The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-05-19
LOCAL. ASSOCIATION
WORK IS DISCUSSED
Much Interest is Aroused BY the
Speakers Who Told of How 1t Is
and Can Be Forwarded in Each
Town BY Members.

The convention of the Mississippi
Retail Merchants Association met
this morning at 10 o'clock in Odd Eel
lows hadd with President Pigford, of
Meridian, in the chair.
On being called to order the minutes
of last nights meeting were read.
Reports were then called for as
to the condition of the various local
associations.
The reports made were not numer-
Gus, but their general tenor was a
feeling of hopefulness as to present
conditions and that all that is needed
is for the members to work together
and successful local associations
could be worked up.
These reports from the local asso-
Citations proved to be one of the most
entertaining features of the morning
session, the ball being started rolling
by Mr.. d. Levy, of Canton, and kept
moving by speakers alive to the SUB
iect, such as Mr.. J. A. Hightower, of
Hattiesburg; Mr.. J. B. Bridges, Of
Laurel; Mr.. Randolph Gage, of Clarks-
dale; Mr.. j. A. Lewellyn, of Halle
hurst; Mr.. G. Lowenburg, of Koscius-
ko; Mr.. J. X. Fulson, of Water Valley,
and Mr.. w. d. Hawkins, of Meridian.
Mr.. Hawkins, of Meridian, who is
secretary of the state association,
showed what can be done. by mem-
Der of a commercial association when
he is filled with enthusiasm in his
work, and being a good and an inter
esting talker he was soon able to
show that everybody was with him
and that what he said was just about
what every other member would like
to say.
Mr.. Hawkins started out by sayins
that Meridian had a good association
of retail merchants which worked to-
gether and the membership was going
to be larger than it is now and he told
how it was done in getting the mer-
chants together. This was easy from
his enthusiastic point of view The
thing to be done and that was done
by many members was to show conf
dence in the organization and to work
up the interest or other embers.
On this point he incidentally re-
peated what Mr.. Levy, of Canton, had
said about the many good things that
he had learned in a business way by
attending the state association meet
ing and of the benefits to be gained
from the state meetings through as
sociation talks and suggestions an(
how the relating of the good that ha'
thus been obtained to fellow member
at home. helped to forward local assc
Citations.
Mr.. Hawkins especially dwelt upo
facts coming to his personal know
: edge of the practical value of the loci
organization to members. This can
E through information gained as to II
S business rating of customers. In OF
e case a member of the Meridian assoc
}, alton showed how his cash sales hi
e wonderfully increased simply by Il
i exhibition of the association sigl
: "XVo ara members of the Merchant
e Retail Association" This sign ga
|, notice to a certain class Of custome
It who understood what the sign mea
$ and they paid cash where before tn
t. had asked credit.
II Mr.. Hawkins suggested that the W
e to work up and keep up interest
r the state as we'll as in the local as
d Citations. was for each member prese
at the Hattiesburg meeting to retu