Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1911-04-13
A CONVINCING
ARGUMENT
By ELIZABETH WEED
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911.
By ELIZABETH WEED


Of different countries, then given the
chair of that department In his alma
mater. But Walter was n delicate fell
low, and his physicians told him that
II he cared to remain on earth he
would better find some occupation to
take him out of doors. Walter took
the hint and set himself up for an adj
vertising broker.
One morning he stepped into the
store of John HobsOn & Co, importers
of foreign fruits, ETC., presented his
card to the senior member Of the firm
and asked for patronage.
Young man." said Mr.. Hobson, who
was uneducated, I'm agin advertis-
ing. There's so many advertisements
that there isn't anybody reads EN-"
IF people didn't read them. Mr..
Hobson. the periodicals and newspa-
pers would have to close up"
Il say people don't read EN-, and
that's all there is about it. I'm busy;
get out O. here"
Il see, Mr.. Hobson, that l can't do
any business with you without first
proving to you the value of what l
have to sell, | will give you an adj
vertisement free for that purpose.
Kindly mention the name Of some ar
ticle you have for sale"
ooh. take u preserved ginger and
let me alone. I've more important
work on hand than Shaving off solicit
tors"
Several days later Mr.. Hobson motto
ed that his mail was much larger than
usual. The first letter he opened con-
tanned an advertisement cut from a
newspaper of Hobson's prepared gin
ger. Mr.. HObsOn first read the letter
inclosing it:
Dear Sir-I would call your attention to
the fact that ginger does not grow on
trees, especially in northern climates. 1t
is a root and is Indigenous to tropical
countries. Yours respectfully,
MARIA l.. WILBUR,
Principal of the High School.
Mr.. Hobson glanced at the ad. with
surprise and veXation. 1t read as fol
lows:
Our ginger is growed especially for us
in Norway, picked from the trees and
cured on the spot. There amt no tngre-
dents in it that would hurt n baby. It's
all carefully peeled and put to soak in
vinegar, after which it's boiled In lemon
juice and put into jars. In this way we
git a flavor that there amt no discount
on.
Mr.. Hobson colored and his eye fired.
He opened another letter:
Dear Sir-I have read your ad. and beg
leave to call your attention to the fact
that there is no peel on ginger. Yours
truly, MARGARET ASHLEY,
Of the Blakely Cooking School.
Other letters were as follows:
That ad. of yours is a corker. l don't
know anything about ginger, whether 1t
is from q Norway or a South American
tree; but, having q thorough knowledge
of the English language. l should like to
write your ads. for you.
In the inclosed advertisement you have
used the word 'grOWed' incorrectly. 1t
should be grown"
This ad. is ridiculous. You might as
we'll try to get walrus fat out of the Car
ibbean sea as to try for ginger in Nor
way.
Mr.. Hobson had opened and thrown
into the waStebasket Il hundred letters
from lawyers, doctors. housewives,
merchants-indeed. all sorts Of persons
and was about to get at his daily
work when the pOStman came in and
unloaded another bundle. And such
was the case whenever Il batch Of mail
was delivered. Mr.. Hobson was oblig-
ed to open the letters lest he should
throw into the WaStebasket something
of importance. The next day there
were but two or three comments on the
ad. and the day following none.
On the third day Dixon appeared.
Mr.. Hobson faced him and said:
What do you mean by disgracing
my business by putting in that adj.
about my preserved ginger? Only an
igncramus would have said what you
did"
1.-THE question is not IS to the writ
ing of the ad. l don't pretend to
know anything about ginger. | wished
to prove to you that ads. are read
young man. Pm convinced that peo-
pie do read ads. But I'd like to know
where you got your learning
I'm q college graduate
"Well, all I've got to say is that
they'd better burn down the college
where you graduated. A college grad
uate as don't know any more than you
about ginger and how to write com
mon language had better put his head
to soak"
IF you are convinced that advertise
ments are generally read and will give
me an order you can write the next
ad. yourself"
you bet I'll write it myself. l don't
want no more such wrong information
and bad writin' about my goods. Set
down there a few minutes and I'll talk
to you"
Dixon "set" awhile, but it paid him.
He left the store with a thousand dol
lar order for advertisements. And
Hobson was convinced from the sud-
den dropping off Of the letters he had
received about the test ad. that adver-
tisements must be repeated to be or
value. The order was continuous.
The business thus gained proved the