The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-04-14
Two Sessions at the COun-
 Gil Chamber.
Merchants Discussed Matters of Im- portance to the Trade-Will Meet Today and Have Barbecue at Bloem-
 fontein.

One hundred and fifty delegates and visitors to the first annual convention of the Retail Grocers' Association of Ala bama were yesterday given hearty wei come to Montgomery.
 Prominent grocery merchants from all over the State arc here and a number of leading representatives of the movement of organization from the entire country have joined with the Alabama procers in the primary step in State organization.
 The meeting is strictly for business and the deepest interest is manifested by the delegates and their friends in the discus sion of the problems which confront the retailers of Alabama.
 Thomas Ii. Howe of Montgomery, prominent in grocery circles ana weL known citizen, was elected temporary President of the meeting. c. k. Nettles of Montgomery acted as Secretary.
 Two meetings were held yestefuay Tn the chamber of the City Council in the city Hall. Both meetings were attended by practically the entire list of delegates and free and open discussions were in dulged in on questions of the relation Of the retailers to the wholesale merchants, the semi -jobbers, cut price people, ped dlers, department stores. mail order houses and dead beat" creditors and leg !slation. good and vicious.
 Prominent among those present were George J. Williams, National Organizer; A. N. Farlinger or Atlanta, Vice-Presi- dent of the National Association of Re tail Grocers; J. A. Van Hoose of Bir- mingham, President of the Southern As sociation of Wholesaie Grocers; Fred erick Mason of Minneapolis Secretary of the National Association of Retail Gro cers; John Bratton or Atlanta, editor of The Southern Merchant, the official or gan of number of mercantile associa- lions, and l.. P. Fleming of Toledo. O., A atN1 ia f-ala rhp1a- sale grocers of Montgomery, were also in attendance on the meeting.
 The convention was called to order at 10:30 o'clock by George J. Williams, State Organizer, who spoke briefly, stating the source of qualification it was to him to see the first convention so largely at tended.
 A w. Farlinger. vice-President of the National Association, was then intro duced. He extended the greetings and well wishes of the retail grocers of At
 lanta, the Capital City of Georgia. to the retail grocers of the Capital City of Ala bama. MT. Farlinger spoke on some of
 the problems that confronted the retail Fl ocery trade of Alabama and assured the delegates that the well organized whole salers were back of thenl and number of the richest manufacturers of the Union are in the utmost sympathy with their work.
 MT. Farlinger then introduced Mayor
 F. B. Joseph of Montgomery who spoke a few words of greeting to the conVen- ton.
 Thomas H. Hswe. President of the Montgomery Association, greeted the del egates in behalf of the grocery trade Of
 Montgomery. He spoke of the pride of the Montgomery Association in having the honor of entertaining the conventlon | which, in his opinion. meant much good to the trade and to the community. MT. | Howe reported the Montgomery Associa- | tion in a nourishing condition. Most of | the grocers, he said. are in the organiza- | ton and are enthusiastic in it's work. MT. Howe then spoke few words as to the general policy of the organization and the need of the trade to organize. He | again welcomed the grocers to Mont gOmery.
 Fred Mason, National Secretary of the Association, responded to MT. Howe's ad- dress by welcoming the Alabama Asso- citation into the ranks of the National Association.
 The convention then went into the cleo tion of a temporary President: The unanimous choice was Thomas Howe of Montgomery.
 The following committees were ap- polnted by the acting President: Committee on CredentIals--D. NJ. Booz-
 CT of Anniston, Chairman: J. A. Kent of
 Prattville and J. w. Rarden of Besse- mer.
 Committee on Bylaws and Constitution J M. Green of Tuscaloosa, Chairman: l. R. Johnson of Marion. P. c. Wallace
 of Montgomery, s. T. Smott of Annis- ton.
 Committee on Rules of Order-E. A.
 Ezekiel of Greenville, Chairman: w. II. Mason of Marion. w. II. Well Of Hunts vile
 Committee on Resolutions-R. B. Dug
 ger of Tuscaloosa. Chairman: E. T. Cook
 of Montgomery, Charles E. Dondurant of