Evening journal., 1912-12-14
NCW NrWc M vrCrrpnAv
ivEV1 iVLTE1 Va LID ILnDh
The Successful ManufaCtur-
er Who Ignored All
Business Rules
By Holland.

1T is absurd for business men to
make any hard and fast rule based
upon the manner in which other
business men engage in like pursuits
to carry on their business" said the
late M. c. ID. Borden to me at a time
when he had just startled the world
Of cotton manufacturers by buying
approximately a million dollars
worth of cotton.
10 was about the middle OF Grover
Cleveland's second administration as
President. Business everywhere was
badly demora1ized, and for reasons
which We're Of worldwide cause The
cotton manufacturing business was in
q very low condition Mr. Borden
stood pre-eminent among cotton
manufacturers Of the United States,
being chief owner Of the largest mills
at Fall River
| said TO MIR. Borden that / had
heard that he went in the face Of all
the rules eprecedents that had
been established by the experience of
cotton manufacturers when he ven-
tured to buy at very dull time an
enormous amount of cotton
There is nothing which does more
damage to a business man than to
stick through thick and thin 10 a set
Of rules. ! had my attention called
TO that a good many years ago
think il was about the time of the
centennial exposition at Philadelphia
81 was talking some years ago to
business friend in Boston of the
visit of Dom Pedro, emperor ofyBrazil.
to the great lens manufacturing
works of Alvan Clark at Cambridge
1T was an incident of the centen-
nial year that attracted a good deal
Of attention. / was then told that ac-
cording to all business precedents
and especially, ,the rules which are
considered as fundamental in the
building up of large BUSINESS, Alvan
Clark should have failed But be
didn't He succeeded.
"Mr Clark, IL seems. had his at
tentiOn first called TO the manufac-
ture Of telescope lenses by visit
made TO him by a Boston optician
who knew that Mr.. Clark was a skill
ful mathematician and was greatly
/ interested I'm scientific investigation.
This optician asked Mr. Clark il he
could give him any idea as to the
best way of obtaining just the right
| kind of a curve I'm the making of
lenses for spectacles or eyeglasses.
Out Of that little request grew the
great mandatory of Alvan Clark
After Mr. Clark had. by methods Of
his own perfected the manufacture
of telescOpic lenses. he began the
business of manufacturing
There We're a great many other
telescope manufacturers In the world
and between 1870 and 1885 or 1886
some Of the great observatories of the
world were in the market to buy
telescopes of very high power Now
the business rule and practice would
have been for Mr.. Clark TO send out
solicitors. He would have had an
elaborate page Of price lists prepar-
ed, which would have shown discounts
and special discounts Managers Of
obseryatories who We're contemplat-
| ing buying large telescopes would If
/ traditional business methods had
been followed. have been invited to
visit and inspect Mr. Clarks manu-
! factory
"But one Of the rules which Mr.
Clark laid down for the management
of his business was that his concern
should never send out a canvasser to
take orders, and it never did. One
day one of his associates suggested
TO him that he have price list. with
trade discounts included made out.
The reply was. Not one When Il
was suggested TO him that he invite
observatory managers who purpoeed
buying telescopes to visit his works,
he absolutely refused to issue any in
vitations
"I sunpose." continued Mr. Borden.
chat there Is hardly q manufacturer
/ IN the United states who wouldn't
/ have said that methods Of this kind
would kin Mr. Clerks business They
! did not XIII H. The managers OF the
/ great ohservatOries knew what Mr..
Clark'eould do knew that If they ask
ed him what the cost of q specified
telescope lens was to be he would
name it and would stick in1exiblv TO
/ IL. They also knew that he would
make the perfect lens For that rea-
son he got without spending dollar
: for canvassing or nennv for print
( inc price lists, the choicest orders for
/ telcscopic lenses which were given
between 1872 or 1873 and up to the
time of his death, in 1887"
! Copyright 1912 by E J. Edwards
All rfuhfc raaarrrod i