The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-08
FREEDOM OF CITY TENOERED ID THE POSTOFF|CE CLERKS National Association Gets Down to Business In Annual
 Convention 1 PRESIDENT ROGERS GIVES OUTLINE OF THEIR NEEDS Emphasizes the Importance of Having Death Benefit Feature Put on
 Firm and Substantial Foot
 ing-Treasurer's Report.

The United National Association of | Postoffice Clerks met in the opening
 session of it's ninth annual convention
 In the old council chamber of the city hall yesterday morning at 11:30 o'clock, with about 250 accredited delegates | and an equal number of visitors pres | ent.
 While the attendance is not as large 1 as was first expected the convention l opened with much nthusiasm and the i gathering promises the utmost success. 1 Delegates are here from every portion
 of the United States, nearly every one
 of the larger cities being represented l by a delegation.
 When the convention was called to order yesterday morning by Acting s Chairman E. P Green, president of the 1 local branch of the National Associa- tion of Postoffice Clerks. the chamber
 was filled to it's capacity. The as sembly hall was elaborately decorated
 with palms and the banisters of the alcove were attractively decorate with bunting of the national colors.
 The meeting was opened with pray CT by the Rev. pr. James A. Duncan.
 pastor of the First Methodist oh urch
 Earnest Welcome Extended
 The session then proceeded with the
 opening speeches of welcome. Presi-
 dent E. P. Green first welcomed the
 delegates with unmistakable earnest
 ness on behalf of the local branch of
 postoffice clerks. He then introduced President Sterling A. Wood of the Commercial club.
 "On the part of the Commercial
 club" said MT. Wood, q must state
 that you are thrice welcome. The i'm
 portance of the body which Birming-
 ham has the honor to receive is un-
 mistakable. The local branch has had
 the matter of this convention Tn hand and they are due the praise for get
 ting you here.
 At no time during the 24 hours of each day could we dispense with the service of the postoffice clerk, for thar
 vast piece of machinery which we call the postal system is perhaps the most your vast service, and perceiving the great importance or your assembly Tn
 our city we welcome you heartily You are here today in the city Of Birmingham. It Is now great and will some day be greater-the greatest ciry in the southeast-and I take pleasure
 in introducing to you a representative
 of the city, MT. Harry Jones, president of the City Council"
 p MT. Jones stated that he considered it a great privilege and pleasure to represent the mayor of the best city in the south
 in welcoming the convention.
 "The city of Birmingham,'' he said ''in the words of one of the greatest men in the world lis delighted to have you l here. The gates of the city are wide open to you and the jail doors are shut. 1 We are going to give you the best we 1 have. Take our city and do with it what you please, and 1 am sure you will do us
 no discredit."
 Introduces the Postmaster. | MT. Wood next introduced Postmaster l J. R. Carter, who was greeted with d i storm of applause.
 Tn this country said Mr. Wood, "there
 are postmasters and postmasters. We
 have here probably one of the most &C.,
 commodatng in the United States, so ] much so that l am told that if a young 1 lady calls at the postoffice and asks for l letter, if there be none there, our post l master only asks few minutes to make l arrangements for one.
 MT. Carter, upon rising, was cheered for | fully three minutes His speech was short 1 and to the point.
 Let me say to you" he said ''as n 1 cog of the same wheel of which you l form the biggest part, we are indeed very 1 glad to have you with us. Since you have | tba rJi ri In
 ization the betterment of the department,
 you do in a great measure bring your
 welcome with you. We are indeed very ! glad to have you here.''
 President Rogers Assumes GaveI. 1 President Green then surrendered the gavel to National President Frank T. Rogers of Chicago. In response to the i speeches of welcome, President Rogers said:
 "The duty has devolved upon me sev- | eral times to respond to addresses of well 1 come on behalf of the national associa- | ton, but I must say that there has never | been an occasion which 1 approached with 1 greater pleasure than this one. Our well | come to Birmingham has indeed been a 1 most royal one. Many of us have never l been here before, but we have often heard l of Birmingham as the 'Pittsburg of the 1 South. While travelling In the north some l time ago I heard Pittsburg referred to l as the Birmingham of the North so we all know the city In a degree The well | coming addresses have been reassuring, 1 and in turn I assure the distinguished l gentlemen that we are glad to be in the best city of the south"
 President Rogers then called the con 1 yention to order, and the business of | organization was taken up. Delegate l Heaney of Chicago was the first to rise. | He offered motion that committee of | five members be appointed to act upon | credentials. His motion carried. and President Rogers appointed on the com mittee Delegates Thomas R. Heaney Nof | Chicago, chairman; Dennis Healey of St.. | Paul, Mir Meek of Fostoria, O., J. Elmer
 Halstead of Kansas City, Mo-, and MT. | Corners of Boston.
 President Rogers then asked the unani- nous consent of the convention to. ap- point committee of 15 members, instead l of the customary three members, to act l on new business and resolutions in order | to expedite business. Unanimous consent was granted and the following delegates