The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-07-24
TO INDUCE RETAIL TRADE.
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION OF sA-
VANNAH ORGANIZED.

| One of Its Aims to Secure Low Rate
Excursions to Savannah From the
Surrounding Countrywide Inter
ests of Retail Merchants to BE
Mutually Looked After-The Pre-
MUM Coupon Ticket System to Be
Discontinued July 81.
The Merchants Association of Savan-
nan was organized yesterday. with a
chants of the city.
meeting of merchants was held at
o'clock at Lyons hall.
Sixty of the leading merchants of the
| city were present, an indication of the in
terest taken in the movement.
The meeting was called to order by
| Temporary Chairman ]. w. Jackson. A
committee of fifteen was appointed to
nominate board of directors. The NOM
nations were submitted and the follow
ing board was elected: Messrs. b. H.
Levy, S. Krouskoff. D. B. Morgan, A. NJ.
West D. B. Falk, ". Lang, Emile Eek
stein, L. Adler, j. w. Jackson, ]. T. West,
H. e. Ransford, P. NJ. Adams, J. N Cell,
J. J. Joyce, ]. H. Koch, S. Gardner, R.
d. baltimore, A. S. Nichols and Charles
Brandt.
The officers of the association were
elected as follows:
President-B. II. Levy
First Vice President-L. Adler.
Second Vice Presidential. B. Morgan
Secretary and Treasurer-D. b. Falk.
The meeting was then adjourned and the
board of directors met committee con-
sisting of Messrs. Falk, jackson and J.
T. West was appointed to draft bylaws
and a constitution. The committee will
submit it's work at the next meeting of
the association, which adjourned subject
to the call of the chair.
The object of the association is the en-
HANGING of Savannahs retail trade and to
be on the lookout for any measure that
may conduce to the city's advantage.
Heretofore it has been the merchants
plans individually to look after the city's
| interests and their own. They have
striven to bring all the trade possible to
Savannah, and individually have been sue
cessful. The combined efforts however,
which the new organization contemplates
it is expected will surpass in results any,
thing that heretofore has been accom-
plished. By the concerted action of all
the merchants, or as many as may become
members Of the association, their power
will be increased as many fold as there
are members, for UP to this time requests
have always been made by merchants
singly or perhaps in twos or threes.
If at any time a merchant may have
grievance, he can submit it to the asso-
citation and it will be considered. The
IF 10 will .
effect upon the ultimate fate of the griev-
ance
The organization viii be similar in many
respects to that of any commercial body
In it's numbers and commercial strength
will exist its power and the backing of
the association be an influence in any I'M
'dertaking.
The merchants feel that in
having stat BILE and perma-
nent organization, they are pre-
pared for any contingency that may arise
Heretofore, when the merchants have de-
sired to have a celebration of any kind
or 70 gala week, the first thing in order
was an organization before they could
take steps towards the furtherances of
their plans. This has always occasioned
trouble and delay. In the
the future, the Merchants As
ISOLATION will be ready, and no
temporary organization will be neces-
liar to those OF the Merchants Association
OF Baltimore. zone of its objects will be
the bringing of trade to the merchants by
means of excursions from points within
a radius of 100 miles. These excursions in
some cities are run on certain DAYS OF the
week and bring people from
the surrounding country The
plan is successfully In operation in
Baltimore will be urged for Savannah. and
may be adopted and pushed by the as
ISOLATION In that event the railroads Will
he asked to put on regular excursion
trains.
At a preliminary meeting held previous
10 the organization Of the association IL
was unanimously decided to discontinue
the use OF premium coupon tickets after
July 81. The agreement TO discontinue the
use of these tickets was signed by every
merchant present and by every merchant
in the city to whom the paper was pre-
sented. The reasons for this step on the
part OF the merchants have alrendv been
fully explained In the Morning News. The
merchants found that the sytem was a
drain upon them without adequate com
pensation. one merchant In speaking OF
the matter said that he estimated his loss
by reason OF the premium system during
the last year az between $500 and s90D0
or this amount Sl.400 was paid the prem-
ium company for redeemlng coupons ana
the remainder was accounted for bv the
loss OF good credit trade drawn elsewhere
by the attractions OF the cash premium
system and accounts rendered uncolioctl-
BILE by people who had been dealing on
credit suddenly changing TO the cash
basis and leaving their old accounts un-
paid.
An announcement appears In to-day's
Morning News 20 the effect that the mer-
chants will not receive premium coupons
after July 81. There are great many OF
the premium books out and there will
doubtless bc n rush TO trade out the cou-
pons before the expiration OF the date
named. There Is some talk thar the
premium companies may sue the mer-
chants who have contracts with them for
hreach OF contract, The mer-
chants take the ground however
that the companies have already violated
their contracts In several particulars, ana