The Topeka state journal., 1919-09-13

to do an honest business with them"
remarked Mr.. Wilson Greggs Of the
Great Western Trading Company to
an interested group OF visitors sippins
their. afternoon tea on the verandah
OF the Hong Kong Hotel I've been
dealing with them OF and on for over
twenty years and know what I am
talking about You've got to have
nrst-class article to start with. and the
goods must always be up to the sam
pies, for Il they once suspect that you
are lowering your standard you are
gone. Then. you've got TO have nice
sounding chop or trademark that they
can easily pronounce and that has
some good-luck in it to crafty their
iittIe superstitions. and. lastly. you
have got 70 have fair fixed price that
YOU nevcr under any circumstances
vary from, and the trade and good
win Of tire Chinese are yours. Now,
Dr.. Burroughs, you've lived a long time
emong them and speak their lingo and
all tha; and know them even better
than I d." he said. turning to the
Mission surgeon. who had Just joined
tho party. You'll bear me out in this
statement I nm sure. won't you?"
with pleasure, Mr.. Gregss." replied
the surgeon; "you have stated the
case very accurately. and congratu-
late you upon your grasp OF the situa-
zion. Unfortunately. n great many Eu-
ropcan and American merchants fail
10 understand these points in the
Chinese nature, and consequently they
RHow tho trade to slip right though
their hands. In the years that nave
bcen here I could give you a long list
OF The firms from abroad who have
. come out here and fourished for
little wh'is and then gradually their
custom hiss fallen Off and passed into
the hanGs Of others. and they have
finally given up in disgust and gone
home. They've developed n very Bit
ter feeling against tho natives and say
It Is impossible for any decent Eu-
roDcan to deal with them. and all that
when all the time it was simply their
had really understood the nature of
their customers they could not only
have kept tho trade. but have had ii
grow larger every year. However
this IS very large subject. this matter
OF international trade. and IL / should
80 into It to any extent am afraid
should keep you gentlemen here all the
rest OF the day"
You spoke OF the trade-marl or
chop. Mr.. GreEgs." interrupted one
of the tourist group. II have heard II
said that this is really the all i'm
portant point with the Chinese and
that wisely chosen and popular chop
really goes further with them than
even the quality OF the goods. Have
you found that this is so?"
We'll. I should hardly say thai It
was the most important thing, but It
certainly goes a very long way with
them toward selling the goods. doesn't
It. Or. Burr6ughs?"
1T most certainly does. Bat, as
said moment ago, this is a very large
subject--it would fill volume in itself
and the full story OF it has never yet
been written for Europeans. I may
say however, as an Indication OF the
value that they place upon It that a
large Chinese firm will spend days and
weeks OF time and many hundreds CT
dollars, II necessary, in selecting Just
the right chop for an article before
placing II on the market"
1T practically corresponds. then. to
careful and elaborate advertising in
our countries. doesn't it?''
Yes. and Il practically takes tho
place OF public advertising. which the
Chinese do not care very much about
Let me give you just one little fIlustra-
tion OF the value OF a name IN a case
that came under my own observation
a few years ago. The lamp trade as
you all know, Is one OF the NEST I'M
portant In this country. and with the
lamps. OF course. there goes a great
importation OF ehimnies and globes.
There is naturally not very much
variety in the matter of the chimnies
inside. but there Is an endless variety
OF choice in the outside globes. because
these. In the native mind. correspond
TO the glazed paper coverings Of their
old-fashioned lanterns. about which
they are very particular. Now there
happened to be two English dealers In
glassware In the very same block on
Queens Road. and both OF them flled
their windows and showcases with the
abandonment patterns OF lamps ana
shades. At frst the tide Of native Gus
toners seemed to flow about evenly
into tho two establishments. but grad
ually the gentleman on the left, whom
we will call Brown, found his list OF
customers growing shorter and shorter.
while hia neiEhbor and rival, whom
We may call Jones' rubbed his hands
IN delight At che sight OF the constantly
Increasing number OF his patrons.
Their stock IN trade was 50 nearly
a1f<e and III arrangement Of the goods
- thstr W1noovs % very similar that
- lrn..- a..