The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-11-09
SELLING GOODS ABROAD.
The Commission Man Does tho WORK,
and Credit Is Ills Tool.

To TIL EDITOR OF THE SUN-Str: MT.
Frank ". West accuses tho commission
merchant of not assisting American
manufacturer. Quite wrong, as also
his statement that 'the average commits
sion concerns carry many lines OF goods
all OF which are as a rule solo from
catalogues by one salesman"
A commission merchant carries no
stock whatever. He may buy ahead on
certain lines such as dry goods when he
knows that there will be an outlet FOR
same. especially the staple or regular
goods for certain markets. or In antici-
patton OF a rise In price.
Imagine the stock. Camp cots from
Racine. coffee hullers from Buffalo.
denims from New England and tho South
and endless other goods.
With whatever country he II doing
business, the commission merchant gives
credit TO the merchants there. risks
his good money. The merchants Of that
country know what they can get TO tho
best W. ntage In this country and tho
commission merchant receives orders
from his foreign customers and gives
many OF them three months credit n
pays the much abused American manu-
facturer In seven days. getting, perhaps.
one or two per cent. cash discount
which he naturally puts in his pocket
to help pay his clerk hire. office ex-
penses and the expenses OF sending in
telligent men to the country with which
he does business, with a %runkful of
American manufacturers samples and
catalogues and boosting the manufac-
tuiers' business. It's the commission man
that does the work. nine times out OF ten.
Mr.. Vests plan of personal investiga-
ton and development" is good enough.
hut tho giving OF credit IL what finally
lands the business.
British, German. Norwegian and
swedish steamers are to-day carrying
the bulk OF our foreign trade because
they can do 1t cheaper and thus assist,
not hinder, American manufacturers,
landing their goods at foreign destina-
tions at n price that permits our manu-
fdc'urcrs to compete.
IN game works both ways and Il
would be n joke to s"e an American
steamship owner so Jealous of American
goods IN American bottoms that he would
bring his boat back in ballast so that
he WOULD not dirty the hold with foreign
owned cargo.
Secretary Redneld goes into Mysteries
over four auxiliary steel s~Chooners just
launched on the Lakes. And we are
coal to Spain? Think OF 1t. And
:he ship Pilgrim Fathers left Boston the
ether day with ~puritanicdl rum for the
Of the west coast OF Africa be-
cause the latter could not get their
ratIons from Holland owing to circum-
stances we need not mention. More will
most likely. until the war is over.
and then back to Salem. Mystic and
NJank boneyards for the old wind
iammors."
Just think. IN conclusion. four movie
tickets at 20 cents would buy "A share In
n Stedmer with shares at 81 each. and
| DO not think ! could sell one share ~
! TOOK my stand on a street corner OF
New York and tried to do Il. 7 think !
would get arrested. so little does the
general puolic care or know about, any
thius in the llne OF general welfare or
ircgrcss or their own good United
JAMES MEG. BgowH,
American Citizen. !
Nrv YoEt;, November 6.