The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-02-10

Ret = rvveive-s:eE,fh CID on;, larger
Than Any Gslisr Ia Exist czl5,.,-----
Officers Elected ard REPORTS Of
Committees R2@d q -ths First
Days session. Gf TIE G's.zsy,e1a i.,s2.
II the figures given by Secretary
Clark are correct, the Minnesota
! Hardware Dealers a ssocfatian IS t34a
largest organization of its kind in the
United States. Al the first annual
meeting i'll minneapolis yesterday there
were $50 names upon the membership
list and quite a number OF rev sign
ers were obtained dU iIg the forenoon.
The spacious hall of the United
Commercial Travellers was comforts
ably filed when President Charles F.
Lddner, Of St Cloud, called the meets
ing to order, ard introduced Mayor
Robert \. Pratt WHO extended to the
SOC dealers and travelling statesmen a
hearty welcome to the city.
The mayors remarks We're very brief
and directly to the point. He express
cd his surprise at the large number
present and said it augured well for 6
prosperous future for the association
he wished them one ard all pleasant
visit and extended the freedom OF the
city. He formally invited the dele
gates to visit the Minneapolis Rolling
mills, and the invitation was accepted,
The hour for the visit being fixed Cor
? O'Clock Thursday afternoon. Mr.
EUstis then addressed the convention,
and Vice President A. T. Stebbins re-
Sponded en- behalf of the association.
President Gilbert, Of the Furniture
Dealers associstion was called upon
for a few remarks before the report Of
The officers were received and read. He
invited those Of the hardware dealers
who also dealt i'll furniture, to become
members Of the furniture association
A press committee was appointed
and President Ladrer read his annual
address. He reviewed The work f the
association for the year, in which il
has been in eE:Stcrce. and recalled thu
Inactivity Of the officers in early days,
and the consequent reports Of failure
set alOat by enemies. When work
/ finally commenced in earnest, the re-
suit W3S successful beyond the f0nGnst
hopes Of the most enthusiastic pro
motors. Today the association is orc
of the strongest in The country and
the foundation for an interstate Crga,.-
ization had been laid. He extended
thai its 10 the travelling statesmen who
had 50 generously aided the dealers il
The work cf organization.
4 resolution was introduced By T. A.
Moye. Of Duluth TecitiEg t. a. whereas
| delegates were present from North Da-
kOta for the purpose of organizing an
interstate association; committee OF
three. of which the chair should ba one.
should be appointed to confer with the
North Dakota men upon the subject
The resolution passed, ard MessTs
O'Bricn, of Crookston. and Stebbns OF
Rochester, We're named by the chair
to act with him.
Secretary j. W Clark of ST Paul,
read his annual report, which described
in detail the difficulties surmounted in
/ bringing the association to its present
gratifying status. H5e said that IN the
state there were 1909 retail hardware
Dealers ard Of these $50 were members
of the association. as the result of The
year of labor. III Wisconsin the hard
ware association had 101 members. and
/ North Dakota had one with ice mem
bers. The Minnesota organization had
more members than any other in the
country.
Elected Officers.
The election of officers was the first
business before the convention in the
afternoon. 1t resulted as follows:
Observation-Disclosures f. L-dner. 5. c d.
Vice Fresieeat-A. T. Ste3tins Ro,fe :er.
Executive C5mmtt=e -W. II. Tom inson,
IL Sueur; Frank Stremel. Minneapolis;