Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-10-10
A NOVEL INVESTMENT.
COMMERCIAL FAITH.

|
Business Methods = "what's In a
Namefn = Trade Marks and Their
Defense.
! II our forefathers could look down ON
! modern business methods they would Mt
I the first glance conclude that modern
| merchants were as mad as March harcs
! After they had become thoroughly ac-
| quainted with the magnificent systems
! which are used by our great railroad cor
porations and mammoth trusts, they,
would conclude that the age vas an ae,
of magicians, and not of fools. The Ma
| chinery of business has kept pace with
the improved machinery Of our mills. In
| deed, the merchant of to-day ayails OF no
! little machinery in the conduct OF his
! every day Office work. Patented systems
4 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 the
merchant can dictate all his correspond
ence TO n machine which records It on
wax-coated cylinder, from which, at ~
later hour, the typewriter can reproduce
| It for the mail.
The 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. W heh Il
great commercial house spends two hlh'
| dred thousand dollars during SINCE
| year IN newspaper advertising, there ~
| nothing III the inventory at the close p
! the year which will represent the outlay
! The papers have been printed, distributed
read aud again reduced TO pulp IN ING
| paper mill. while the merchants good
money has been paid to the publishers
Prudent men, even Of the present gener-
| alton, hardly comprehend II. Thousands
shake their heads, and invest their own
: money in bricks and mortar, feeling as
sured that they can depend on possessions
which they see rather than invest thelr
money IN building up something winch 10
them seems visionary
A true philosopher OF the oden timc
! put over his door the legend. Things IN
visible deceive not" The bankers ant
builders u his day snpercd NJ him as they
| counted their gold and reared their SOLID
buildings. But he had Scripture Tor MS
warrant, aud mudern advertisers are me
dirert followers Of his philosophy. he
| labored TO show men that gold might be
stolen. buildings might burn, substantial
\ iWssrssIuhs turn 10 dust and disuppolllt-
hlent. while skill. education and character,
! though invisible. could not be stolen nor
destroyed. The modern advertiser goes
much further, and proves cOncluslyely
that mere name may be worth million
II i Is We'll known and well respected
~ hats IN namef finds torclble an
m .tar..v - -
The shreNd school boy. who puzzled his
companions By daring them 10 spell
Aousecleaning in seven letters. ana then
solved II by spelling Sapolio, must nave
recognized the intimate connection pe-
tween these two ideas which has been
bniit up by vast expenditure OF money.
The five letters. PEARS. though va,ueless
singlI, are worth hundreds OF thousands
OF dollars when used in connection with
1 soap. The printed matter. painted signs,
aud countless devices 10 make the name
| popular pass away annually, almost as
fast as they are paid for; put II properly
managed. the trade name accumuates
and carries forward the value as per.
manent investment. An article OF real
worth, clearly named and widely made
! known to the public, is sure OF Il brilliant
success. Sapoio affords abundant evil
| drnce of this lts great usefulness, its
distinct but descriptive name, and It's al
most universal use has resulted in a great
| success To its manufacturers as in assist
ance 10 the housekeepers Of the world.
Such an investment as the trade-name
Sapolio needs no tire insurance, and can
I not secretly be conveyed to Canada Ii
tempered with or infringed upon, il must
Ice done openly. and modern law with each
| succeeding year recognizes more forcibly
than before the rights Of trade-name own
ers, ana Furnishes with greater alacrity
attempts at infringement The manufac-
turers of Sapolio have successfully over
4 thrown countless limitations, and we I'M
| derstnnd that they are now prosecuting
| dealers who silentlJ pass another article
I over their counters when the customer has
! plainly asked for Sanolo This Is a new
! departure in law, but is clearly equitable.
! 1t promises to add another link to the laws
I which assist in the defense OF trade marks
aud trade names.
An attempt to initiate Is always despica-
BILE, except when monkeys or stage mimics
are thereby enabled to amuse an audi
ence. Yet although the history of trade
furnishes no instance of a really success
full imitation. still hundreds attempt II
every year.
/ In the office Of the Sapolio manufactur.
ers there is a 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
,rompt failure or to drag out pro6tlesI
xisteuce through a few years. The pub.
II is too discriminating to buy an inferior
,rticle on the assertion that It SIS just al
good as Sapolo."
The man who attempts to deceive b.,
initiating the name or appearance of AM
other mans goods is a self-proclaimed
liar. and however general the vice Of false
hood may be, II is fact that even liars
have no sympathy for one of their kind
The public asks no better proof of inferi.
ority than that the goods are pushed for@
ward under the cover of better reputA-
tIon. and the Chamber of Horrors In the
Ssnolio building tells in plain terms how
thn public recognizes and despises such
attempts. -
II IA not an empty faith or visionary
ejaculation that leads these well-known
manufacturers TO expend hundreds Of
thousands Of dollars in constantly rel
mindinr the world Of Sapolio. Years of
intimate acquaintance have taught them
that the public knows a good article and
Il willing 10 pay for ii. that the market
for 6ne goods whether ii be butter or
fruits. or laces or diamonds, YES. or good
securing soap. is never guttpd. They
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