The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-18
LITTLE DEALERS MEET
SMALL GROCERS AND BUTCHERS IN
INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION.
They Will Extend Aid to Any Member
Prosecuted for Sunday Selling
Gottfried Graf Acquitted.

The Independent grocers and butchers
held a meeting in a hall over Frank Wards
place, on West Sixteenth street, last night
and formed the nucleus of an organization
to protect themselves from prosecution for
keeping open on Sunday. Since the or
ganization of the grocers' and butchers
clerks many affidavits have been filed
against proporietors of grocery stores and
meat markets that refused to close on
Sunday. At first the merchants that
keep open on Sunday looked upon the
attempt of the clerks to close them as a
joke and thought it would die out in a
short time. Afhdavits continued to be filed
with increasing vigor and when Gottfried
Graf was arrested for keeping open on
Sunday the independent grocers became
aroused and hastily formed an organiza-
ton to help Graf out. AT the meeting last
night a collection was taken taken to pay
the expenses of the trial that resulted yes
terday in Crafts favor.
Twelve or fifteen grOcers attended the
meeting last night. Frank Dewitt was
elected chairman and j. p. Stilz secretary.
Several grocers who attended the meet
ing have been members of the Retail
GrOcers' Association, which is said to be
backing the clerks in their light for Sun
day closing. TIL Independent grocers con-
tend that they are not fighting anyone,
but have organized to protect themselves.
and hereafter. any member that is arrest
ed will be assisted by the organization; and
if it becomes necessary a case will be
carried to the Supreme Court The indie
pendent grOcers say they have the sigma
lures of nearly one hundred small grocers
and meat-market proprietors now and
duplicate petitions will be made out and
D1a.oI - The hnnIC nf %ha r,ar,h.~- - u
cUlate among others and induce them to
join in the movement. The preamble to the
petition pledges the signers to assist the
organization in protecting its members
from the persecution OF the Retail Clerks
Association. but says nothing about the
Retail Grocers' Association. The latter
two organizations are working hand in
hand in enforcing Sunday closing.
The real meaning of the organization of
the independent grocerS last night is that
they propose TO carry on an organized
ton and the clerks organization. The in
dependent men say they cannot carry on
their business without keeping open on
Sunday, as most of their trade comes from
poor people who do not get their money
until late Saturday night and AVE no
other time TO buy provisions. They claim
that they will get all of the small dealers
into their organization and that the en-
forcement of Sunday closing is an attempt
on the part of the big dealers to drive the
small ones out of business.
While this is going on there is another
fight between the Retail GTocers' Asso-
citation, the clerks association, the indie
pendent organization of grOcers and butch
ers and Central Labor Union. The Retail
Grocers' Association wishes to make the
clerks association an auxiliary to its own.
There is anything but a pleasant feeling be-
tween the Retail Grocers' Association and
the labor organization of the city, because
of the formers attempt to pass an OBJ
~jectionable garnishment law through the
last Legislature. which was defeated by the
labor lobby. The clerks have been asked
TO join the international Retail Clerks
Union by the officers of Central Labor
Union. but up to date they are independ-
emit. Now the Independent dealers are in
defense against any attempt of the three
TO close on Sunday, and their organization
promises TO make the situation still more
complex.