The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-14
MERCHANTS FORM A LEAGUE.
They Perfect an Organization Last
Evening.
Property Owners and Those Engaged
in All Kinds of Business In
yited to Join.

Between fifteen and twenty business
men and property owners assembled at
Pythian Hall last evening for the pur-
pose of forming an organization, hav-
ing for it's nucleus opposition to the
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES system.
w. F. Purnell took the chair and
stated that all that was needed to eff
feet an organization and make it a
success was concerted action. No doubt
existed in his mind but that most of the
retail and wholesale dealers in the
city would become members If solicited
to do SO, and it would be found that
many of the property owners aside
from the merchants would also gladly
enter the organization. He felt, too,
that the ladies would form an associa-
ton auxiliary to that of the merchants
and business men, and that a number
Of them had, to his knowledge, already
signifed their Willingness so to do.
Department store arguments, Mr..
Purnell said, were always based on
wrong premises. The theory was adj
vanced that large establishments car
rying many lines of goods, were for the
best interests of the community, while
as a matter of fact they did not repre-
sent the greater good for the greatest
number. The people We're gradually
beginning to understand the matter,
and in Canada 100 newspapers had en-
tered in the cause of the single dealers.
Mr.. Purnell said he had drawn up
set of bylaws for the regulation and
government of the proposed organiZa-
ton, composed principally of ex
cerpts from the preambles and bylaws
of similar organizations in other States.
The speaker read the bylaws as col
lected, showing that they were intend
ed, among other things, to promote the
welfare of the city; to secure wise ana
expedient legislation for the proper reg
ulatiOn of trade and to devise and reg
ulate trade for the assistance of mem
bers of the association and the COM
munity generally. The name of the as
ISOLATION was to be the Merchants
League of Sacramento, and the assess
ments We're to be fixed at 80 cents a
month, payable in advance. The off,
GERS of the league should consist of a
board of fifteen directors, who should
elect a President, Vice President, Sec
rotary and Treasurer.
1t seemed to him, Mr. Purnell said,
that an organization ought to be effect
ed and, if circulated the membership
would extend outside of the ranks Of
retail dealers. The property owners of
the city, he said, would, many of them,
come in.
L. L. Lewis thought an organization
ought TO be perfected and in order to
bring the matter properly before the
meeting he moved the meeting pro-
ceed to organize.
The motion was carried by a unani-
nous vote. ~
1t was decided, however, to invite
those present to sign the slips of mem
bership which had been prepared, and
that all signeTs should be consti-
tuted a committee on membership, and
instructed to go out into the high
ways and byways and solicit new mem
bers. The membership slips We're cir
| culated and received the signatures of
all present. Mr. Purnell and others
had secured quite a large number of
signatures prior to the meeting The
names of the members of the organiza-
| ton at present are as follows: A
Brandt, j. n. Larkin, G. Wilson
Frankel, B. Wilson & Co, w. F. Pur-
nell, S. l. Hopkins, S. S. Nathan, s.
Morris, Kin1ball & Epson, F. C. Chinn,
Eagleson & Co, c. A. McWilliams, F.
c. Welch, c. w. Haub, Emil Steinman,
James G.. Davis, H. E. Yardley. Ing
e. Alice. Francis S. OFT, c. T. Peters, N
n. Denton, w. H. Wright, L. L. Lewis
& Co, c. H. Denton, Fred Trout. Wash
| burn & Co. and D. NJ. Bishopp
Mr. Frankel moved the adoption of
the bylaws as read by Mr.. Purnell.
The motion met with the approval of
those present and the bylaws as read
were declared to be the rules for the
government of the organization
| 1t was decided to appoint a commit
tee to wait upon and solicit member
ship from the wholesalers in the city,
and as such committee the following
members were appointed. S. I. Hop
kins. ]. n. Larkin, Gus Lavenson and
| w. +. Purnell.
c. Wilson Frankel and j. E. Little
were appointed a committee to, wait