Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-01-04
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The agent IL busy man. He drives
from door to door. active, alert, grave
or gay as the occasion seems to require
polite to women. pleasant to men. The
agent is a busy man.
Time was when the farmer went in
side and barricaded the door when the
agent hove into view, either that or
grabbed an ak and stood at the front
gate like an angel in overalls at the
gate Of his eden. He took no chances.
And this was confession of his own
weakness.
Agents and farmers have changed
greatly since we were boys on the farm
and ran to report the coming OF an
agent as we might have speeded to re-
port dogs after the sheep or cattle in
the corn. The agent has acquired re-
pute Of different character and the
farmer has found poise. The average
farmer today isn't afraid to meet the
agent face to face. For the farmer
knows what he wants, is confident Of
his own ability to protect himself. He
reads the papers and mayhap has been
at Ames for the short course or IS
one of the graduates of the agricultural
school He's different farmer. The
agent" who peddled bohemian oats
and lightning rods and sold county
rights to sell tin washing machines
takes the line of least resistance nova
DAYS and goes to Missouri instead of
Iowa farmers.
But the faker with the hog cholera
cure still finds an occasional good
thing in Iowa He is glib as the old
time lightning rod man and condemns
vets as grafters and serum as legis-
lative move TO make more offices and
more graft for politicians And now
and then he lands a sucker despite the
fact that the best veterinarians and
scientists and breeders have proved
that so far no drug or combination OF
drugs TO be fed to hogs either cures
or prevents cholera.
Another agent who still finds huge
profits Is the creamery expert who
builds and equips creameries. Not that
he doesn't give some hing for the
money but that he comes in, organizes
and promotes the company and grabs
the promoters profits in the price of
the machinery. He isn't particular
whether the creamery is needed or not
or what prospects 1t has for prosperous
existence He's selling it. And once
sold at a huge profit he fits away like
the little busy bee to find another
flower. He Is being succeeded by the
canning factory expert" There Is no
occasion to shut the door in the faces
Of the last two. There's better way.
Study their proposition. If the COM
munity needs a creamery or can
operate a cannery and the farmers
| want to try it on the farmers can form
| the company as they do farmers ele-
vator companies and buy machinery
as they buy farm implements on a
! COIQpel lIdIkSt IL 1911 iiSSSSSe@A :
/ to let the agent spend money carrying
committee around and Showing
them a good time"
The relations between the farmer
and the agent are coming to be that
between the travelling man and his
trade. The agent represents a much
higher type than the old fashioned
sort. The farmer is by way of being a
| business man instead of mark.
The one is often bringing proposition
worth looking into and the farmer is
| looking into il with judgment and
with confidence in himself. The takers
are thus being gradually eliminated.
It is all a matter of plain common
sense and Judgment after all. Merely
a business proposition such as tbs
merchant meets day after day. Some
i Of them are worthless. some good, {
few are patiently crooked. But the
crooked agent and the ignorant, easily
deceived farmers are in very sinai
minority.