The Topeka state journal., 1897-12-28
Was Inaugurated Last Night at
Meeting
Held to Organize the Merchants
Federation of Topeka.
Organizations of the Groce=s, Butch
ers and Coal Dealers Were Pres
entail Merchants to be Ad-
mitted to Membership.


night 1t was named The Merchants
Federation of Topeka and its consti-
tuition is so constructed that any indi-
| vidual or firm engaged in respectable
mercantile business in this city may be-
come a member.
The objects and aims of the fedora
ton, as set forth in their first article
of the constitution, are as follows:
Fostering a more social feeling
among the merchants of Topeka, be-
Iieving that a closer acquaintance
would justly tend to a more correct and
mutual understanding, and much dis
trust and prejudice would thereby be
removed.
Prevention of wholesalers and manu-
facturers furnishing customers, thereby
curtailing the retail business.
Keeping a list of the delinquents
who prey upon the trade; also report
ing and rating those worthy of credit
The use of united efforts to have
pedoIerS and hawkerS put under proper
restraint and reasonable license.
Securing prompt payment and col
lection of old accounts outstanding.
Protection against injurious or
adulterated goods and fictitious labels.
TO advance the best interests and
prosperity of our city by encourage ging
honesty and reliability in all the diff
ferent lines of business ana endeavor-
ing to obtain better freight rates, and
encouraging new manufactures and
other industries
The federation is the outgrowth of
considerable informal talk among mem
berS of the Retail GrOcers' association
the Coal Dealers association and the
Butchers association, three of the
strongest business mems organizations
IN TINS city Two weeks ago the mem
beis advanced far enough for the ap-
pOlntment of temporary chairman
and secretary, and last night was set
Tla aTef-n 9TH
organization. This was carried out bv
the election oe the following officers:
President, Frank Newland: first vice
president, Col. J. W F. Hughes. second
vice president, A. E Hickerson.
The remaining officers VIII be elected
at the next meeting on the second Mon
day in January.
AT the meeting last night only the
EetalI Grocers, the Coal Dealers and
Butchers associations were represent
ed The matter of making the mem
pershlp OF the federation open to all
business men of the city was brought
up by Mr- Butterfly asking if the organ
1zatiOn was to be a fedora ton of assO-
Citations or a federation of merchants.
In explanation, Mr.. J. B. Billiard one of
the committee who prepared the con-
stitutiOn said:
In preparing the constitution, we
made it to take in all the reputable
merchants of Topeka who cared to be
come members. We felt that it should
not be confined to certain organizations
but that every line of mercantile busi-
ness should be taken in In this v-av
we felt that all the business interests
of the city could be benefited
Mr. Frank Newland-I heartily COIN
eide with what Mr.. Billiard has said
and believe that all merchants should
be taken in.
Col. Hughes-I am in favor of TAX
ing all classes of merchants in. I want
this organization be strong enough to
buck against anything.
Mr.. VIM. DransfieId-That is. anv-
thing except prices. If you buck up
against prices, you buck up against the
state law.
On a vote it was decided to make
the organization a federation of mer-
chants, irrespective of their business
The initiation fee was placed at $1,and
the monthly dues at 10 cents
The initiation fee for honorary mem
bers was placed at IS. It was first made
81, but Attorney Euler suggested that
aid and influence could be secured by
making such men as General Manager
Frey of the Santa Fe honorary mem
bers, and Mr.. Dransfield said that such
men as Mr. Frey would not appreciate
their membership unless the initiation
fee was at least IS.
The objects and aims of the fedora
tion as originally read at the meeting
called for the efforts of the members
in placing a heavy license on hawk
ers and peddlers. This was referred to
by Mr.. r. E. Jones, who suggested that
the members should give the matter
some thought before they went on rec
ord as in favor of killing the hucksterS
business by heavy license.
Col. J. w. F. Hughes am in favor
of putting a heavy license on all kinds
of hucksters. They are a class of peo-
pie who go around and prey upon the
inexperience of the women when the
men are away from home. I'll tell you
what one of those fellows did to me.
He went out to my house in Potwin ard
sold my wife a barrel of apples for SO
that I could have bought from any
mer rchant for $125.
get rid of the huckster, the better.
Mr.. VIM. Dransfield-I don't under
stand that this clause means that
hucksters shall be suppressed. We
simply want them to pay a heavy Ii
cense, as we have to pay heavy taxes.
Mr. Frank Newland-I have been
through this huckster business a num-
Der of times. and I tell you the only
way to correct it, is to place an Occu-
patton tax on all classes of business.
Col. Hughes here ended the discus
sion by moving to substitute reason
able license for heavy license" This
motion was adopted.
The new organization will meet
monthly, on the second Monday of
each month. The board of directors of
seven members viii have general su-
pervision over all business
1t is expected to enlarge the member