October 16, 1919. 



The Florists^ Review 



17 



yi^l^l«i!l>S4II^I^WWli841l*Sa!iSill«in^ 



THE PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS 



ONE YEAR ago, when we met in the 

 city of Cleveland, we gathered 

 under very different conditions from 

 those existing today. Then we met 

 overshadowed with gloom on account 

 of the world war. Today we meet full 

 of optimism, with prosperity written on 

 our banner, and our good ship sails 

 along, so "Get into the right channel," 

 "Concentrate and properly direct your 

 efforts," and "Never put off until to- 

 morrow what can be done today." 



During the last year the interest 

 shown by our Canadian brothers far 

 exceeds all previous records by the 

 splendid body of men composing the 

 Canadian florists. May their work con- 

 tinue and our organization soon be as 

 strong proportionately in Canada as it 

 is in the United States. 



Our European Connections. 



During the last year several good 

 European houses have been added to the 

 F. T. D. and we hope ere long to be 

 represented in every civilized country 

 on the globe, so that it may be as easy 

 to deliver orders in Africa, Hawaii, 

 Philippine islands or Japan as it is to 

 deliver them in the United States and 

 Canada. 



The order of mind possessed by the 

 man who steps out 

 from the crowd and 

 dares is the order 

 of mind that will 

 recognize opportu- 

 nities and grasp 

 them. The maHn 

 who dares is the 

 man who does. The 

 man who will take 

 no risks has little to 

 risk usually. Like 

 a child in the pri- 

 mary department, 

 he is under the 

 control of stronger 

 minds and he re- 

 mains an underling 

 until he wakes up 

 to his conscious 

 manhood and as- 

 serts his right of 

 initiative. 



Faith in one 'a 

 own ability and the 

 value of one's own 

 ideas is the first re- 

 quirement for no- 

 table achievement. 

 Most men have 

 enough originality 

 to work out a suc- 

 cessful career, but 

 they don't believe 

 in themselves. They 

 will discard an idea 

 that comes into 

 their own minds, 

 but will hail it with 

 belief and interest 

 if read in the paper 

 or suggested by an- 

 other. Like the case 

 of the family phy- 

 sician: A mother 

 may know perfectly 



The address of William F. Gude, president 

 of the Florists' Telegraph Delivery Associa- 

 tion, delivered at the convention at Buffalo, 

 October 14, 1919. 



what to do for her sick child, but she 

 does not apply this knowledge with 

 assurance until the doctor calls and 

 tells her to do so. 



Our membership has more than 

 doubled since our last meeting and resig- 

 nations have been few. Our slogan, 

 "Say It with Flowers," has come to 

 the front wonderfully in the last twelve 

 months and ere another twelve months 

 go by we hope all F. T. D. members 

 and other florists will have all their 

 automobiles, boxes, tags, stationery, ad- 

 vertisements and in fact everything 

 labeled with the slogan, * ' Say It with 

 Flowers." 



Competitive Organizations. 



The highest compliment that can be 

 paid to any individual or organization 

 is the fact that another organization or 

 person imitates them; so rather than 

 feel alarmed at other organizations 

 imitating us, I see in it an advantage, 

 because in order to do any business they 

 will have to advertise and by talking 

 flowers they will help us. Howev^, 1 



WHltam F. Gude. 



(President of the Florists' Tel««raph Delivery AsaociattoD.) 



see no need of any other organization 

 composed of retail florists, because the 

 F. T. D., with thousands of members, 

 can cover the field and give such serv- 

 ice as it has in the last years, service 

 that was never dreamed of years ago. 

 With the S. A. F., in which all of our 

 members hold membership, and with a 

 thorough publicity campaign, as is now or- 

 ganized and conducted, we need have no- 

 fear for the future. 



Let us dwell for a moment on the 

 sending and receiving of orders. That 

 we may have the full confidence of the 

 public, when we are called upon to pro- 

 duce the original order, we must be 

 ready and willing to do so. It is vitally 

 necessary that all orders should be ac- 

 curately written and accurately relayed, 

 so that the person receiving the order 

 can correctly book it and fill it for the 

 full amount, giving, if possible, better 

 attention in the way of service than if 

 the customer came into the store and 

 ordered the flowers himself. 



Bills and. Collections. 



In the matter of bills there is much 

 to be desired in forwarding an invoice 

 promptly upon delivery of the order, 

 and, if for any reason the order could 

 not be delivered, notifying the sender 

 at once, giving the 

 particulars. Bills 

 should be mailed 

 the -first of each 

 month and promptly 

 followed up if not 

 paid. 



The clearing 

 house under the 

 leadership of our 

 eflScient secretary 

 has done wonderful 

 work in having 

 members and others 

 pay up more 

 promptly and also 

 in collecting bills 

 that have not been 

 1 paid. This office 

 has done phenom- 

 enal work in the 

 short time which it 

 has existed. 



Too much praise 

 cannot be given to 

 our worthy secre- 

 tary, Albert Poch 

 elon, who has 

 worked morning, 

 noon and night to 

 push the F. T. D. 

 He has been such 

 an engineer in the 

 workroom of our 

 organization that 

 we cannot but 

 esteem him highly. 

 All honor and praise 

 to our secretary. 



Also much credit 

 is due our vice- 

 pTdsident, Philip 

 Breitmeyer, for so 

 ably offieiatiHg^ dur- 

 ing my recent ill- 

 [OooUoued on paire 71 . 



