In Chicago from June 20th to 24th there will be a convention of The Associated Advertising Clubs of the World. The standard under which this convention assembles is

"Nothing but the Truth in Advertising"

This is not a sentimental standard. It is a commercial standard maintained by the contact of idealists, enthusiasts, and hard heads.

It is the only standard under which the annual expenditure of $600,000,000 for advertising can be made to pay. It is the standard under which 2,000 people met last June in Toronto and, before that, in Baltimore, Dallas, Boston.

It is the standard under which every reader of newspapers, magazines, outdoor signs, booklets, noveltiesthe printed or painted advertising message has come to believe what he reads.

ness man, therefore, to find a practical method of preventing unnecessary losses and wastes which will be fair to society, his customers and himself. Cooperation between competitors is one answer, and Wheeler Sammons, in an article in System for April, explains how merchants in various places have developed and worked out plans for cooperation— in advertizing-in buying-in delivering-in credits-in reducing returns. Mr. Sammons has not attempted to evolve a theory, but he explains actual plans which have been tried and found successful.

Perhaps Washington Irving wasn't far wrong when he called our government a logocracy, a government of words. Most Americans can talk more and button up less than any people under the sun. A great many of us can talk about things, we can start things, but we never button anything up. This is likewise the trouble with commercial organizations and communities. They discuss and discuss, and any number of commendable agitations are started, but nothing is buttoned up.

I

THE GREAT SALESMAN OF 1492 N the year 1439 Christopher Columbus began his career as a salesman, selling the output of his father's wool-weaving shop in Genoa. Later he entered into partnership with his brother and opened a little shop in Lisbon as a chart and map maker. It was while selling charts and maps that he conceived a big idea, the sale of which was to put his name into history. Like most men with an idea that is really worth while, he did not try to develop it in a small way, but made a presentation to his best prospect—the king of Portugal.

Modern masters of salesmanship tell us that there are three steps in a sale -the approach, the presentation, and the appeal. It is evident that Christopher made use of scientific salesmanship four hundred years before the principles were "discovered." He made use of his wife's relatives to secure the approach-his introduction at court. History tells us that his presentation was good and that he offered fact after fact which the king could not dispute. Then he made the appeal that the natives of these distant lands might be converted to the Christian faith. Just as the prospective customer was about to put his name on the dotted line, he decided that he was not in the market and the sale was off.

Christopher was disappointed at the turn-down, but with a salesman's persistency he went after other prospective customers the king and queen of Spain. Again he made the approach and presentation, and we are told that his appeal made such an impression that he got on the royal pension list to prevent his offering his goods elsewhere. Business was bad at the time and it was six years before the cus

tomers were in a position to make the investment. In the mean time Christopher got impatient and started off with the idea of offering his proposition to others, but he was recalled and the sale was made. That is the reason we are all here to-day.

Most of us have had the ideas and ambitions, but our trouble has been that we lacked the quality of sticking to it. After getting a turn-down once or twice, we contracted cold feet and came to the conclusion that we lacked sales ability or that our goods were unsalable, or for some other reason or no reason we quit.

Work is not a blessing-it's a necessity placed upon us by nature. Everyone who shirks it adds just that much to the other fellow. The trouble with our present system is that too many are shirking the burden.

I

GETTING STARTED

T WAS Burke who said, "If you want to go anywhere you have to start from where you are."

How many of us seem to overlook this little truism. We suddenly become possessed with an idea that we ought to get to a certain place, that we ought to accomplish this or that, but we forget the preparation or process of getting there. Position seems to mean a lot from a certain point of view, but if we would fill any place acceptably we need to take the preparatory steps, to start from where

we are.

Too many of us get the idea that success or achievement may be gained by a single spurt. We overlook the intermediary space between where we are and where we want to get. We make the attempt, and when we fail our discouragement overwhelms us. On the other hand, we should not neglect to move forward because we are too timid to try new ground. Starting from where we are, we can save much disappointment and many stumbles by making a careful study of all the conditions and making up our mind that we will pay the price of persistence, faith and patience.

The man who places confidence in no one may avoid some disappointments, but he will live a lonely and suspicious existence. The basis of all business is confidence.

larger bank balance than he will probably need for the rest of his life.

Twelve years ago his capital consisted of but two things-an idea and an opportunity, and with these he borrowed a limited amount of money. With this money he demonstrated the feasibility of the idea, and laid the proposition before James B. Duke, then president of the American Tobacco Company. It is said that it took Mr. Whelan some time to convince Mr. Duke that the plan was right. It did not take him very long, however, after receiving Mr. Duke's approval, to show the latter that he knew how to make the plan work; but that is not part of this story.

