer is nothing more than ware
houseman, and his compensation Is for.
storage and for costs of handling, and
the guaranteeing to the manufacturer
the cost of the goods sold. He receives
only a small margin of profit. 1t may
| be said that the retailer fills place
as to the consumer as does the whole
saler to the retailer. Now it is i'm
practical for the manufacturer to
maintain stores of his own in hun
dreds and thousands of towns. If he
could find a more economical way
of distribution than the wholesaler
and the retailer he would do so. But
if they are cut out more costly
system of distribution must be in
augurated.
Now as to the travelling sell-direct-
to-the-consumer agent. He does his
business chiefly with the people who
give little study to commercial mat
ters. He represents himself as agent
for a large wholesale house. He
talks continually of how the consumer
by buying from him can save the
profits that the retailer would make.
But the fact is that the expense is
not eliminated. The average traveller
who sells goods to the farmers re.
ceives commission of from 25 to 40
per cent, or about Is to 20 per cent
more than the retailers average on
such goods as he sells.
But this is not ALL These men are
downright dishonest as a general rule
They are a development Of the
proverbial lightning rod agent. They
practice the same principles, only
shift the kind of goods sold. In fact
the majority of them represent alleged
houses that exist only in name. lE
one western city are located a number
of men who are doing business under
| R,n1 i hnI
even haven't a warehouse. When or
Gers are sent to them by their agents
they go to some wholesale grocer anC
buy the goods. Not alone this, bu
after they purchase what they nee(
they adulterate the same. They bu!
dried fruits in bulk, the cheapest kind
and repack them in boxes supposed Il
, weigh 25 pounds each, but in realit,
only weighing from 20 to % pounds
cases included. The spices that ar
bought are adulterated with grounC
nut shells, starch, and other materia
that makes up weight. The coffee
? are of the very cheapest and the tea
+ the same. 1t is seldom that the article
sent to the purchaser are the same a
3 the samples shown. 1t must be re
? membered that the agent is unde
heavy expense, four to six dollars }
day for team and hotel bills, and the
he receives 25 per cent. commissio
On what he sells. To this must
a added the profits for the house, whic
is about another % per cent. All thi
j., must be made and the buyer of tn
goods is the one who must make gooC
Lately in the western states the bo,
car men have adopted dubious metl
ods of getting trade Knowing no
anxious the farmers are to secure th
highest prices for products, they hav
been travelling around through tn
country pretending to be buyers
produce. They contract with th
farmer for butter, eggs, poultry, etl
promising about 25 to 80 per cen
above the market price. They clai,
they are shipping to Arizona, Ne
Mexico, or somewhere else, whel
higher prices are received. Inciden
ally they say that their house runs
number or large stores, ana also SCI
,, to the farmers, saving them the ave
age profits of the dealer. This is ST
ficient The farmer falls into the ira
gives a good large order for supple
! and few weeks later he finds
cheap lot of goods awaiting him c.
D. at the local depot He waits in vain
the crates, the egg cases, ETC., pro-
J ised to be sent so he can pack h
eggs. If he fails to take the goo
the legal end of the company com
into play, and rather than have trc
BILE, the gullible farmer pays dear
for his supplies.
He remembers the deal. He is {
termined to not be again caught in
similar trap. A few months later {
/ 49,. n-onk oppnora He nroYOie