The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-22
MERCHANTS HOLD
 ANNUAL MEETING Retail Grocers in Second An- nual Convention Here A NUMBER OF ADDRESSES Thomas Howe, President of the Asso- citation, Tells of Apathy in the Ranks-Elesant Banquet at
 Hotel Hillman.
A NUMBER OF ADDRESSES

Alabama Retail Grocers and General Merchants association met yesterday about noon in the armory of the city hall, and two interesting business meet ings were held. The banquet at the Hotel Hillman last night was one of the largest and most successful held in Birmingham this year.
 | There are about 100 delegates in attend
 ance at the convention, and others are expected this morning. A number arrived late yesterday afternoon and last night, and have not yet enrolled themselves. The object of the association is to better the condition of the retail grocer and general merchant of the state, partially by promoting beneficial legislation and also by bringing the merchants together to discuss various matters of interest to l themselves and the consumer.
 The Programme.
 At the meeting yesterday morning the following programme was carried out; 1 Registration of delegates.
 Convention called to order by R. (. Arthur. vice president of the Birmingham Retail Grocers' association, who acted as chairman in the absence of President Thomas Howe of Montgomery and Vice President H. P. Lucas of Florence. 1 Opening ceremonies
 l Prayer by the Rev. L. S. Handley, D. D.
 Address of welcome by Mayor w. M. Drennen.
 Response by F. M. Nixon, who spoke for Vice President Lucas
 The mayors address was brief. He congratulated the association on the at l tendance, and stated that he was glad | to welcome such a representative num- Der of business men to Birmingham. He said that there were few men who in- l fiuenced a state more than it's merchants and specially it's retail grocers, and that I Birmingham felt honored that they should have come here for their annual convention. He hoped they would return | to Birmingham in the near future. Mir. Nixon, in replying, said that the members. of the association were indeed glad to come to Birmingham, as it was the representative city of the state and one where welcome was always wait ing for the visitor. He expressed hope that the meeting of the association would result in much good, both to the members and also to the city. He thanked Mayor l Drennen and the people of Birmingham through him for their hospitality. There was a slight change in the after noon programme. The reading of the min utes of the previous meeting was dis l pensed with owing to the absence of the secretary who Is detained at home on
 account of illness. The report of the com mttee on credentials was not received,
 as the committee was not appointed un-
 til the afternoon session. The secretary's s and treasurer's annual reports were read
 and approved. Treasurer w. B. Tomlin of Birmingham, read the reports. Presidents Address.
 President Howe of Montgomery, was present at the afternoon session and de- l livered his annual address, which was as follows:
 "The first year of the organized Ala
 bama Retail Grocers' and General Mer- chants association is about to close. It | is a source of reorganization to note the l spirit and interest manifested, as shown l in the representative body of merchants assembled in this, your second annual
 convention, in the furtherance of the
 cause of justice. right good fellowship
 and mutual welfare, which is so essen tial and should exist between the whole
 saler and retailer. The cause of the
 one is the cause of the other.
 "The progress of the association the
 past twelve months, has not been with
 out it's drawbacks, and I will take the
 liberty of saying the chief of which is
 the apathy on the part of some of those whose interest is most at stake Many are prone to expect results at the out set, that only patience and diligence can acquire. In your local association don't
 meet simply to elect your officers, and expect them to bear all the burdens but l lend your assistance and encoura cement l by attending the regular meetings; relate your experience and suggest whatever 1 you think will be for the good of your cause; when you are assigned duty as a committeeman attend to the duty promptly. and be ready to report, the fol- | lowing meeting; 1t will give you some l thing to do, enthuse interest in your
 work, and add incentive to a large pro-
 portion of less active members, but by no means less adherent to the principles of your institution Concert of action is l the bulwark on which you must achieve
 success.
 "It was my pleasure recently, in com | rany with a friend to the association, to | visit an Alabama city in behalf of as-
 sociation business; meeting had not been held for several months; we were
 told by some it was useless to undertake 1t; one enthusiastic member, however, vol | unteered to notify each member of a | meeting: his efforts were rewarded by a large attendance, showing that interest 1 had not died out, and members as a gen. | eral thing were still living up to the ten l ents and determined to do so. It came | to our notice that one of the most de- l sirable objects of the association was Q l feasible rating or credit system. l would | call this convention's attention to the 1 importance of adopting some plan for the 1 benefit of the state I am informed that 1 an address will be made on that line by | one who has given the subject special l thought. I believe a good system would prove the most adhesive remedy that could be applied to association work and | be one of it's strongest ties
 Principles of Fairness.
 "I will not consume time by referring to
 the various subjects relative 10 assocIa : | ton benefits, as they are already booked 1 for discussion by those who are oonver- | sant with the topics. We realize the evils
 that confront us, and must. by expert
 cnce and perseverance. find the way to relief. rhis can be accomplished by firm ness of purpose based on principles of fairness toward your jobber, your custom | CT and yourselves. Keep informed on the conditions of trade by constant perusal of 1 trade papers, more especially your state 1 organ published directly in the interest of l your ssction; as you progress each sue | ceeding convention will reveal more 1 tranquil state of affairs and smoother sall- | ing. Patient effort is of utmost import 1 ance remembering that reforms in any undertaking car only be accomplished by l slow degrees. So push on with unrelenting 1 | Nothin0 Exceis this Simple Remedy