The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1895-10-12
A NOVEL INVESTMENT,
STRANGE COMMERCIAL FAITH.

How Bread Cast Upon tho Waters Of
Trade Comes Back After Many Days
Enormous investments in Modern
Busincss Methods whats In "a
Manor" Trade Marks and Their
Defense.
If our forefnthers could look down on
modern business methods they would MT
the first glance conclude that modern
merchants We're as mad rs March hares.
After they had become thoroughly ne
quninted with the magnificent systems
which are used by our great railroad cor
porations and mammoth trusts, they
would conclude that the age was an &
of magicians, and not Of fools. The ma
chinery of business has kept pace with
the improved machinery of our mills. H.
deed, the merchant of to-day avails of no
little machinery in the conduct of his
everyday office work. Patented systems
OF copying, of duplicating, wonderful let
Ter files, and hundreds of neat aids to
office work have multiplied very fast dur
ing the past few years and within the last
month. The Graphophone has gone into
active use in business offices, SO that tho
merchant can dictate all his correspond
ence t1 a machine which records it on n
waX-coated cylinder, from which, at II
later hour, the typewriter can reproduce
it for the mail.
Inc marvellous developments of modern
business show more strongly in the matter
OF advertising than in most other branch-
es. Vast sums Of money are apparently
thrown away in this direction. When Il
great commercial house spends wo hun
IrnI fhnt, rn ,l - H.. ~ j.. s,,v N ynVIn
year in newspaper advertising, there IL
nothing in the inventory at the close OF
the year which will represent the outlay.
The papers have been printed, distributed,
read and again reduced to pulp in tho
paper mill, while the merchants good
money has been paid to the publishers.
Prudent men, even Of tile present gener-
alton, hardly comprehend 1t. Thousands
shake their heads, and invest their own
money in bricks and mortar, feeling u.s.
sured that they can depend on possessions
winch they see rather than Invest their
money in building up something which to
them seems visionary.
A true philosopher of the olden time
put over his door the legend, "Things in
visible deceive not" The bnnkers and
builders of his day snecred at him US they
counted thor gold and reared their solid
buildings. But he had Scripture for his
warrant, and modern advertisers are the
direct followers of his philosophy. He
lnhored to show men that gold might be
stolen, buildings might burn, substantial
possessions turn to dust and d%isappoint-
ment. while skill, education and character,
Enough invisible, could not be stolen nor
destroyed. The modern advertiser goes
much further, and proves conclusiyely
that a mere name may be worth a million
IL y Is we'll known and well respected.
whats in Il name?" finds foccibie an
sWer in the columns of our daily papers.
shrewd school boy, who puzzled his
companions by daring them to spell
housecleaning In seven letters, and then
solved 1t by spelling Sapolio, must have
recognized the intimate connection be-
tween these two ideas which has been
built up, by n vast expenditure of money.
singly, are worth hundreds of thousands
OF dollars when used in connection with
soap. TN printed matter, painted signs,
ana countless devices to make the name
popular pass away annually, almost as
inst as they are paid for; but if properly
managed, tho trade name accumulates
and carries forward the value MS a per-
worth, clearly named md widely made
known to the public, is sure of a brilliant
success. Sapolio affords abundant evil
dence of this. Its great usefulness, its
distinct but descriptive name, and its al
most universal use has resulted in as great
success TO its manufacturers as in assist
ance to the housekeepers of the world.
Such an investment as the trade-name
Sapoiio needs no fire insurance, and can-
not secretly be conveyed TO Canada. If
tempered with or infringed upon, it must
be done openly, and modern law with each
succeeding year recognizes more forcibly
than before the rights of trade-name own-
ers, and Furnishes with greater alacrity
attempts III Infringement. The manufac-
turers of Sapolio have successfully over
thrown countless limitations, and we I'M
dcrstand that they are now prosecuting
dealers who silently pass another article
over their counters when the customer has
plainly asked for Sapolio. This is a new
departure in law, but is clearly equitable.
III promises to add another link to the laws
which assist in the defense of trade marks
and trade names.
An attempt to initiate is always despica-
BILE, except when monkeys or stage mimics
are thereby enabled to amuse an audi
encc. Yet although the history of trade
furnishes no instance Of n really success
full imitation, still hundreds attempt Il
every year.
In the Office of tile Sapolio m%anufactur-
ers there is n Chamber of Horrors where
the proprietors keep samples of the MANY
cakes of imitation stuffs which have been
vainly put forward only to meet with
prompt failure or to drag out a profitless
existence through n few years. The pub
lie is TOO discriminating to buy an inferior
article on the assertion that it sis just as
good MS Sapolio."
The man who attempts to deceive by
initiating the name or appearance of an
other mans goods is a self-proclaimed
liar, and however general the vice of false
hood may be, it is n fact that even liars
have no sympathy for one of their kind
The public asks no better proof of infer;-
GRITTY than that the goods are pushed for
ward under the cover of a better reputa-
ton, and the Chamber of Horrors in the
Sapolio building tells in plnin terms how
the public recognizes and despises snch
attempts.
1t is not nm empty faith or visionary
speculation that leads these %well-known
manufacturer to expend hundreds Of
thousands of dollars in constantly re-
minding the world of Sapolio. Years OF
intimate acquaintance have taught them
is willing TO pay for 1t; that the markat
for fine goods, whether 1t be butter or
fruits. or laces or diamonds, yes, or good
securing soap, is never glutted. Thev
have become intimate with tho people.
Sapolio Is a household word, always spok.
on with E0ou VIII, us VI II were q familiar
friend. The thousands who pass by The
Sun building on their way to and from
the Brooklyn Bridge. look up with n smile
MS they recognize tho great sign which
now %overhangs the ruins of French's Ho-
tel, and say: There it is again. when
they recognize the seven letters arranged
under the seven days of the week, With
the brief statement that "if used every
week day it brings rest on Sunday" The
great white wall looks as though it had
been cleaned with Sapolio, and a verse un-
derneath gives the comforting assurance
that
This world is all a fieeting show.
For mans illusion given:
But woman, with Sapolio,
Can make that show n heaven.
Poets, artists, designers, clever writer's.
many of whom would not coudescend 70