The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-14

taken or let alone. as they choose. II a
library or a gymnasium or n clubhouse
is TO be opened, let the owner or owners
Of the factory contribute individually and
let the men also help II they desire 10 do
SO. Separate welfare work from business
and il is praiseworthy. but give every
man the chance 10 pay for what he gets -
/ How did you. become interested in the
/ labor question:" I inquired.
| "Oh I had been a manufacturer OF
I clothing" Mr.. Marks answered. 'and
necessarily was concerned in the prob
! lens pertaining 10 my business. Besides,
I had been poor boy myself and natu-
| rally symp6thized with the man who
works"
But how could a poor boy I asked,
! spend three years at the College OF the
! City Of New York;
Leaves College TO Work.
There was no tuition" Mr.. Marks re-
/ piled. 'and I boarded at home. When /
became a senior learned that my father
had no means except the money he
earned by labor, and I Immediately left
| college and found work"
"Where?"
! in small stores, clerking and keeping
books When l had saved $500 went
into partnership with a young man who
/ had earned and saved an equal amount.
| We hired a room at Passaic. ". J.. and
put IN a little stock of goods. We kept
| the store open until late in the evening
| to get the trade OF the men who were
| employed at the various mills and fac
tories. There was scarcely anything to
be done during the day, and so I returned
20 New York every morning after sleep
/ ing under the counter all night In n little
while my father and I began to make
/ clothing for the store. The surplus I
sold 10 other small dealers. The manu-
facture Of clothing prospered, and in
three years I left Passaic with $500 I
had done very well, and meanwhile had
established a factory"
! within your experience" said
many changes have occurred in the
methods OF doing business
More Personal Work Now.
Remarkable changes have taken
place" Mr.. Marks replied. NOWADAYS
one must be very keen and active II he
hopes to keep his step in the fast NOV
ing procession OF merchants and manu-
features. One really does three times
more personal work than either was re.
quired or possible thirty years ago.
dare say that the telephone has given
as much swing 10 trade and commerce
as has competition or any Of the other
new and swift elements OF modern bust
ness. And the honesty Of the individual
has kept pace with his quickened physi-
cal and mental movement. Contracts az
the stock exchanges, running into the
millions, are made each day without SO
much as a line being put on paper. The
spoken word is universally given and
freely taken.
I'VE have developed materially and
morally. We see further and we know
more, no matter who may praise and
mourn the good old days that have for.
tunately gone forever. Competition is in
tense, but the feeling is sound and kind.
ly. In many lines a merchant or a man.
ufacturer will walk right into the Office
OF competitor and get full Information
about the character and credit Of a mu-
tual customer So. you see that we have
grown bigger. great deal bigger.
Clothing Industry Extensive.
For many years have been president
of the National Association Of CIotbiers
The people do not know il. but IN This
number OF persons employed and in III,
value Of the product, clothing as an in.
dustry is only surpassed by foodstuff.
and iron. We are fighting for business
but we fight fairly. keep faith with on,
another, exchange information abou
credits and are IN touch every day b,
telephone or telegraph. II a man II
Kalamazoo, for example. should purchas,