ABOUT THE FUTURE OF PATAGONIA 299 



despises the complim enter, but likes it on the whole — and comes 

 again.* 



While the German studies the people who are to buy his goods 

 in a spirit of subtlety, the Englishman makes up his mind without 

 considering anybody save himself and his own ideas. In the days 

 before competition assumed its present proportions this was all 

 very well, perhaps ; or at least it was not the commercial suicide 

 that it certainly is to-day. 



From the standpoint of the employer, the Englishman does 

 not know his work. He has no money. He must, therefore, 

 earn something. He expects to be allowed to earn and learn at 

 one and the same time, which is an absurd notion. 



The cause of all this is the same as that which sends out first- 

 rate goods but to the wrong market. 



The fact is, we do not study our markets seriously either for 

 mercantile or for human exports. 



If the South Sea Islanders want red cloth we send them yellow, 

 and if in Patagonia there is an opening for men who are decent 

 practical blacksmiths, we send them a stream of youths who have 

 never fullered a shoe, but who are well up in the rudiments of 

 Greek. 



'■= I have watched with considerable interest the methods adopted by the Germans 

 as opposed to those of the young man of our own race. I remember an instance of a 

 German who set up as a chemist in a town out Central America way, and whose chief 

 source of income came from the sale of drugs to rather impressionable negroes. In 

 his place the Englishman would have laid in decent English drugs, would have sat 

 behind his counter, and would have dispensed in stolid fashion to the limit of the 

 abilities with which he was blessed. Not so our German friend. His drugs were good, 

 but not supremely so ; his prices were cost prices, with a mere shaving of profit. 



But his method was excellent. 



He made a character-study of each of his customers. He sold a fine tonic, coloured 

 red and reported invincible. He put the title of Dr. before his name, and advertised 

 free consultations, provided the patients bought their medicines at his store. He 

 throve. 



