OCTOBEB 14, 1920 



The Florists^ Review 



25 



s^ PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS s^ 



HENOMENAL is the word 

 that expresses better than 

 any other the growth of 

 this organization. We are 

 amazed at the wonderful 

 developments brought 

 about through the com- 

 bined efforts of men and 

 women who labor with one 

 accord for better F. T. D. 

 service. For the benefit of the new and 

 younger florists and to bring out a point 

 or two which I wish to impress on them, 

 I shall take the liberty to reminiscence. 

 This is something I love to do, especially 

 when it refers to the pioneer days in the 

 flower business. 



About forty years ago, my father 

 asked me to escort him to the east and 

 visit the great flower stores of New 

 York and endeavor to learn their 

 methods, in order to be able to manage 

 our store at home. 



This was indeed a wonderful expe- 

 rience for me. Among the leading men 

 at that time were William C. Wilson, 

 Charles Klunder, Hanft, and George 

 Stumpp, Sr. I shall never forget the 

 courtesy which was shown us, so differ- 

 ent from what one is accustomed to re- 

 ceive nowadays. 



We also visited 

 Pennock Bros., i n 

 Philadelphia, and at 

 their store, in the 

 City o f Brotherly 

 Love, we met the 

 Messrs. Cartledge, 

 Sr., and John West- 

 cott, both lovable 

 gentlemen, as many 

 of you know. 



I was so im- 

 pressed with the 

 kindness and cour- 

 tesy they extended 

 that I remained 

 with them for six 

 months, and at the 

 age of 16 I was 

 made a full-fledged 

 florist under their 

 tutoring. 



Each year since 

 .that eventful year I 

 have had the pleas- 

 ure of meeting 

 many florists and I 

 have made rare ac- 

 quaintances, and I 

 am especially grate- 

 ful to the Society of 

 American Florists, 

 which made it pos- 

 sible to add to the 

 family album. 



Today's Fellowship. 



Not all men in the 

 profession enjoyed 

 this privilege. Not 

 until the F. T. D. 

 became a real fac- 

 tor was this made 

 possible, and now to 

 one point I wish to 

 illustrate. The F. T. 

 D. has preached the 

 slogan, "Coopera- 



The address of Philip Breltmeyer, president 

 of tlie Florists' Telegrapli Delivery Association, 

 at the Indiunapolis convention, October 12, 1920. 



tion, not Competition." Friend Poche- 

 lon, in his efforts from time to time, has 

 brought closer the real meaning of co- 

 operation, and what do we find now 

 when we visit our members? 



National Spirit. 



This is what you experience. It is a 

 real pleasure to go to New York and 

 drop in on Max Schling, who with his 

 unusual courtesy asks his customer to 

 be patient until he has made sure that 

 your wants are satisfied. Stop a few 

 doors farther on and meet the modest 

 but wide-awake George Stumpp, at 

 whose store something is moving all the 

 time. He is a man of leisure and noth- 

 ing will do but, "See my novelties. 

 If I can help you get this line, I am at 

 your service." Run along a bit and 

 you will find Brother Brown, who is 

 always disappointed when one is un- 

 able to accept his courtesy. And so 

 along the line in New York, the F. T. 

 D. florist fairly bubbles over with 

 "What can we do for you?" 



I should like to take you to Boston, 



Philip Breittneyer* 



(President of the Florists' Telegraph Delivery Association.) 



Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, 

 Knoxville,. Buffalo, Cleveland, Chicago, 

 Kansas City, Omaha, Denver, Los An- 

 geles, San Francisco, and, in fact, 

 throughout this whole country, where 

 we touch the high spots of civilization, 

 to say nothing about every hamlet that 

 has its F. T. D. member, not forgetting 

 the fifteen per cent of Canadian mem- 

 bers, who are breathing the same loving 

 spirit of cooperation and have filled 

 their opportunities. 



Ask me what else the F. T. D. has 

 done for the profession. If it has done 

 more than one thing which stands upper- 

 most for advancement, it has brought 

 about a credit system hardly equaled 

 by any other association. It is really 

 a grand corporation which can bring 

 about so much progress as this organiza- 

 tion has done. 



We are grateful for the cooperation 

 of the leading men in our profession, 

 and I fail to see why some florists 

 ignore the privilege of lending their 

 support and enjoying the spirit of co- 

 operation. Let us hope that they will 

 awaken through our efforts and constant 

 endeavor to the duty they owe to their 

 fellow men and to the public. 



There is no excuse for them now, 

 when one stops to> 

 consider that only a 

 few years ago there 

 was a muster or- 

 ganization of fifty- 

 seven members, and 

 today we can boast 

 of over 1,700. Have 

 you ever stopped to 

 consider the size of 

 this corporation to 

 which you belong? 

 Do you consider the 

 value of your stock? 

 I doubt very much 

 if you do. I say to 

 you: No stock hold- 

 ings in your posses- 

 sion earn such divi- 

 dends as your in- 

 vestment in the F. 

 T. D. 



I want Mr. Poche- 

 lon to show you his 

 first ledger, in which 

 he kept the account 

 of the first member- 

 ship, and then let 

 him tell you of the 

 volumes of ledgers 

 he has now. May 

 God spare him for 

 many years to come. 



Membership. 



To my mind the 

 membership of the 

 F. T. D. should be 

 unlimited. Every 

 hamlet has a dealer 

 in flowers. I say 

 dealer, because 

 there are many men 

 selling flowers who 

 have no conception 

 of what brings flow- 

 ers to life. They do 

 not know even the 



[Continued on page 6<).] 



