Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-18
JupIc,oUs ADVERTISING.
Triumph Of Massachusetts Man Over
Great Obstacles.

Great Obstacles.
is an appropriate title for the story OF
rare achievement which newspapers are
printing with professional pleasure ~ Is
the story OF W. l.. Douglas. shoemaker
Massachusetts A Boston correspondent
of the Record Herald summarizes the
story in these WORDS: 80,
Republicans and democrats alike have
recovered somewhat from their astonish-
ment over the election of democratic
governor by plurality or 80 Ho IN state
which went for Roosevelt ny So.29. and
everywhere were trying to tell each other
how it happened But after making all
allowances Tor the political errors of
Governor John l.. Bates. who was can
undsputed that Mr.. Douglas stupendous
victory is very largely due to the fact
that no other man is so Familiarity known
in this state as the Brockton shoe manu-
facturer.
Republicans say Bates lost because of
these things: His veto OF the overtime
bill, which made every labor union his
enemy: his veto of the bounty bill, which
alienated every Grand Army veteran; his
appointment of Judge Emmons as chair
| man of the Boston police board, which
was particularly annoying TO a large part
of the civ and his evident hostility to
the state Beard of Agriculture, which
turned the farmers against him. To these
four things MIR. Douglas supporters add
fifth, the demand 81 the people OF
measure of Canadian reciprocity. Mr..
Douglas himself today said:
My election signifies that the people
are opposed to the present tariff system,
which handcapS our manufacturing in
dustries and makes the cost of living too
high
But under all these surface causes for
the overwhelming triumph of Mr.. Douglas
| is the foundation of the feeling of per-
Sonal mountaineering which everybody
has toward him.
Born fifty-nine years ago, a poor boy. in
| TIE town of Plymouth, Mr.. Douglas ha IS
| had a career consistently successful. He
| became n shOemakerS apprentice, learned
his trade thoroughly, was careful of his
| earnings, and when he was IL was pro-
prietOr of a shoe factory, very small
one.
AS his business grew he began to adver-
tiSe with the result that he moved every
few years into a larger building. Others
began to initiate his methods. ard to pro-
tect his growing business he adopted as
trade mark his own portrait. For many
years now the leading newspapers and
magazines OF the country have contained
his likeness in his advertisements. and the
business has grown until the demand for
w. l.. Douglas shoes has built up the
| largest shoe factory in tine world. 1t is a
curious fac. that not infrequently letters
from far distant points are received at the
factory III WHICH, ilOtUIiiS
in the shape of an address except por-
trait of Mr. Douglas cut from one of his
advertisements and pasted on the enve-
lOpe
A thorough believer in newspaper adver
Using because he knows it has built up
for him a business of $S,GO.UO year.
Mr.. Douglas applied it to his campaign
for governor. Years ago before he ever
dreamed OF being a candidate for Office,
he was heard to say that even a candidate
for president could well afford to adver-
tise, that advertising would make votes.
In the campaign just closed nearly all
the money he contributed to the demo-
cratic state committee was. by his direc
ton, expended in advertising. All the
dailes of Boston and many of the other
papers of the state. have contained full
page ads strikngly made up, and Il
great amount of advertising in smaller
way was done. In fact, he applied to his
campaign the precise methods which had
made his private business huge success.
OF course Mr. Douglas never could have
made use of}the huge factories he oper-
ates had he not made good shoes. His
plant is operated by the most skillful
shoerlakeys, in the world. So good are his
operatives that they earn an average of
81 a week, against an average of 50 in the
other shed factories of the state and for
seventeen Years there has never been a
suggsstion\o of friction between him and
the unons.1 Another source of campaign
StTeHSlH ISp THAI ~ TIE VI tIiS
weekly payment law and Of ~" law ere
ating the state board Of couciliation.
OF course his wealth is large, but he is
liberal gifer to all good causes and his
wife and two daughters are famous for
their Target henefactiOnS and benevolent
works. Personally Mr.. Douglas is of the
most lovable character.
Thus it cfme about that when the PEG
pie were given an opportunity to show
their recognition of man they felt they
know PERSONALLY they combined to give
him the greatest vote ever accorded
democrat iN the state And there is not
a hamlet int the United States where the
people do n9t know the face of the COVER
lor-elect of1 the old BAY state.