The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-03-16
WANAMAKER'S
GREAT GOLDEN
JUBILEE BOOK
Marvellous Story of How a
Great Business Grew.
FIRST DAYS RECEIPTS WERE
s24.s7-wANAMAKER KEPT THE
81 CENTS AND SPENT THE s24
FOR ADVERTISING - FIFTIETH
ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATED.

The name of John Wanamker Is in
dicative of big things, big ideas, big
enterprises. At the very beginning of
his business career he showed the big
qualities OF mind and heart which have
made his business what it is today.
The first days receipts of the little
store which he opened in Philadelphia
fifty years ago were $24.67. He kept
the 81 cents for making change next
day" and Immediately spent the $24
for newspaper advertising.
That investment took courage, a
bigger amount of courage than the ex-
penditure of ten thousand times the
amount would cost him now. It meant
too. big confidence in his goods and
q big knowledge of human nature.
This year Mr., Wanamaker completes
full half century Of business life,
and his associates have celebrated the
occasion by publishing volume call
ed The Golden Book of the John
Wanamaker Store.
1t is interesting reading, this Golden
Jubilee Book. It is the story Of a
pigmy which grew into a giant be-
cause it had a giants heart. AL
though a tale Of peaceful commerce,
] It Is a record Of exciting battles
fought and won for principle. It is
the history of Great Revolution in
Business Methods; Of interest to, and
with, an influence on, every person
who either buys or sells anything in
the civilized world today.
John Wanamaker was the Abolition
| list of q principle Of buying and selling
so old that the ancient Romans coin
ed the phrase "Caveat Emptor" Qet
the buyer beware) to express it. Un-
til his little store in Philadelphia adj
vertised its new policy Of a square
deal to it's customers, every merchant
looked upon a buyer as his legitimate
prey. To get as much as one could
and give as little in return for 1t as
possible was considered the height Of
business acumen.
John Wanamaker was the Apostle Of
Fair Play in business; from the begin
ming OF his career he preached and
practiced the doctrine that a bargain
was not a bargain unless both parties
to 1t benefited by the transaction.
The present generation cannot ap-
| preciate the disbelief. opposition and
ridicule with which the announcement
of this new policy received. Shopping.
In any first-class store, is now so sim
pie, easy and safe for the inexperienc-
ed buyer, that 1t is taken as a mat
ter OF course. The millions of shop
pers scattered each day throughout
the great stores Of the country are
indebted to John Wanamaker for the
consideration, courtesy and fair deal
| ings which they now receive.
The story of Mr.. Wanamaker's strug-
giles against deep-seated business ira
ditions. and his victory over them. is
only small portion of the dramatic
material with which the Golden Book
is filled.
Throughout the whole! of the half
century since he started his little store,
John Wanamaker has breathed into
its workings the Spirit of Originality
and Progress. There was no standing
still in any one Of the fifty years.
Every step forward brought out new
ideas, new fields explored, new meth
DDS for the convenience Of customers.
new plans for the comfort and safety
l,of his constantly growing army Of en-
ployees.
John Wanamaker was the Pioneer
who led the way to so many improve
n1ents in merchandising that mere
list of them would overrun the limits
Of book review.
! Axed price, exchange of goods or
refund of money. courtesy with no OBJ
legation to buy, rigid investigation of
manufacturers statements and abso-
lutely no Misrepresentation Of goods,
are ordinary business virtues expected
now In any first-class store-because
John Wanamaker fought and won a
battle for each principle involved.
4 Shorter business days. sumner va
cations with full pay, Saturday half
holidays. sanitary conditions OF work,
an insurance association, pension roll,
and circulating library. are some of
the ideas first worked out by John
Wanamaker for the welfare of his en-
ployees.
He taught the public how to buy.
His show windows and counters, con
tanning articles suitable for every
purse and marked in plain figures
! educated his customers to a sense of
comparative values and showed them
how their money could be most wisely