The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1907-02-15
GETTING DUNN TO BUSINESS
Hardware Men Held Their FRS,
Meeting Yesterday Afternoon
to Large Numbers.

Meeting Yesterday Afternoon
to Large Numbers.
The opening SESSION OF the conven-
tion OF the South Dakota Retail
Hardware Dealers Association was
held at 4 O'Clock Tuesday afternoon,
the hour having been set two hours
later waiting the arrival OF delegates
from the east and south. Over a
hundred members were present when
President Hawkins called the as
sembly to order and introduced Mayor
Branson, who delivered the address
of welcome. He extended the visitors
the heartiest welcome possible and
wanted them to under stand that
Mitchell appreciated their coming
here, as the city wished to be in
touch With all the classes of business
men in the state. He related his ex-
perience in the hardware business
out in California a good many years
ago, and stated that he still had a
very friendly feeling for those en-
gagged in the trade Of today. e. L.
Gregory, of Alexandra, responded to
the address on behalf Of the associa-
tion, and made his talk Of a character
to impress all that the hardware
men we're pleased to again be assemb-
led in Mitchell. where the first
convention was held a year ago.
President Hawkins delivered his
annual address, and in it he set forth
a goodly number of suggestions to
the members. The president touched
upon the suggestion that manufac-
turers were not to be criticised or
any i'll feeling extended toward them
should they feel that it was not a
profitable expenditure Of money for
them to advertise in the programs
or to take exhibition space in the
conventicn hall, and he thought
that a resolution to this effect should
be passed. He regretted that the
association is not yet strong enough
to organize an insurance company,
but as soon as it grows large enough
such q company ought to be estab-
lished for the benefit OF the hardware
dealers. The president said he was
not in sympathy with the feeling
that the railroads ought to be made
the butt Of every would-be statesman
to antagonize all the railroads, but he
thought there we're some re-
forms that were necessary for the
merchants, and n of the most vital
was the prompt delivery Of goods.
There should be a law giving them a
certain length of time to make a
given distance, and a penalty i'm
posed for each day over the stipulated
time. At the present. time the roads
can use all the time they desire.
Refroms Of this kind must come
through the aid Of our representatives
in congress, and every member of
this association should consider him
self a committee Of one to write to
his representative concerning this
reform. The president suggested that
some relief should be given the
dealers who are furnishing building
material in this state. AS the law
now reads 1t is possible for a man to
build a house without putting a cent
into it, and there is no reason why
the law Of the state should invite
men to violate universally recognized
principles Of justice.
An interesting half hour was spent
in the brief addresses for the good of
the association, in which a dozen
merchants Or travelling men had
something to offer. and 1T proved to
be a very profitable and interesting
half hour. The talk centered princi-
pally on the theme that the hardware
merchants ought to get out in greater
numbers to the annual convention,
where he had an opportunity to visit
with merchants in all localities Of
the state, and by an exchange of
ideas the opportunity was excell-
ent for dscrrtaining some information
that he could be protitably applied
to their W locality when they got
home. The sentiment was abundant
that no merchant could afford to
remain Within the narrow confines
OF bis own store and keep in touch
with the progress that was being
made in his lines of business. Among
those who made short talks we're w.
a. Campbell, who spoke on the re-
ciprocal demurraee question and r.
a. Grimm, who spoke on the organ
ization OF hardware men as a bond Of
fellowship to aid them in their
future business.
A telegram of sincere greetings was
read from Frank A. Barth, PRESIDENT.
OF the Ohio Hardware Association.
in session at Mansfield, to the South
Dakota association