The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-20
ELECTRIC SIGN
TO ACCENTUATE
HOME TRADE IDEA
CONTINUED FROM PAGE Sd

They did not think that the general pub
lie really knows what is made in Biz
mingham. Circulars, newspaper adver-
Using and the use of the chambers ex-
hibit hall were all suggested. Mr.. Moores
resolution was adopted: Resolved, That
we put the doctrine into practice our
selves" Mr.. Schaefer stated that the
engineers of Birmingham are all agents
for outside concerns; that the city is
monopolzed by the agents of northern
manufacturing paints.
The Committees Report
Here is the report of the committee
Robert w. Ewing. E. Wilkinson, w. C.
Phillips-which was continued to carry
out it's suggestions:
Mr.. President and Gentlemen:
At the last meeting of this chamber, in
response to a communication from the
Business Mems league, there was APP
pointed a committee of three members of
this body to cooperate with a like num-
Der from that body in considering the
idea of patronizing more largely the Bir-
mingham merchant and the Birmingham
manufacturers.
This committee met in joint session on
Thursday May O. with the following
gentlemen, composing the entire member
ship of the two committees, present: A.
w. b. Johnston. Herman Saks. Louis
Pizitz and F. p Chaffee, secretary of
| the Business Mems league. and Robert
w. Ewing, f. Wilkinson, w c. Phillips
and Joseph B. Babb. secretary of the
Chamber of Commerce
The chairman of the Chamber of Com
merce committee was elected joint chair
man. and the secretary of the Business
Mems league was elected secretary OF
| the Joint conference.
A discussion of the purpose of the meet
| ing was then Immediately entered into
| by a consideration first of the need fol
action along the lines of increased home
trading by our people, and the discus
sion was followed by practical Nsugges-
| tons.
Home Trading for the Merchants
! For the merchant in a small town, the
home trade of the towns people is his life
| and very existence. In tile country, or
| the farm we see bartering going on, the
exchange of product of one farm for thai
of another. then the exchange of the
products of the farm for the wares of the
country store, and as this bartering IN
creases the merchants increase, and mex
we have a town and a center for wealth
and activity is established
| Now, il the farmers around that towr
were all, or even half of them, to com
| mence supplying their needs from tho
| mail order houses of some other county
and state. how long would the local towr
merchants last? The answer Is obviously
not for long, because the home trade Ii
| their life.
| But, after the town whose merchants
are we'll patronized comes the city. Il
all Of the inhabitants of this city bough
everything they needed, edibles, clothes
| furniture and equipment or materials
| from our own stores and plants righ
here. just think what a prosperous city i
| would be- But some one objects tina
| everything required Is not to be found
here. While it may be true that we az
not manufacture everything here, yet i
| Is also true that man or woman car
obtain of or through birmingham mer
chant every single necessity and most o.
! II not all OF the known Injuries.
1t is not only our duty to patronize ou
home merchants, but 1t is also greatly II
| our profit The dollar that we send Il
New York or Chicago Is gone absolutely
| When we spend dollar out OF the city
we injure our neighbor, and make ou
| city poorer
When our dollars are spent here. quite
tile reverse is true. We favor and bench
our neighbor with whom we trade. hi
trades with another neighbor merchant
who passes the dollar on In trade to still
another merchant. or deposits 1t In on'
of our banks. the bank lends 1t to a mer
chant or a manufacturers, and thus thu
dollar spent not only supplies our wants
but adds to the growth, prosperity ant
wealth Of our city. ana very probably