The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1913-12-04

world itself. From the earliest
dawn of history to the present time
people have been buying and sell
ing. The successful salesman is a
person who possesses initiative,
push. energy and winning person
atty. Jacob was successful sales
man, while his brother Esau was a
complete failure.
Pessimists, seeking excuses for
their failure to make good, claim
that fewer opportunities are within
reach of the ambitious today than
in former years. Gentlemen of the
Chautauqua, l wish to challenge the
truth of that idea with the assertion
that at no time in the history of the
world are so many paths to success
full achievement open to the honest
worker as there are today. 1t Is
not true that opportunity knocks at
the door but once. 1t is ever present
and if we but will it the past may
be retrieved. The winter of our
discomfort made glorious summer. !"
In looking over the commercial
enterprises that promise reward
and advancement to the ambitious,
we note Sherwin. Williams & Co.,
National Cash Register Co., Swift,
Armour and Nelson Morris as
among those maintaining high grade
sales organizations-to these COM
panies | applied for a position as
road salesman and after much per-
sistence on my part finally secured
place with Swift & Co. Many
persons believe that selling staple
merchandise on the road requires
20 ability or business capacity
that anyone can sell shoes, clothing
and meat, especially meat-that
there is no competition among the
big packing houses and that life on
the road with yellow meat car is
one long, sweet dream.
Before dealing with the main
topic of my paper / will present
for your benefit a brief outline Of
the business known as meat pack
ing and tell something about the
products given the road salesman
to sell. First: The companies and
their organization. Three COM
panies practically control the meat
packing industry in the United
States and constitute what the
newspapers Familiarity term as the
meat trust" The Armour Pack
ing Co., Swift & Go. and Nelson
Morris & Co. have an aggregate
capital of hundreds of millions, en-
ploy several hundred thousand
people and exercise a paramount
influence in the affairs of many ma
tons in the four quarters of the
world. Armour's Star Brand and
Swift's Premium. can be found on
the breakfast table of the million
aire as well as on that of the minor
or backwoodsman. Russia, Japan
and England depend on Chicago
canned beef to feed their soldiers
and sailors, while the German EN-.
peror considers it clever state
policy to bar Chicago pork. Roast
beef and pork chops have their vic
tories no less renowned than ire n
rails and steel ingots.
On becoming a member Of Swift
& Co.'S sales force one is at once I'M
pressed with the gigantic organiza-
ton of which he is so insignificant a
part. The press of weighty matters
with the glamor of world wide ac-
tivities in meat products induce sub
conscious influences that act and re-
act on the brain with the resulting
effect to eat meat. think, meat and
dream Of meat.
Being assigned to the class of
student statesmen | was for three
months mos; carefully and thor
oughly instructed in the many varied
processes that meats undergo before
they are placed on sale. Every gen.
eral salesman representing Swift <
Co. must possess expert technical
knowledge about meat. he may not
know very much about anything
else but if he is on the Road fol
Swift be sure he has complete
knowledge of meat
The large wholesale market at the
Union Stock Yards from which
Swift az Co. supply their owr
branches and also retail dealers il
Chicago is the training school fol