The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-06-16
JObbERS BANQUET
At COUNTRY CLUB
Forty Wholesale Men Enjoy
First Social Session
COOPERATION rs THEME
Get-to-Gether Spirit Pervaded the Conn
pany and the Good Results That
Would Follow Such a Spirit
Were Stressed
COOPERATION rs THEM

grown from small beginnings TO largo
proportions, and with the new get-to-
gether spirit which has come to be local
slogan this branch of commerce gives
promise Of increasing in volume faster
than ever.
About forty jobbers met in social ses-
sion at the Country club last night. 1t
was the first social affair the wholesale
merchants had held but it will not be
the last. for every man of them said
he enjoyed it and would look eagerly for
a repetition.
Among those at the banquet board were
A. H. Ford, president of the Chamber of
Commerce, acting as POSTMASTER; H. W..
Coffin, John e. Norris Murray Brown,
B. F. Moore, Fl. NJ Beck, Morris Beck,
Louis Beck, Sid. w. Lee, s. w. Lee Jr.,
J. A. Coker C. &c. Snider, Gus Ellard.
Cody, Robert Hood e. Wilkinson, C. F.
Bell Robert S. ,MeLester Wade Wood
Mr.. Surdevant, J. B. Babb. j. ]. Smith,
E. w. Barrett, Robert H. Hiden, D. W..
C. Yarbrough Leon w. Friedman and
William Ryan.
The POSTMASTER, in his preliminary re-
marks said that this banquet was all
outcome of the get-together spirit which
is now pervading Birmingham-the spirit
which would be known henceforth not
as the spirit of this or that cnty, but the
Birmingham spirit. He pointed out that
such social commingling of the jobbers
was all the more needed, since many of
them had not known each other even by
sight. Cooperation, he said, was accom-
would accomplish, he thought, much for
the jobbing interests.
Mr. Morris of the Tyler Grocery Co., one
of the prominent business men of Bir-
mingham, was the first speaker called
upon. In a clear, succinct manner he re-
viewed the business situation, presented
statistics to show how strong financial
and commercial center Birmingham was
and suggested that if the jobbers would
get together fine results would follow
Mr.. Morris said that IS per cent of the
population of Alabama was within ra-
dius of 100 miles of Birmingham and that
40 per cent of the white population was
within that radius. He said that per-
haps the jobbers had not advertised them
selves as much as they should.
Last fall my concern placed page
advertisement in each of the three
daily papers of Birmingham" said Mr..
Morris. land our customers haven't
stopped talking about it yet believe
we got good results from that adver-
tisement and we are going to try 1t
again"
B. F. Moore was the second speaker.
His theme was the value of cooper
alton, and of social gatherings, such as
this banquet.
Mr.. Barrett was next asked to
speak and in five or six minute talk
urged the pull together spirit. He told
the jobbers that they had been keep
ing too quiet. He said that the papers
here were only too glad to let the
public know what the large business
interests here we're doing; that 1t was
not from the newspaper advertising
point of view that De was talking, but
from a Birmingham viewpoint, for
whatever helped the jobbing trade or
any other branch of business helped
the newspapers. He wanted to be in
closer touch with the jobbers and he
wanted the jobbers to feel that they
had a staunch and ready friend in the
daily press of Birmingham.
Mr.. McLester followed in a cheering
speech along the line of inviting compe-
tition. He gave an interesting sketch of
the pioneer days in Birmingham, when
the wholesale grocers handled only few
crude commodities. Then when COMPETE
ton came from the packing houses and
the flour mills the grocery jobbers adj
vanced to higher plane and were helped
rather than hurt by competitors.
Other speakers were Mr.. wilkinson and
Mr.. Babb, each Of whom stressed force
fully the good that should follow the get
together spirit.
Toastmaster Ford in a short concluding
talk said he felt that the banquet had
been full of Inspiration and that 1t might
be well to have one every month.
He called attention to the fact that
the retail merchants had not been CO.
operating until they organized the BUSH
ness Mems league. a little more than q
year ago. "Since them" said Mr.. Ford.
they have accomplished wonders; yes,
wcndersl And so it will be with you job
bers. All you need is the get-together
spirit-the new spirit which We know as
tta Pirrninrham sDirit"