The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-10
THE TWIN CITIES TO
ENTERTAIN FEEDERS
The Grocers Finish Their
Business and Adjourn.
The PROCEDURE is RAPID
A learned Address by Norman II. J,hnsOr---
Officers and Directors Elected for
Ensuing ear--ResoIutons
Passed.


The feeders have come and gone and
have left behind them nothing but pleas
ant memories and anxious pocket books.
The convention of the grocers was charac-
terized for the earnestness OF purpose, and
quick dispatch of business. From the
moment that Organizer Williams let the
gavel fell Monday, calling the convention
to order until the motion to adjourn was
carried yesterday afternoon, the members
were busy discussing and formulating
plans for the interests of the grocer and
general merchant At no time did the
feeders set on the counter, so to speak
they slung behring's all the time.
The convention met yesterday morn
ing at 10 O'Clock according to adjourn
ment.
Mr.. w. G. Quarles, secretary OF the Re
tail Grocers and General Merchants Asso-
clifton of Virginia, was the first speaker on
the program. Mr. Quarles said IN part:
1T is with a great deal of pleasure that
I appear before such a representative
gathering of the merchants of the Old
North State, and bring greetings from the
merchants of the old Dominion. In do
ing this I bid you God-speed in your work
of organizing your State and trust your
efforts may be crowned with richest sue
cess. Gentlemen of this convention, you
want to go home determined that you and
every merchant in your section will put
his business on higher plane You ask
how it can be done? First You must
charge a legitimate profit on your goods
stop the practice of selling at cut rates
Second. You must have systematic
method of crediting, and if practicable,
start a credit and rating bureau IN your
local association at once, as
only those who have used one properly
know the good effects 1t will collect
many dollars thought lost and save
many from being lost Third. You must
not fail to have a good punishment law
passed at your earliest opportunity, one
which viii enable you to grasp the dead
beat. in any state you find him and force
him TO meet his just obligations. Fourth
Don't fail to read your trade paper Fifth.
You must put the semi-jobber out OF
You must put the semi jobber out of bust
ness at once. Now we are not making war
on manufactures and jobbers but we are
asking them, list. to give us a show; End.
TO refrain from doing those things which
are detrimental to the best interests of
all concerned We want to take firm
stand against the sale of adulterated foods.
In the name of the Retail Grocers and
General Merchants association of Vir-
ginia I wish to thank each and every one
Of you here assembled for your kind and
courteous treatment, and to invite each
and every one to attend our State con-
vnetion which meets in Norfolk, Septem-
Der 9th, 1903" prolonged applause)
Mr. D. T. johnson, who was too Ill
Monday to deliver his address of welcome
said in part yesterday:
4 am glad to welcome every delegate
here. / am sorry that we can't do more
for the convention than we are, but in the
three years the grocers of Raleigh will be
able TO entertain, and entertain royalty, a
large convention. Am sure great results
to be accomplished through the efforts of
organization. One thing specially. There
is work for the legislative committee, to
do something to the abominable purchase
tax which we all have to pay It is I'M
reasonable and unjust. This last Legisla-
ture made the tax more burdensome than
ever before. United we can accomplish
something; single-handed nothing
Mr. Norman II. Johnson, a member of
the Burlington bar, made the principal
address. His address was along the legal
lines of protection which the merchants
now have against the men who willfully
refuse to pay their just debts. The adj
dress teemed with good ideas as to future
enactment of laws for the protection of the
merchants His address showed plainly