Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-01-19

CUCCESSFUL statesmen are born and
onot made. Perhaps this highly origi-
nal statement will be questioned and
some one will prove cOnclusively that 1t
- hokum, which Is slang for bunk but
it's our story and we will stick to i.
II salesman shows ability early In life
lie has chance to step into the picture
md become famous by the time he is old
nough to get interested in golf and join
/ country club. Playing golf and join
ng country clubs are sure signs OF
,uCCess.
Sometimes craftsmanship ability lies
Dormant for a long time and then sud
lpnly blossoms out like new caui-
flower ear on a rookie boxer. That
provcs nothing. He should have started
'nunger-meaning the salesman.
Once upon a time there was kid,
who was anxious to devote part of his
time in seeing the world at Il profit to
himself 1t was in the summer and IA
"ng vacation stared him in the face.
Therefore, he annexed n job on the
Northwestern Railroad as news butcher
and assisted in making the trip pleasant
nr those travelling between Chicago and
Ashland Wis.
The usual line of stuff was sold. the
newspapers. Joe Millcr's joke book. the
latest almanacs and other forms Of IL
Iuminative literature. Apples and
crackerjack also could be purchased, and
it is the latter that caused this tale.
Enter Playful Crowd
The kid had big supply Of the can
died popcorn on hand and piled it on
an end seat. 1t was remaining there.
mindng its own business until the
train stopped at one of the towns in
northern Wisconsin and IL crowd of
lumbcrjacks staggered aboard. They
were in playful mood and filled with
that liquid rcfreshment which is said
to have been the cause Of the eight
eenth amendment.
They located the pile Of paper boxes
and playfully threw them at each other
The ear was covered with the confec-
ton. and the news kid looked on, pow
erless To do anything. After tn" bnttle
was over he saw the leader Of the crowd
aud started to talk.
He had lost his supply and had to
collect real money from that gang. 1t
was Il tough job. but he sold the dam
aged goods to those lumberjaCks and
emerged with a profit.
Salesmanshipf You said It.
This was the first experience Of Fred
J: Petersen, president Of IN" Petersen
Motors Co.. Inc. Of North Broad
street. Philadelphia. II" also is presi .
dent of the same corporation in Balti-
more, Washington and other points, but
Philadelphia il enough for US.
Mr.. Petersen proved h" was super
salesman when h" handled that playful
! flock Of gucrrillas on III" train and al
lowed himself to develop as the years
rolled by.
Town Is Proud
D.Tonn ,n,,tp,, Lnr, =,
handle the Jordan car. Mr.. Petersen
spent some time in Appleton, Wis. In
fact, he was born there. Now the town
has a right to be proud OF two things.
| The other il that the first electric street
car in the United States was run in that
metropolis. From last reports, it Is
still running.
The victim of this story went 70 work
for his father after leaving high school
and was so anxious to get job that
he started every morning ut . 80. lie
was n livestock salesman in the Chicago
stoCkyardS and for two years did a good
business in cows, horses and other an
Cicnt means of conveyance. When he
became proficient and could swap n
spawned stced for sound one be
sought other fields.
He hired himself to work for the Bur
ruughS Adding Machine Co. in 1908.
Walking into the office Of III" boss he
said
Il will work for you thirty days. II
] prove to be the goods it will cost you
500. II not, you get my valuable serv
ices for nothing. When do | start"
Petersen made good and remained
with that cor Dany until 1914. lie had
charg" of tn" south. having risen to
southern sales manager.
Inu, IiI I tb
lille game questioned Mr.. Petersen,
in reply to one. I'm admit it was
rather strange, Cotton put me into
th" business. In 1914 tn" crop down
South was Il failure and cotton was
selling at hv" cents u pound That
ruined business especially tho one 4
was connected with, and ! left {" Join
the Packard Co.
Alvin MaG' 'aulry, who was preSi
dent Of my old concern, Joined the
Packard organization. and | went with
Tim. | located in Cleveland, und re-
mained thcr" until last March, when
! came here to handle the Jordan car.
That : all there is to it.
Real Business Man
MIR. Petersen is II real DuSlnpSs man
in addition to being II real salesman.
He believes in optimism and breaches
il. lie truChrS it (" the men working
for him and you get nothing but smiles
when YOU visit tn" show room. He does
not talk about the autom"hll" game.
Perhaps il is dun, but h" never admits
it. He talks about business comm :
Ii"ns, which makes broader and more
elastic subject.
His organization is built on optimism
and happiness Everybody shares in
the profits. Perhaps that is why his
business hua not dropped oil daring the
Gull season.
Era OF Prosperity
Il believe we are on the way to an
era of prosperity In our industry such
as this country has never had" said
Mr.. Petersen when asked about bust d.
ness conditions
II believe the first six months will
compare similar to the last six months
Of the last year, and the last six months
Of l12l will be like the first six months
of t02O.
In spite of the pessimism We hear
about, | believe II the average automo-
bile distributor takes his average from
the last five years he viii show n IA .
vorable report. After all, we who are
going to stay In this industry are in =
terested only in five. year period.
rhe, successful automobile distribu-
tor is in the automobile business. the
unsuccessful distributor Is In the auto.
mobile game. optimism, believe, is