The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-09-15

HSxYLX power and at dant
r1SET riches, sound too formid-
able to you TO apply TO
your own boy even In your most am
bilious dreams regarding his life's
work? Yet II is fact that most
Americans who have been designrted
as merchant princes, since tho day
when the phrase was made famous as
applied to ~. 7. Stewart have sprung
from the ranks Of the wage earners.
many OF them winning their way to
this distinction In spite Of poverty and
other equally hazardous handicaps.
Also, Il is a fact that most of them
nave learned the business. of which
they are hailed as masters, from the
GROUND up starting in such lowly posi-.
lions as cash boys. even.
The careers OF the men who have
given us our big retail stores-our
department stores-thus go to prove
that II IS entirely reasonable for you
to dream OF, and plan for your boy to
be. merchant prince some day. Also,
these careers should convince your
boy-and you, too-that Il is not so
difficult TO become a merchant prince
ne he and you may have been led to
believe-at least, not 80 difficult to
make the start and get an appreclable
distance along the gllttering highway.
II all rests with the boy himself, and
the first thing incumbent on him Ia
not to look askance at work that Will
probably make him appear less i'm
posing than was the cash boy, even,
in the days before he was displaced
in the big retail stores by mechanical
money carriers For your boys first
tob-if he decides that he wants to
become merchant prlnce-will be
that OF messenger, or parcel wrapper,
or helper to q buyer, or stock boy;
and he will get anywhere from four
10 seven dollars q week, according to
his natural ability.
II ia universally recognized econ
omy for a store to promote It's en-
ployees as rapidly as they are Worthy
of II, since 1t is u well known business
law that II is easier for an employer
to find beginners than experienced
men. Therefore from his humble be
gInnings as messenger or parcel wrap
per. a boy who is ordinarily bright
and chock full OF ambition will not
be long becoming n full-fedged sales
man behind one of the less important
counters and earning eight to twelve
dollars a week There are plenty o
cases where bright boys have beer
statesmen within year after enter
ing department store as messenger
or parcel wrapper or course. | an
talking of boys who know the three
RS fairly we'll and long to know then
better; who are from fourteen TO six
teen years OF age when they begii
their lte's work: and who. when the!
filled out their applications for EN-
ployment. were well recommended b!
the family doctor, the family ministe
and other folks whose word carrie
weight with big employers. In mos
states child.labor laws will not permi
boys or girls under fourteen or six
teen years TO take up the task OF earn
Ing their daily bread.
After a clerkship has been attained
and It's work fully mastered and i'm
proyed II possible, there are tw
pretty distinct lines OF advancement
in department store life that lead Z
the Merchandise Kingdoms. One l
tbe executive end. which has entir
charge of the business; the other
the buying department. There Is III
tie choice In point OF reward, thong
there is more public honor in bein
known as the head OF great bus
ness.
However, the head buyer for larg
establishment is always man OF sue
proved attainments that he virtual
commands his own salary. He ha
grown up through every departmor
of rchandise-knows all abou
whore and how It is produced. II
cost. etc. and has to keep in clos
touch, through his own prlvat
sources of information and his assis
ants with exceptional opportunltie
for getting large quantities OF good
Mt The lowest possible prices.
II ia great stroke for buyer
discover where Il fine lot OF goods ca
be acquired at bargain; for nowher
"a competition more keen than In II
merchandise business, and such
stroke will enable store to get ahea
of ,te rivals. Indeed It is in the pow'
of the buyer to save his house tho
sands of dollars annually. Just as h
mistakes viii have the reverse effcc