Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-02-13
DELIVERS ADDRESS
]. G. HUTCHINSON SPEAKS TO THE
4 RETAIL eRooERs' AssociA-
TON Of IOWA.
Talks On "uniformity of Interests Of
Retailers and Jobbers," at the Annu-
al Convention in Des Moines-- Ad.
dress Attracts Much Attention.

al Convention in Des Moines- Ad-
dress Attracts Much Attention.
Uniformity of Interests of Retail
ers and Jobbers" was the subject OF
the paper read this morning by j. G.
Hutchinson, of this city, before the sixth
annual convention of the Retail Gro
GERS association which, after three
days session, closes this evening in
Des Moines. Mr.. Hutchisons paper
attracted much attention for
the practical and common sense
views expressed in it. The
paper dwelt upon the benefit re-
tailers and wholesalers could obtain
by coupling their interests, using con-
SENTATIVE Judgment and told of the
beneficial results the purchasing of
goods by the Iowa retailer from the
nearby wholesaler affords. His paper
In part follows:
Gentlemen of the Iowa Retail Gro
Gers association:-It is pleasure
and an honor which you have extend
ed to me to address you on this occa-
Sion 1t is equally qualification to
me to acknowledge the honor of doing
SO by selection of the Iowa-N ebraska
wholesale Grocers' association. Will
liam u. Gladstone-one of the worlds
greatest and purest men-has said:
Be inspired with the belief that
life is a great and noble calling, not a
mean and groveling thing that we are
to shuttle through as we can, but an
elevated and lofty destiny
I believe this is a good thought to
apply to business conduct.
Il will not presume that l can in
struct time-honored merchants, but if
we can together compare facts and
conditions which grow out of the rela-
lions and transactions between the
wholesale and retail grocer, let us
hope that we may be mutually bene-
fitted. ! ardently and approximately
urge the commercial Importance, good,
and advantage, derived from associa-
ton, organization of merchants, man
ufacturers. and other business callings
mutually in the same line of business.
Error of judgment by the. people of
the country has at times arisen con
corning these organizations Occasion
ally we have heard through the dem
agogue and sensational journalism
that these associations in their object
exhibit a tendency to monopoly and
trust symptoms.
Legitimate Business Association.
association organizations, however,
In their duties are as far removed from
any such implied or insinuated defini-
ton as is the Farmers association or.
ganization in its beneficial work re-
moved from the purpose of the most
obnoxious trust in the country. Asso.
citation organizations are simply and
fortunately the outgrowth of enlight-
ened, systematic, equitable and Just
progress of the business affairs of
all kinds, destined to be the more ben.
eficial in each several nation as that
nation is, or will be more enlightened
and civilized.
Association organizations are pre-
servative of wholesome business bring
ing business men up to the ethics of
business standards. In this great
country of ours tremendous business
corporations necessarily grow up. We
demand, however, that they must not
become monopolies which will work to
the enslavement of the independent
business man.
II have always believed in the good
faith of the administrations and con-
crosses of our nation. I thoroughly
believe that there is always an under
lying great common sense and honesty
In the makeup of the people of this
nation, which insures, and will insure
cures for all national and industrial
evils as they arise. have no longer
any fear of trust monopolistic power
for the reasonB above given The
good work toward regulating and con-
trolling all these matters has COM
menced and will become more bene-
fetal and efficient as time goes on.
The department of commerce and Ia
Dor is the outcome and one of the be-
ginnings of this national enlighten-
ment and justice. Our courts, too, are
properly constituting our laws on all
these great questions. There has
been no illegal phase put upon associ-
alton work of manufacturers, mer-
chants, or other legitimate industries
These associations are made up who'll
ly by the voluntary meeting OCCASION
ally of the individual representatives
of the respective associations in their
line of business. They may or may
not be incorporated
s'They have an existence held to-
bether purely to afford business intel
ligence to their members. They are
under no especial legal obligation to
their respective members by any
agreement whatever verbal or writ
ten, to meet or do anything else but
cultivate intelligence and good habits
in business. Yet they voluntarily
come together to talk over the condi
ton of trade; to consider the pros
pect Of business; and to adjust and
regulate abuses which sometimes find
way into business nbusinesslike
practices, false methods of collecting
accounts and of crediting - and to
have mutual fair and honest under
standing.
"They strive to correct unfair and
unreasonable cutting of prices of goods
or manufactured products, which they
handle in their business, so that they
may not suffer in their line of business
by the conduct of. an INSCRIPTIONS
competitor who will sell goods below
cost, thus endangering the solvency OF
many others in the legitimate and fair
dealing. Thus this is all that such
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