The herald., 1898-04-19
Mr.. MEYBERGs SCHEME OF AN
INFORMATION BUREAU
NECESSITY FOR ORGANIZATION
Work Accomplished by the Merchants
- and Manufacturers Assoclatlon'
What Remains to Be Done

Dy MAX N1ey Dci5s Se'AAAHo ~--~
the members to important 1acts'
On snotton the secretary was instructed
to have Mr.. Meyberg's paper printed as d
circular, and copy mailed 10 each mem
her. and was further requested to state
that a special meeting Will be heio Ahui .
day evening, April Is, for the PURPOSE VI
discussing the suggestions Haoe III 'ie
paper, which are as follows:
The subject of my paper tonighe Is o'
great Importance to the mercantile COM
munity, not alone as direct penett 10 'i'o
merchants, but also If my ideas shouia oe
adopted as a beginning OF closer ana
friendlier relations between US. 1ou
must pardon me If, before l come 10 the
subject I wish to lay before YOU touch
nnon conditions which bear close relatioh
with NV subject, and as this is an oppor-
time time. 1 take the liberty of bringing
tbem before you. 1 refer to the Affiliations
end interest taken by our members In our
tnstitution-the Merchants and Manufac-
+urers' association. Bankers have their
organ;zation. so have the laborins men;
hut the merchants take little interest IN
on institution of which they should De
proud. Surely the achievements OF our
tnst;tution should instil a pride into every
member
with YOUR permission will recall to your
memory some of the principal events car
ried out successfully by the different pooieS
of vour directors, commencing with the
successful fight against the boycott on
the merchants on account of trouble With
workmen of our newspapers. Shortly
ofterward the directors took hold of and
carried out successfully the annual fes-
tiyal. La Fiesta, acknowledged to nave
been the greatest event this city has ever
had Two years this festival was
handled by the merchants with the great
est success.
We took up the fight against the per-
nicious antiquated law of taxing enter
prise through a monthly license tax, saw
ing to the merchants $4,000 year. we
killed in the legislature the effort to ouy all
supplies for state institutions in San Fran
CISCO We were successful in raising S2o.-
GOO for the purpose of giving our unemploy-
ed work-a larger sum according TO our
population than was raised anywhere in
the state. We gave the city magnificent
exhibition of home products, calling atten-
ton to our opportunity of making Los An
celes manufacturing center. We are now
illustrating this important factor through
O. permanent exhibition in this building.
These are some of the successful ventures
of your association, which, as l stated be-
fore, should create a pride in our members,
which is necessary to make the association
what it should be, the greatest of any or
eanization in the state.
The merchant makes it possible for a
city to exist. He distributes more money
among the laboring men than any other
citizen. He makes it possible for rich men
to come here and invest their money in
costly buildings. He makes 1t possible
through taxation to run our city govern
ment. He makes it possible that railroad
companies make their roads pay. He
makes it possible for thousands to find en-
ployment, thereby increasing our popula-
ton. He also makes it possible for our
newspapers to exist.
Trade and commerce are the ruling spirit
everywhere. Merchants are regarded in
European and eastern cities as the foun'
dations of communities. If you think of
the respect shown them elsewhere 1t does
not reflect to our credit that it is not 50
here, and 1 claim it is our own fault. Meet
ings are held here when our prominent
their absence; whether it is on account OF
, indifference or because they do not want
to meet their equals socially, is hard tc
Judge.
In order to show you remedy it is my
intention to propose new idea to make II
possible for you to take more interest l..
our institution through the medium of Z
selfish proposition. In other words, / vii
demonstrate to you whereby you can COLI
suit your own interest in being member
of our institution.
The directors have kindly allowed me tt
present this subject for consideration anc
discussion tonight and L am confident tina
after due deliberation you will see th
feasibility OF my plans.
propose to institute bureau of inform
alton for our retail merchants. This bu
reau is to protect you against unscrupu
lous people who are constantly springing VI
in our midst. People whose only object il
life seems to be how to swinde and get thu
best of some one, this bureau to be a pro
lection through your own knowledge .
these people. We do not possess th
knowledge individually, but collectivel,
we do. In other words /, for instance. cal
give you information of some people whicl
YOU do not possess. You can reciprocate b,
giving me your information of other peo
pie. This collective Information of all ou
merchants will allow us to get protection
worth thousands of dollars. 1t will wee
out of our midst a certain class who liv
through the medium of swindling. 1t wi
also tend to draw US closer to each othe
through fighting common interest wort
much to the mercantile community.
I will recall to your attention some fact
you know of; instances where such inform
alton would have saved many of you
goodly sum. You all remember the steam
ship Swindle. TO my certain knowledg
some merchants had experience with I'll
same parties who engineered the schen
year before the great exposure cam
They had transactions of the same latur
but compelled the parties to find NEAR
with which to pay them. Would it not hay
been to the interest of some of you to hay
known of this? 1t surely would not hui
the parties who prided themselves that the
knew all about it to allow their broth
merchants to be taken in afterwards. WI
should such information he kept secret?
Take for instance tho grocery trade. II
facts which l state here I have gathert
through interested parties. A person W
go to the grocery, order groceries. pay fl
them and in time establish a credit. Aft
accomplishing this the payments will b
come irregular and after a while cease e.
tirely, leaving a large account uncollec
.ible. Naturally their credit is exhauste
A competitor OF this grocer who has he