Evening journal., 1912-10-23
BUSINESS MEN
MEET WEBER
Government Commercial Agent
Says Foreigners Beat Am
eriCanS in Packing
COMMERCIAL REFORM
PLAN PLEASES SPEAKER

Within two hours after the arrival
In Wilmington yesterday afternoon OF
Gustavus A. Weber. commercial agent
of the United States Bureau Of For
eign and Domestic Commerce. twenty
representatives of manufacturing in
terests in Wilmington met the visitor
at a dinner at Hannas Cafe, follow
ing which he addressed them on the
operation of his department and
topics Of local interest The hastily
arranged meeting was called by Rob
ert j. Maclean. the new business
manager Of the Wilmington Board OF
Trade. and despite the short notice
most OF the big industries in the city
had representatives at the meeting
Mr. Weber is an interesting speak
er and he set forth what he had to
say in a terse and convincing man
ner One of the things he laid par
ticular stress upon was the fact that
the American methods of packing for
shipping were inferior TO the methods
OF other nations He said his bu-
reau had made a study of the for
eign system and that these methods
have been compiled in circular re-
ports and furnished free of charge
on application to the department.
Mr. Weber stated that in his work
he meets three classes of manufac-
tnrers. The FIRST is the large concern
which has all the government data
on its files. and is thoroughly ac-
uUainted with the things he is sent
out to circulate among manufactur-
ers, the second is the smaller man
ufacturer who is reached through
considerable effort and who profits
by personal contact with the depart
ment. while the third is the manu-
facturer whose plant is large but
who has not yet awakened TO the
possibilities afforded by the govern
ment In the first class mentioned
Mr. Weber said was included such
firms as the DUPONT Powder Com
pany of this city.
The American manufacturer de-
clared the speaker, does not look
far enough ahead. There viii be a
time" he continued when the
United States border will not be able
10 handle the entirety of the product
Here he injected some interesting
statistics. Since 1908 ,the export
trade has been doubled and is ten
times as large as in 1876. During the
past 20 years Americas manufacture
ing interests have doubled.
In connection with the Wilmington
booster" campaign, Mr. Weber said
that he was surprised at the wave Of
commercial reform which has sprung
up recently and that Wilmington is
not establishing any precedent can
be manifested IN the fact that Pitts
burg has set aside 100000 for one
bureau. this being industrial devel-
opment; Newark. n. j., $4,000 for
one department, a manufacturing di-
rectory indianapolis. a vast sum for
n consolidation of seven departments
OF publicity
At the close of Mr. Weber's address
he answered a number of questions
relative to his work. the dominant
point OF interest being that of ship
ping for manufacturing.
Those present included; W r. Jen-
sen, John s. Mullin. r. w Mcclellan,
A.. A. Rudolph, George w. Sparks,
w. P. White. r. ]. Maclean, G. l..
Cote. c. e Iszard c. A. Henderson,
G. r. Lord. c. r. Eaton. James S.
Grant. Howell S. England, n. f. We'll
din. William Scott. Harrison Cruik-
shank. S. Gray, Thomas S. Doherty
and J. p Gibney.