The Washington herald., 1912-11-24
America Land Of Opportunities?
"Sop Levitan Has Found 1t So.
RvEJJAS TOBENKIN.
By ELIAS TOBENKIN.

$1,000 ~
-HIRTY-Two years ago II year old
lad arrived In Baltimore with fifteen
Russian kopecks in his pocket. The
boy looked pale and haggard. He had
Travelled in the steerage for weeks.
But there was a vision in his eyes.
The name Of the II year old lad was SOL
ONION Levstan.
His vision came true a short time ago.
For f" Sol" Levitan, nov a man OF 80. was
one OF the delegates to the Republican ma
tIonal convention from Wisconsin. Four
counties in Wisconsin whose voting pophla-
ton is about 1000 thought the former i'm
migrant sufficiently worthy TO intrust him
with the Job OF helping select presidential
candidate.
While Levttan was sitting IN the Coliseum
In Chicago and. with a thousand other del
egates, was making history. history was also
being written in his own private hfe For
on June 10 two OF his children were grad
uating from the University OF Wisconsin.
= =
Ambition Now "Cashed In
Delegate Levstan, the former Immigrant
who thirty-two years ago came to the United
States having only nerve and ambition 10 his
credit. today counts the following among
his possessions:
Three department stores in the state Of
Wisconsin.
About 1000 acres Of land IN Minnesota and
in the Dalootas.
He IS a director and the largest stock
holder n the Commercial National bank Of
Madison.
His wealth Is rated at a quarter of a
million dollars.
Besides his financial. business, and prop
erty possessions, Levitan commands what
he prizes even more. the respect OF one OF the
most Intelligent communities in the United
States and the friendship OF many Of the
leading men in that community. His election
as an alternate delegate to the Republican
convention is proof OF this respect, and to
him fulfilled the promise OF opportunities
which America meant to him when he first
came.
Gov. McGovern OF Wisconsin has always a
warm word for Sol Lev4tan. Senators,
legislators, and the best citizens of the city
OF Madison, which is the seat OF the Uni
versfty OF Wisconsin, and where LevItan
lives. have always a pleasant greeting and
a warm handsha1e for him.
= =
Look for the Man"
Cherchez la femme look for the
woman-says the Frenchman when he Is
sitting a scandal 20 the bottom. When you
hear of an immigrant who came to this
country penniless and who has achieved for
himself not only an important place in the
business world, but also a highly respected
place in the community where he lives, il Is
safe to advice: Look for the man, for the
human personal qualities, in this immi-
grant"
To make a hero Of a man because he is IN
the possession of a large fortune is cheap and
thoughtless. But where an immigrant. land
ing here without a cent, has come into the
possession Of a considerable fortune and
along with It also the respect OF the COM
munity he Rves IN. there must be some strong
personal traits In that man worth searching
for. What he has to say Is generally worth
listening 10.
The one personal trait which stands cut
in LeYitan Is naithfulness. He was a faith
full delegate to the Republican convention.
He did his best to discharge his duties honor
ably and in accordance with the instruc-
lions Of the men SRo sent him as their repre-
sentative.
The same faIthfulness characterized him
in business. He was faithful to his customer,
to the public he was dealing with. He was
faithful to the community In which he lived,
and to the country at large. Faithfulness
is the credo Of Levitan's gospel
= =
Baltimore Merchant Befriends Him.
To a merchant in Baltimore, now dead,
who trusted Levitan with pack Of goods
amounting to SIS and started him out on
the read as q peddler Lev4tan IS grateful to
the present day.
I was penniless when I arrived in Balti-
more thirty-two years ago" he reminisced
the other day. a. merchant who was CO.
religionist OF mine looked me over and de-
cided that could be trusted. He gave me
SIS worth Of goods. took the pack on my
shoulders, started out from Baltimore for
the nearest village in the state Of Maryland
and began my trials as salesman without
a language. I talked with my eyes my IN
gers. shoulders. Occasionally would break
loose in Russian or Polish, which my Gus
toner did not understand. A Etfle later I
picked up few words in English, and with
this vocabulary ventured into the state Of
Pennsylvania travelled through thestates
of Maryland. Pennsylvania, and wesr Vir-
ginAa for SIX years Then decided 70 go
farther west. came 70 Chicago. but did not
Ike the city. and went Into Wisconsin.
am always thankful for having left
Chicago. For It Is to the country, to the
rural communities have Hved In. that
attribute whatever success in business