If we reduce Mr. Whelan's enterprize to its smallest denominators, it

appears something like this: An idea, plus the ability to sell it, equals an opportunity; and opportunity plus the ability to make the best use of it equals millions. This analysis seems such a simple matter of multiplication, it is a wonder that more of us have not made use of it. Perhaps there is another factor which we have overlooked; if there is, no one has discovered what it is, or if they have discovered it, they haven't been able to express it as a tangible formula.

Mr. Whelan says: "When a man first comes to New York to seek success, he is usually underrated. When he has attained success, he is usually overrated and people do their best to spoil him. The fact of the matter is he is better than people thought he was

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A large New York importer has devised a plan which, while it is more altruistic than commercial, will bring quick relief to the small creditors. His plan is to form a large association of commercial and financial interests, which will make careful investigation into each failure, ascertain the true condition of affairs, and then loan the small creditors the amount they will be entitled to at a low rate of interest. In other words, the association will anticipate the payments by the receivers, wherever practical, right up to the final settlement.

The plan would work out something like this: Suppose a small manufacturer was caught in an embarrassment like that of the Siegel or Greenhut stores for $400, with the chances of a final settlement of seventy-five cents on the dollar. Under this plan the manufacturer might receive $100 at once from the association. Let it be said. that he received $220 altogether before the final settlement was made, the whole amount due him being seventy-five per cent. of $400 or $300. Then as a final settlement he would receive $300 minus the advance of $220 and minus the interest for the time it was used at six per cent. per annum.

When I want to discover something, I begin by reading up everything that has been done along that line in the past. I see what has been accomplished at great labor and expense in the past. I gather the data of many thousands of experiments as a starting point, and then I make thousands more.Thomas A. Edison.

A PHILOSOPHER AT

FORTY-TWO

EVERAL months ago, in this department, was printed an article entitled "Enjoying the Game; or, the Man Who Does Not Retire." The writer undertook to explain why business men, after they had achieved reasonable success, still continued to take an active part in the game. A number of very interesting letters were received from some of our readers taking exceptions to the views expressed. Within a few days, two very successful New York business men have retired in the prime of their mental and physical vigor.

"Twenty years ago a young fellow emigrated from Delaware and secured a job as errand boy in New York," says the N. Y. Sun. "He worked like a Trojan, studied as well, broadened his capacity, rose steadily, became the head of a great corporation at thirty-four, of a greater one at thirty-nine, retired rich, healthy and a philosopher, at forty-two. He has made all the money he wants, and is going to enjoy himself henceforth.

"It must pain the mouthers about 'greed' and 'monopoly' to notice, as they must do in this case, that only a score

A health authority made tests "in a number of good middle class homes, which tests yielded an average of 12 microscopic monsters during 5 minutes exposure of sensitized plate, but after sweeping the room the number on the plate increased to 222." "Dust contains decaying matter and organisms more dangerous than wild beasts - therefore do not stir it up, to be breathed or come in contact with the skin, eyes, throat, etc."

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of years separated this errand boy from the millionaire. Brains, energy, hard work, have brought this man a quick reward; and he is wise enough to take it now. Not the success, but the good sense of this man is to be praised and wondered at. Work is a necessity and means, not a virtue or an end. When it ceases to be a necessity-as, alas! it doesn't to most of us, slaves of the lamp and tuggers at the oar-the philosopher will 'invite his soul.' To be a philosopher at forty-two is an achievement compared with which the preliminary collection of a fortune is small potatoes." And the man-it really doesn't matter, but his name is A. H. Cosden, until recently. president of the Riker-Hegeman Drug Company.

The second is George J. Whelan, who has retired from the presidency of the United Cigar Stores Company. He ex

Machine is set in basement or side-room. A suction pipe runs to each floor. ARCO WAND Vacuum Cleaners, hose and tools, are sold by all Heating and Plumbing Trade, in sizes at $150 up. Price does not include labor, connections and freight.

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plained his retirement by saying, "I believe that for the benefit of their business, men should retire early. If they are of any value to the business, they can still be called on; but after they have acquired a competency they should retire and give others a show. I shall always be interested in business matters, but I shall work simply when I please."

Hugh Chalmers, who needs no introduction to business men, expresses in a clear and concrete manner the kernel of American business enterprise. "Quantity production is the secret. It enables the large and progressive manufacturer to cut the cost, lower the price to the consumer and pay better wages. The 'little fry' couldn't stand it, and that caused legislation, investigation, and ill feeling. American business enterprise is now on the up-grade and reaching for greater heights. It started with the completion of business legislation by Congress. The legislation is over and done; it didn't touch the business of reasonable limits, and the swollen businesses of the country needed curbing anyway."