Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1884-05-14
ST.LOUIs.


ST. LOUIS.
Annual Meeting of the Hotel Mems
Mutual Benefit Association.
ESPECIAL TO TUE AlsEAL.l
ST. LOUIS. May l3.-T ,sHotel Mems
Mutual Benefit Associatioa net in annual
session here to-day. Their. IS large at
tendance, every section o the country
being represented. The association was
called to order by PresideIt, G. B. Gallo
way, of Memphis, who addressed the
meeting as follows:
Address of President galloway.
GENTLEMEN-I esteem It personal
compliment and a great privilege to have
this opportunity of addressing the men,
bers of our association. There is not O
profession or pursuit in life that taxes
more heavily our physical abilities and
intellectual fs iities than bookkeeping.
Not only no. : keepers but hotel en-
ployes, from the humblest to the highest
in authority, who are conscientious in
their duties, have no easy task to perform.
bookkeeping is profession, and diff
cult one at that. 1t can be truly said of
those who succeed in making name in
long and laborious years of patient wait
ing. The hotel business hss grown from
the small tavern by the roadside to that
transacted in the palace of the present
day, and during this growth every pro-
prietor has struggled alone and unaided
by associations, and has not been pro-
tected by suitable laws. The law is all
against him; if he takes a case into court
he has no assurance that he will get
justice. He can get plenty Of law, which
he finds an expensive article, as the case
is usually decided against him. These
laws should have been erased from the
statute books many years ago. The birth
of this association was the commencement
of a movement against these old musty
laws, made at time when hotel men must
have been looked upon in very differ
ent light from those of the present day.
Already State associations have been the
means of having number of these laws
repealed and more equitable ores passed
ia their place, and the end is not yet.
predict that hotel men will not rest until
the laws are so framed that they will have
Justice done them. Our association was
founded more to bring about better
acquaintance of persons engaged in hotel
business, and the adoption of such plans
as should tend to the mutual benefit of its
members. 1t is for this purpose we have
our annual meeting. These gatherings
give members an opportunity to meet and
become acquainted, and l believe these
meetings have been a great benefit to the
members and that we will feel its
good results from year to year, as
our acquaintance becomes greater and our
attachments for each other grow stronger.
l feel warranted in these views, as
L have noticed and experienced the
-. ,1@l, BOD ran
us, and l think these friendly feel
ings should be encouraged among our
members in the future as they have been
in the past. This is cur fifth annual
meeting. We are pleased to inform you
that our association is in a prosperous con-
dition, and | congratulate its members
upon its assured success. We commenced
with thirteen names on our roll, and we
now number 915. We have paid every
death loss, not only promptly but cheer
fully, and l am gratified to say that our
Roard of Directors have never taken ad-
vantage of any technicality to avoid pay
ing loss, but have in every instance
given the assured the benefit of the doubt,
when there was one, as to whether a claim
should be paid or not. l consider the
management of this association up to the
present time very creditahle to it's several
Boards of Directors. We owe them
a debt of gratitude. They have
proved themselves good and faithful
| brothers, and their names will be en-
shrined in the hearts of the members of
| this association. l cannot let this oppor-
tunity pass without saying a good word
| for the hotel newspapers. They are our
best friends, and have done very much
| toward elevating the hotel business. They
| have iabored Tor our interest and advance
L rnanf | have tn halIQVa
| they are meeting with the success they
| deserve. Projectors of these papers, who
| are members OF this association, we find
valuable and agreeable members. l wish
| to say few words to the hotel clerks be-
| longing to the Hotel Mems Mutual Benefit
| Association. The records show that the
great majority of names dropped from the
! rolls can be found in their ranks. This
| should not be. Clerks have vital inter
| est in keeping up this association and add
| ing to Its character and usefulness My
knowledge of hotel clerks is, that they are
| liberal to a iault, and why should they
halt and hesitate when the first ray
F.! of light falls across their checkered path
is more than l can understand.
| Gentlemen of the association, again l con,
| gratulate you on the prosperity of our
| organization. On this occasion we know
naught of party, and care as little for it as
| for the winds that blow along our sea bound
/ shores. We come together on a platform
/ lighted up with that serene atmosphere OF
friendship which seeks to elevate the pro-
| fession of which we have ample cause to
be proud. The world is on the march. A
| great sea of humanity is constantly ebbing
1 and flowing over the continent. We are
| thrown into more intimate contact with
the world than any other avooation in
life. Our patience is often taxed by the
1 travelling scolds, who leave home de.
termined not to be pleased, but pity and
| forbearance conquer injustice and shame
| into silence unreasonable demands and
| expectations. Let us prove ourselves
|! equal to our opportunities, and continue
to elevate our profession by making hon.
esty and integrity the pole stars to direct
/ our footsteps. L never meet a successful
hotel keeper without feeling a serene and
trustful confidence, for 1 take the broac
position that no man can succeed in the
profession unless he be just, polite, affable
lin a word, the model gentleman. If he
be wanting in any of these prerequisites
and hlgh attributes, discriminat
ing public soon discovers it anG
his hotel is Stunned as haunted
! house. Gentlemen, in closing, lin be-
comes my painful duty to announce the
death of several members of the associa.
L tlOu Slice our JaSI meeting dOOQ
sell, Savannah, Ga; John P. Mumfor6,
NeY Orleans; NJ. J. Steinfeld, Niagarf
| Falls John L. Bryant, Atlantic City
Stephen H. Stearns, Leadville; Charles
G. Ring, Newport, and John G. Wilson
Cranberry Forge, N. J.-men who have
reflected honor upon our profession, have
ceased to be dwellers of the earth, since
l we last met. 1t is not for mete pronounce
their eulogy, but presume the member
/ of this association, as sufferers from a
common humanity, will give some ex.
preston to our common sorrow and pay
that tribute to the memory of our dead
/ associates which to their moral, suviai ,.,t
professional rank seems most appropriate
1 The stiffness made mournful by their ab
sence and hushed voices admonishes III
that we, too, are soon to follow. Let us
strive to leave the rich heritage Of an hon.
orable name, "a high standard of morals
4 and professional ethics. The association
is now ready for business.
The sessions were held with closed
doors. Various matters of intersst were
discussed.
Associated Press Report.
ST. LOUIS, May 13.-The annual meet
/ ing of the Hotel Mems Mutual Benefit
! Association met to-day with very large
attendance from all parts of the country
President G. B. Galloway, of Memphis, il
4 xba chairman Tho pnornipo caesian u-a