The Washington herald., 1914-04-18
HISTORY BUILDERS.
A Pioneer Dry Goods Mans Busines.
Theory.
Written Expressly for The Herald.
BY DIR. Z. J. EDWARDS.

4 Written Expressly for The Herald.
| By DIR. Z. ,. EDWARDS.
The late Albert Baldwin. who for many
years was ranked among the leading
financial and commercial forces of the
State Of Louisiana. and who was for a
time president OF the largest OF the
Southern banks. was a native Of Boston
and received his early business training
In that city. He was, never tired OF
! speaking In high praise OF James F.
Beebe. who established In Boston many
years ago and built up what at one time
was the largest house in the United
States occupied with the dry goods trade.
1t was with that house that Junius s.
Morgan. father of the late J. Pierponi
Morgan, was associated as partner for
twenty years and from that partner
ship he withdrew in 1854 for the purpose
of entering the great banking house of
George Peabody G. Co. in London as a
| partner.
When Mr. Baldwin last visited New
York City. a few years ago. he was in a
| reminiscent mood and recalled many in
cidents of his early training in the dry
goods house. now extinct. Of James NJ
| Beebe & Co. To his friends he said:
"Beebe's store was the greatest train
| ing school for young men OF the time.
/ mean between 1890 and 1850. He was a
great merchant before a. T. Stewart
WAS ever heard OF. and he was a self
! taught merchant. From his store were
graduated a number of men who after
ward became. distinguished in the world
of finance and OF mercantile trade. ]. p.
Morgan really gained his thorough knowl-
edge OF American business during his
association with Mr.. Beebe.
"Beebe was the first man in the United
States to realize that IL he wanted to get
the highest ability he would have to pay
the highest price for that service. He
was paying men salaries Of $4,000 a year,
and they earned il, at a time when sI5, 900
a year meant as much as $4,000 does now.
II recall vividly one incident which was
of the greatest value to myself and to
my fellow-cierks. One winter morning
the clerks found very little to do. They
were Iolling about when Mr.. Beebe came
in-I think about 10 o'clock. He took in
the situation at a single glance. He said
nothing, but began to go down the aisles
and. thrusting his elbows against the piles
OF dry goods. completely disarranged
them. knocking them helter-skelter.
When he got to the end of the store
he called the clerks. saving that he had
something to say to them. and he said it
else words: Never let any one see you
unless you are busy. II does great harm
to store to see clerks idling around,
even II there is really nothing TO do. Find
something to do. Slick up the store.
Make people who come in think that you
are very busy. Bustle about II is al
ways good for a store TO have the appear
ance of being in a state of great hustle.
1t may all be sham. but 1t isn't sham
when you remember that II makes a good
impression upon the customers. Men who
want to buy something always like to
see clerks in a store busily occupied.
Idle clerks drive away customers. even
though there may be little or nothing to
do. Keep UP a pretense Of always hav-
ing plenty to do. and your store will get
the reputation of doing a big business.
There wasn't one Of the clerks who
didn't take that lesson to heart-I know
did. And IL was one OF the best lessons
ever taught me when 7 was in my ap
prentice days in business"
Copyright 1914. by Dr. =. J. EiSAris All rights
res TTrSi.l