Omaha daily bee., 1909-06-10
MAY ANNEX FURNITURE MEN
Funeral Directors Consider Union
with Other Organization.
OLD MEMBERS ARE AGAINST IT
President Dorrance, In His Annual
Address, Takes Rap At the
"OmeIaI" Hotel for the
DeIeGates.

Before the Nebraska state Funeral Di-
r%ectors' association adjourns II may annex,
under certain conditions. the Nebraska Re
tail Furniture Dealers association. which.
by itself. promises 20 become a healthy or
SANITATION.
President W. ". Dorrance has named a
committee. consisting Of three exclusive
undertakers and three who are undertake
ers and furniture dealers. which will re-
port on the proposition Of annexing the
proposed furniture dealers association by
giving the furniture dealers at least half
a day on the program each year. and the
election of a Joint secretary, who will keep
the funds Of the organisation separate.
Some of the old undertakers who organ
lied the state Funeral Directors sssocis-
ton twenty-four years ago, fought the
proposition when II was presented at the
morning session Wednesday. refused to
think Of a change in name and wanted the
furniture dealers, IL taking 3 half day on
the program at ali, to take the last one of
the session. The furniture dealers wanted
the selection Of Q time on the program left
In the hands Of an executive committee,
but finally the whole question Of con-
solidation or annexation went to a special
COMMITTEES.
Most Are Furniture Dealers.
Seventy-five per cent Of the membership
OF the Nebraska state Funeral Directors
association are men who are In the furni-
ture business as we'll as undertakers. In
the discussion more than one indicated that
while they believed in the work of the
funeral directors association, II It came to
a choice between the two organizations
and attending one of two meetings, they
felt their interests would be best subserved
by going with the furniture dealers on
questions that are now confronting the re-
tail furniture dealers which are assuming
big proportions and to neglect united effort
would be to see profits cut down.
President w H.. Dorrance made an ad-
dress which contained so many good rec
concentrations that 1t was referred to a
committee consisting OF r. o., Castle,
George Brewer and c A. Baker. This COM
mittee recommended that all the changes
recommended by Mr.. Dorrance be acted on
accordingly, though they mean some
changes in the methods of the organization.
President Dorrance raped the official
hotel" and said In the future he hoped the
arrangements committee would rent an
auditorium or hall where the meetings
could be held and where manufacturers
agents could make displays without being
held up" by an official hotel where
hey felt compelled to stop. The president
did not speak of any particular hotel, but
said It was always the same ~thing-travel-
ing men knocking" because they had to
pay big prices for space to display goods.
Pay for Entertainment.
Another recommendation was that the
secretary draw on the treasurer for a neat
sum each year to pay for entertainment
OF the members. The funds of the associa-
ton are now sufficient to pay for extern
sive Entertainment and the president would
like TO see some of the undertakes shake
off the long face they are opposed to
wear and get out for a good time while
attending the conventions. One OF the first
entertainments IN accordance with the re-
commentator was when about 200 under
takers attended the Des Moines-Omaha
base ball game Wednesday afternoon.
Those undertakers who left the old or
ganization and fell" for the Burial as
ISOLATION" organized and dying soon after
ward, are to be invited to come back into
the old reliable and given a hearty well
come.
Demonstrations with cadavers, at the
Creighton Medical college occupied the
Wednesday morning session. Prof. c. VIII
liams OF Kansas City and DR.. A. d. Dunn,
corOner's physician of Omaha, talked on
practical questions, DR.. Dunn urged that
It was the duty Of undertakers to assist in,
educating people to take a broad view of
the necessity and desirability Of performing
an autopsy on almost all bodies, especially
where the physician is not absolutely sure
Of the cause OF death.
People have a right to know and should
take steps to learn what is causing the
death OF various members of the family.
1t serves as a warning to other members,
and II a disease Is creeping into a family
an autopsy frequently reveals 1t, when
others may take the warning and avoid
untimely death"