The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-08-16
niture Dealers Association. Mr.. Taylor

presented Alderman w. a. French,
who in a pleasant manner introduced
Hon. Ashley Horne, who he declared,
a a nan known throughout the state
He Is connected with many Of its COM
mercial and industrial enterprises in
North Carolina, and he declared is
the next governor of North Carolina
this remark calling for generous ap-
plause.
Mr.. Horne spoke as follows:
MR.. HORNES SPEECH.
: Mr.. Toastmaster and Gentlemen of the
! North Carolina Retail Furniture AS
ISOLATION:
! | am before you accepting the honor
Of an invitation extended me through
! the chairman of your association to
speak to you On a subject of my own
choosing. After looking over the field
of the varied industries of the state and
the natural condition of things tend
ing towards progress and economy, I
have decided to speak to o ON the
, subject Of, Organization Indispensable
10 Growth"
This question comes to me as how I
can best serve you with my many
years Of experience.
We, as retail furniture merchants
realize the present trend of things is
toward organization.
The captains Of industry Of today are
energetically searching into their bus
mess for irregularities and wastes and
leaks of time, talent and material.
Without organization the retail mer-
chant is in the hands of, and complete
ly at the mercy, of his competitors,
manufacturer and jobber.
Up to a certain point an industry run
ON a disorderly. haphazard basis may
grow n meet with some success, but
when competition becomes close and
margins small and ever national leg
islation assail it, this industry soon
goes to the wall.
Then too, organizations fosters a
spirit Of cooperation that is the life,
spirit, and surest element of growth
that any industry can possess hence we
do not recommend organization merely
for p~roteetion VI economy, but for.
grwth, brought about by an interchange
of ideas and methods, as well as a
general sympathy in aims and ends
which prevents those antagonisms so
detrimental to trade,
Oppression and monopoly form no Ell
of wholesome organization, and
organizations formed for this end are
unworthy and entirely selfish and act
a blight rather than q life giving
impetue to trade
1 deDounce such organizations bit
terly, but at the same time do most
heartily recommend the organization
that begets co~-opsratieu, progress and
economy. It gives us strength and
power and promotes the growth of our
industry as nothing else can, and 1
look with qualification upon the in
spirit of today which feels the
of, and is making IN effort to
secure. that friendly cooperation,
which means the greatest good. to the
greatest number, promotes growth OF
enterprise, and tends to- progress.
The organization Of the Retail Fur
itare Association might be made SO
thorough complete and. just, Shat 1t
could ~incsaase its growth by protecting
iself from the injustices>of discrimina-
ton in fraight rates.
1t is We'll known to all retailers that
the great gateways IN Virginia are
crushing the energies and progress ST
all North Carolina industries, as for
example, a. carload OF grain4from Gin
cinnti by way of Greensboro to Lynch
burg the freight is s24.00; if the a
stops in Greensboro, it is $500.
A car load of molasses from New Or
leans to Lynchburg the freight is $50
if the car stops in Greensboro the
freight is $1O4.OO.
Of course we all understand that sim
liar determinations in the freights IN
favor Of Virginia are%made upon ship
ments of furniture from Grand Rapids
and other western points.
A better organization and a heartier
co-opertion in creating a surplus fund
sufficient to retain permanent counse1
| and with them to cooperate with the
Retail Merchants Association, we would
| then be in position 10 compel the con-
| sideration and respect to those enter
prises which now ignore and Cypress
us.
The cooperation Of this association
friendly, that We Tic longer need to go
to a Mercantile Agency fer information
concerning credit but might call upon
each other, which Information would be