The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-25

| DeAcSHtess
With Henry H. Guernsey president OF
the New Haven association, as tempo
rary chairman, the delegates from sew
en- retail merchants associations of the
! prominent cities of Connecticut, came
to order at lis yesterday morning in
room Is, Insurance building. The meet
ing, as has been stated before, was for
the object Of forming a state merchants
| association of representative merchants
of the prominent cities of the state.
The movement was the plan OF the
| local association and had been talked of
and discussed from all points of view
before the proposal of the plan to the
other associations.
| Delegates from New Haven, Hartford,
Bridgeport New London, Norwalk,
Waterbury and Danbury were present.
On the meeting being called to order E.
j. Lake of Hartford was elected tempo
rary secretary. The delegates present
Were
| geport-President r. F. Whiting,
| Vice President A. j. Gable, Secretary d.
| r. Beebe, Attorney Carl Foster, L. H.
Dillon, c. D. Richards, Horace A. Jack
| son.
Norwalk-Vice President j. Thornton
Prowitt, Charles e. Seymour, f. d.
| LaWton.
New London-President c. C. Per-
kins.
Danbury-Secretary M. D. Reynolds
New Haven-President Henry H.
| Guernsey, Vice President Charles e.
Hart, Samuel H. Kirby, Harry Leigh,
Theodore Gruener, George A, Saunders,
James Il. Earle, Walter Leigh.
Hartford President Dwight H. Hewes,
E. J. Lake, George A. Kellogg, Post
master Frank d. Furlong, Clerk e. J.
Gavin.
terbury-President 7. M. Hewitt,
Vice President w. d. Upson, Secretary
Perry Goes, Clerk NJ J. Byrnes, ]. B.
Mullins, Oscar A. Zaglatzki.
Chairman Fl. II. Guernsey then ex-
planned the object of the meeting as fol-
lows:
Gentlemen: AS representative of
the New Haven Retail Merchants as
ISOLATION it gives me pleasure to well
come you to New Haven. Coming as
you do from seven organizations
throughout the state, you represent a
body of at least 1000 active merchants
united locally for the furtherance or
mercantile interests. You have been
called together in convention to form
a state organization which shall carry
forward the aims, the interests and the
objects of your own association, which
shall be the central head of which each
existing merchants organization shall
be a unit, and which shall be an incer-
tive to the formation of similar assocla-
lions in the cities of the state not now
represented Undoubtedly such an or
ganization has been in the minds OF
many of those now present, but it was
left to the New Haven association to
first give expression to the thought
and form to the idea. Every organiza-
ton invited has, | am pleased to say,
responded enthusiastically, and every
one is represented here to-day. If there
are other associations of like nature In
the state they will be welcome, and If
any other exist the only reason they
were not invited was that knowledge
of such existence was lacking.
1.-THE time is now ripe for organiza
ton, and the feeling is becoming gem
eral throughout the state that such an
organization is a necessity. The evils
that arise must be met and met by a
united front, representative of all mer-
camille interests. Just and equitable
legislatio along many lines is desirable
and it only needs a concentrated effort
to secure recognition.
What we ask is but fair treatment;
what we want Is but equality. 1t rests,
gentlemen, largely with you to bring
about such results, and the work done
here to-day will mark a new epoch In
business circles in Connecticut. What
affects one affects all. A common in
terest animates this movement and
there should be no obstacle to the unity
so much desired. New Haven mer-
chants welcome you and look to you for
broad and aggressive action.
"On behalf of the New Haven organ
lzat1on l invite you to partale of din
ner as our guests upon the conclusion |
of the business session this afternoon.
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Guerns-
sey's speech a committee, composed Of |
George A. Kellogg of Hartford, C. e. |
Hart of New Haven, j. b. Mullings of |
Waterbury, c. G. Perkins of New Lon |
don and A. j. Gable of Bridgeport, was
appointed to formulate a constitution |
and bylaws for the new organization. |
During their absence speeches were
made by several delegates, in which |
they one and all expressed favorable |
opinions of an organization being effect
ed, Walter Leigh made short address
on behalf of the retail clothing mer-
chants and expressed his views of the
ltinerant merchants and others very
forcibly. From his point of observation, |
as president of the local association, he |
also reviewed the history of the organ |
zation in this city and expressed him
self in favor of still stronger union.
Mr. Hughes, the president of the
Hartford association, spoke upon the
organization of that city. In his re-
marks Mr.. Hughes said: 1.-THE associa-
ton in Hartford is called the Business
Mems association. We have one hun
lred members at present, although only
since November %. We are