The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1911-03-23
BUSINESS MEN
HOLD BANQUET
LISTEN TO ENTHUSIASTIC SPEECHES
Slogan of Merchants for Future TO be Co.
operation Decide TO Give $50
to Fire Department.


Although somewhat lacking in mum
bers in attendance, as compared with
banquets of the past, the annual
banquet of the Merchants Association
held last Thursday night at the dining
room of the Mt. Hood Hotel was one
of the most successful in the organiza-
ton 5 history because of the enthusi-
asm manifested by the members
present. Forty one banqueters met at
8 o'clock at the rooms of the CONNER
cial Club, where for a short time mat
ters of a business nature were given
attention. 1t was decided to give $50
of the money Of the association now in
the treasurey to the fire department.
They assembled in the banquet room at
AS where an excellent menu was pro-
vided.
President Enoch Brayford, who was
toastmaster of the occasion, did much
to enliven the meeting by interspers.
ing the introductio of the different
speakers with humorous bits of aneC-
dote. Mr.. Brayford annouced that he
had received a telegram of regrets
from Frank Kerr, of Portland, who
had promised to address the meeting.
He had been detained by unforeseen
business. Mr.. Brayford prefaced his
further remarks by saying, that, at
the recent meeting of the State Asso-
citation of Merchants, Hood River had
stood ahead Of any other city in the
state on the lines of organization.
The reports of this meeting, he stated
he had sent across the waters to his
old home in England, that a lesson
might be learned there from Hood
River progress. Continuing, Mr.. Bray
ford emphatically urged that every red
bloOded Hood River man stick to the
association: "for, he said 1--WE are
not banded together merley for the pur-
pose of money grubbing it is more than
commercialism. 1t is that we may be
of the greatest service to our fellow
man.
EX-Mayor d. Mcdonald, who helped
to organize the association, said that it
had been of inestimable value to the
merchants of the city, although, he
continued, it may be harder for the
men who have recently gone in business
to realize it than for those who have
gone in business in recent days. One
of its greatest benefits has been the
remedy of the old time credit evils.
Whenever grievances arise, Mr.. Me
Donald advised that they be not mar
bored or kept secret but be frankly
stated to the association at its meet
ings, AMI that above all things there
must be cooperation.
One of the most interesting talks of
| the evening was given by Henry l..
| Howe, who might be said to have
grown up with the mercantile business
of Hood River. He recalled the first
store of the early settlement. 1t was
operated by f. l.. Smith in wood
shed near his home. But in six months
he branched out and established a store
at Frankton, where Mr.. Howe served
in the capacity AS clerk, Hood Rivers
first clerk. The goods at that time
were dumped from sthe boats once a
week on the sand bars along the river,
Ever since then, continued Mr.. Howe,
the business has been growing and the
methods of transacting it becoming
more satisfactory. However, he
added, as competition grew in the
early days, there was a sad lack Of
present day cooperation. Then, he
said, ut was every man for himself
and the devil hindmost. +. o.
Blanchar next told the meeting that
they had seen the evidence of the need
of an organization such as the Mer-
chants Association in the donation of
the $50 to the fire boys. Indeed, "
he continued, although it is import
ant that a city should have Com
mercial Club, many questions arise
that are without its scope and can only
be handled by such body as the Mer-
chant s. Association.
Rev. j. X. Hargreaves, of the
Heights, congratulated the business
men because of the age in which they
were living. The business men of the
country and their business have been
placed on higher level in the last 40
years, he stated, partly because of the
difference in moral standards and more
than all because of the introduction of
scientific methods. Sixty years ago,
continued Mr. HargreaVes, the college
man only prepared for some profess
sional work, but now the majority of
the men who seek higher education dc
so that they may enter the world well
prepared to conduct its business along
the broadest and best lines. To-day, "
said he, "men are having instllled
into them the feeling that they must
be of as great service as possible to
their fellow men. 1t is interesting to
note in this connection that the Chinese
relief fund, recently started here, was
begun by a business man. In closing
Mr. Hargreaves made an appeal for a
cIoset union and cooperation Of the
two sections Of the city, the Heights
and the lower portion.
Carl Vaughan, the retiring president
Of the organization, said that it was
a pleasure to have been president OF a
body that is showing such enthusiasm.
"Let our slogan for the next year. ~ he
ended, ''be push spelled with capital
letters
A short address was made by DR.. f.
20. Dutro, who said that what
knowledge Of business matters physiCi-
ans ever acquired they got from their
patients. He told the following story
in illustration of his point: "A Jew
meeting fellow Hebrew on the street
one morning asked him if he had heard
of the misfortune Of their common
friend, Isaac. On being told that
saac's hard luck was not known, he
said. 1t vas to him made necessary
an obberation. Had removed from him
his abbendix. 4 always thought Isaac
vas poor man for pizness, was the
reply, IVY didn't he have it taken out
in his vife's name.
R0hS Section House al ROWena.