New-York tribune., 1905-01-01
HOW DOUGLAS WON.
Shoe Manufacturer Becomes Cor
ernor by 4duertising.


aong famous for it's shoes 1t has now aro,ha
claim TO fame in that from its precincts has hae
chosen Governor OF Massachusetts, who Is a shos
manufacturer. and who his Office largely by ad
vsrtisng. as he hae ~on his fortune and busines,
success by advertising his shoes w. /, Doug,..
viii be insugurated on January s.
While Governor Bates and his suppor+ers yrsrs
feeling that the Republican candidate was we'll
enough known ana sure OF reelection. Douglas wa.
I'D early and out late hustling around buyinr ouar
ser and half pages in the newspapers 10 tell ~.
public why he should be elected In one corner q,
4hs paper blazed forth the admonItion. .sVota fo,
william l. Douglas. clean business man and 2
friend OF the working man" In another corner was
the injunction 20 buy Douglas shoes" He couldn't
lose II he were defeated he'd sell more shoes and
81 he elected he'd sell sti more shoes Soma r
them on the strength OF his fame as Governor.
Out in Colorado they still remember Douglas who.
when a young man. conducted cobbler shop IN
Golden and worked early and late 10 get work ont
on time promised. His shop in a little wooden
shack which stood about where the Crawford
House IS now, and his friends there little dreamed
that win" Douglas, the cobbler. would one dav be
ns Of the largest shoe manufacturers in the world
snd Governor OF one OF the Oldest States in the
Union.
Mr Douglas doesn't belong to the Back Bay set;
and he isn't member Of the Somerset Club. He
Is not graduate of Harvard. He is a Democrat
e plain man Of the people He'll still live in Brock
ton moving back and forth 10 his daily routine
tory. He'll be the same Douglas. only he'll work
harder than ever
We're going TO call It Douglasville now" said
one adnirer Of the new Governor. Had 10 come
20 Brockton for Governor same as they have
- for shoes didn't they7 Well. I guess he'll
I'll The bill all right. He has his own business
right under his thumb. Reports are sent to him
regularly. and when he's a thousand miles away
even thev send him daily kilograms concerning it.
Hen be the same way when he's Governor No
half WY business about things when he's around.
Those commissions up there will have 70 toe the
mark and give an account OF themselves and their
talents OF silver. Wasn't that the way the Bible
nut II? Only they were stewards in those days
stead CT commissions.
Hes one Of the most liberal men you ever saw.
Why. he gave 5000 for new surgical annex at
the Brockton City Hospital with all the equip
rnsuts and is always giving something TO the hos
pital Last year when school opened he gave SlOl
10 one Of the city missionaries TO clothe children
who couldn't go 10 school for want of clothes Up
ct the Newton Hospital day he gave 500 to the
mother of twins who had been deserted by her hus-
band. Lots OF folks would let it go and say how
sorry they were. How DO I know? Well. those
things leak out, you know Go down and ask the
newsboys what they think OF him"
Mr. Douglas has keen memory and quick wit.
Even though a name may slip his memory. he
can make man feel home with his greeting.
a story told OF him county fair is Illus
;sstive Of this "A farmer approached him, to whom
sse said:
I'm glad TO see you. glad TO see you. How's
your wife? And the boy?'
So far everything was accurate. and the farmer
fairly beame6.
And. say how about the white horse? Still
have him. I suppose?'
The farmer fairly radiated pleasure. "wa'al.
now. Who'd a thought you'd remember a little
thing Ike that! Yes. I still got the old white
hoss"
When the farmer had turned away. a friend
aJke5 the Governor about II. That wife and boy
eston vas a safe shot. but what about the
SAite horse. How did you know he had a white
horse?"
We'll" replied the Governor. "rn tell you. I
Esw some white horsehairs on his coat. and took
chances that's all"
Among III. first employees OF Mr. Douglas was
John Creed now seventy years old. Whenever a
new superintendent other official took hold.
Greed has been discharged. being too old. dullo
John. aren't you working today" Mr.. Douglas
asked. meeting him once on the street mo. I've
been discharged" replied Greed. You go back to
the factory and tell them said you were TO go
70 work" Finally after John had been discharged
several times. Mr.. Douglas issued the following
order: John must have work as lorg as he Is
able 10 DO IL When he is not able to work. let
him come TO the factory and sit around. want
Il understood that he is TO stay the payroll"
He Is prudent however. in his outlays. To start
MS business he borrowed sS75. That practically
ended his borrowing. At any time since 1871 ne
could have had unlimited creolL AT lne OdnhS. ONt
he has always had q disinclination TO oorro~
money and at no time in his career has he been
under OBLIGATIONS 10 banks II he added to his
factory II was because ne had the money 20 pay
for It. II he extended his advertising 1t was De-
cause he did not have wait for returns from
the business to pay his bills.
And speaking OF his advertising, when he nrst
began II his competitors were aghast at the
outlay apparent. But in time they adopted
his methods and copied his ads" He then
found that his "ads" not distinctive enough.
While thinking over the matter on one of his
long walks he was attracted by large circus
poster from which beamed the countenance of
P. 7. Barnum. Instantly he determined TO use
his own picture as a feature of his advertising.
realizing that no other manufacturer could use it.
This s the explanation Of the extensive circulation
over the country Of the Douglas face
Mrs Douglas is interested in whatever interests
her husband, and when problem in social service.
ethics or something else presents itself to mis-
notice. they study IL together. In the first stages
OF their married life, when she girl OF
twenty and he worked alone by himself and they
were buying their modest little cottage the
lnstalnent plan. they would sit together and read
when evening came They live now in a fine house.
Dut they stll keep up the quiet home life and tho
habit Of reading together in the carefully selected
4-ofsry dr- Douglass fayorite flower is the chrys-
shthemum. and there always quantities OF
'nese and other flowers distributed about the house
Or grounds
EARLY RISING.