Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-13

make the resemblance startling, a
slender. wiry, boyish figure topped by
O white head. manner self-assured.
set never coorsely aggressive. There.
in n nutshell. Is the personality of one
of the most picturesque. interesting
figures in all New Engnnd-that Of W.
L. Douglas. Ex-Governor of Massachu-
sets.
But It is not chiefly as Ex-Governor.
or indeed as statesman at all. that the
world at large knows MIR. Douglas. a
ouarter-mile of factories, a yearly out
put OF something over three million
pairs OF shoes. and face that looks
out from the advertising columns OF
eight thousand newspapers--thesc are
the outward attributes that have made
the name of w. L. Douglas so familiar
from Maine to California.
The story OF the man who could make
himself so well known; his secret OF
achievement. his life history and his
hints on business success will not only
be OF interest. but of profit to every
class OF reader.
For the description OF hard climb,
of a winning fight against clrcum-
stances and the climbers" rules for
victory are always worth hearing. The
world loves fighter and takes an in
terest in his battles.
And w. L. Douglas Is q fighter. as
even the most casual student OF human
nature could CLEAN from one glance at
the strong. prominent Jaw, the level
brows. the firm set OF the lips.
That cast OF features set Bismarck
to topping European throhes. The same
physlognomy with gentler mould of
eye and MOUTH has caused Douglas to
revolutlonize business. TO wiring wealth
from poverty and political power from
a State peopled by a majority that diff
fers from him in politics.
Bismarck tore down. Douglas has
built up. That Is where the milder eye
and mouth come In
There 10 keyword TO Douglass sue
cess. of course. Several of them. in
fact. The foremost is Advertising"
His Life Motto.
Newspaper Advertising is his life
motto in business. First. be cure you
have something worthy to advertise.
Something just as good as you say 1t
Is. Struggle to keep it as good. and
then advertise 1t constantly. The
newspaper is the field in which my adj
t,aQ hrOl 81,
fectly satisfactory returns. And have
tried many lines before settling down
exclusively to that theory"
The same cradle served for New
England and for the man who was one
day to be Governor Of It's Oldest State.
For 1t was in ancient Plymouth. scene
OF the Pilgrims landing. that Douglas
was born. in 1916: His was as pathetic
and hopelesa a childhood as ever Dick
ems pictured for David Copperfleld or
other OF his luckless boy heroes. That
Douglas rose from 1t to any later posi-
ton whatever speaks volumes for the
stun he was made OF.
In 1850 news came to a Plymouth
woman that her husband, the bread
winner OF their large family. had been
drowned at sea. All the children were
young. The mother was almost with
out means So two years later she
verbally bound OUT one OF the brood
"a precocious boy of SEVENTH his
uncle, o shoemaker. The child's life
from then on became one long era OF
drudgery and hardship. His uncle set
him at once to pegging shoes by hand.
This was task for grown workers,
but the baby fingers were kept at the
incessant toll of it from dawn to dark.
No holiday, no let-up of any sort, and.
worst OF all. no wages.
The seven-year-oid boy was carrying
unduiy heavy weapons in his llfe-bat-
tie. He has been carrying them ever
since. His ability to do so explains
why he became Governor William l..
Douglas. instead of merely Journeyman
Bill Douglas.
HIS uncle was a stern task-master.
Apart from the shoo-pegging, the child
was called upon to perform a score of
equally severe duties. Among them
was the twlce-a-day journey into the
woods. in bitterest New England
winter weather. TO cut and drag in
wood for the shops fires.
Only at rare intervals was he allowed
TO leave his workbench for the school
room. But at such periods he proved
SO apt scholar as to make up for the
long lapses. He was greedy for educa-
fion and seemed to absorb his scanty
portion OF 1t without effort. II was
only by this strange proficiency that he
CLEANED any learning at all.
For four years the slavery went on.
Then Douglas returned to his mother.
But so valuable had he become in the
shop that his uncle induced him to
come back to him at the munificent
wage OF IS a month. Until he was fif-
teen he continued to work thus. all the
time busy with new Ideas along his
own line. These ideas were one day to
bear fruit.
Once. seeking 20 better himself. he
sTent to work in a Plymouth cotton