Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-11-28
STEPS TAKEN FOR MERCHANTS
TO AFFILIATE WITH STATE
FEDERATION.
Is MOVEMENT TO PROTECT
INTERESTS OF RETAILERS
Object 10 70 ForestaII Harmful lsgis.
Iation, Like Parcels Post Bill, Fur
nish Organized Composition for Mail
Order Houses and Protect Retailers
Local interests

LNcldil IIlClSAoutS u ILLS SilS WIZ "a
game. and the organization will become
affiliated with the Federation Of Iowa
Retail Merchants and the national fed
Grafton. Action, with such an object in
view, was taken at a meeting Of about
forty retailers. held at the Marshall
town Club Monday night A commit
tee consisting of James 7. Pound. E.
r. Lay. and C. Fl. Culley was appoint
ed to arrange for second meeting or
the retailers for the purpose Of organi-
cation.
This second meeting Will be held
probably within week, and in the
meantime the retailers will be can
vassed so that the membership may be
as large as possible when the orsani-
zation is formed.
State Organizer Speaks.
David j. Murphy, of Dubuque, secre-
tary Of the Federation Of Iowa Retail
Merchants. who is visiting the cities of
the state for the purpose of organizing
the retailers, and who is spending a
few days here. urged the dealers to or
ganize. in the principal address of the
evening Others who spoke were
George Gregory, who was chairman.
and l.. c. Abbott Before the meeting
broke up twenty or more signed app!l-
cations for membership.
Defensive and Offensive Purposes.
This movement for the organization
Of the retailers is for both defensive
and offensive purposes. 1t is intended
to protect the retailer from his bust
ness and legislative enemies and to
wage campaigns against those things
the retailer considers as harmful to his
interests The structure of the organi-
cation is built on rather broad lines
and to cover a wide scope of activities,
but among it's primary objects is
fight to defeat general parcels post
law and to direct trade toward it's logi-
cal retail centers. In addition it is
aimed to protect retailers from local
practices of which they are the VIC
tins.
Is Question Of Self Protection.
The question of self protection en-
tiers largely into the organization. the
purposes Of which were explained by
Mr. Murphy. Peculiar as it may seem.
while many various lines of retail trade
have been organized and while labor.
civic, political. and social interests of
all kinds have organized, the retailers.
as q class. have never got together to
Cooperate for their own protection
and the advancement Of their own In
terests until very recently.
A meeting of retailers from more
than thirty states met in Chicago
few weeks ago and formed the National
Federation of Retail Merchants. with
which state organizations. now being
formed. are being affiliated. With the
latter the city and town organizations
are to be closely bound.
Explains Its Purposes.
Mr.. Murphy explained the purposes
OF the organization, after strongly
urging it's necessity, by SAYING that it
was for the purpose Of combining retail
trade to the locality where it belonged.
to correct abuses Of credit. to advance
the interests OF all retailers. to secure
influence against harmful legislation,
and to promote needed legislation. Lo-
cally he suggested that the organiza-
ton furnished the means of handling
credits to the advantage of it's mem
bers.
1t was, he said. thru organization
alone that the retailer was going to
be able to successfully compete with
the mail order houses. In this connec-
ton he mentioned the tremendous
amount Of business that was drawn
from the Iowa retailers by the mail
order houses Of the big cities.
1t Is for the reason Of the additional
obvious advantages that a general par
GELS post would give the mail order
houses. that the retailers are preparing
to wage an energetic fight against any
measure for general parcels post.
Against "Fake Advertising"
One of the local reasons for organi-
zation. that Mr.. Murphy urged,
was that the merchants could protect
themselves against fake advertising"
BY such advertising he explained he
meant programs, and other so-called
means Of publicity for which the ner-
chant is asked to pay. He usually
does, Mr.. Murphy said, for fear that
his competitor will. An organization,
he urged, was needed to protect the
retailer from such schemes.
The dues for the state organization
are 50 cents and for the national fedora
ton so cents. The local association
conduct its business.
Abbott Against Parcels Post.
A fight against any such parcels
| ing one Of the objects Of the organized
retailers, Mr. L. c. Abbott spoke at
some length against such an extension
Of the postal department. He quoted
the departments statistics showing de-
fcits. and especially those that were
caused by the handling Of the second
class matter. Since the government
can not now handle the second class
matter excepting at a big annual loss.
he argued that the loss would be just
as large proportionately If a parcels
post was established. since 1t would be
but increasing the bulk Of the second
class matter.
He argued against general parcels
post. and in favor of a parcels post
limited by a zone system. with increas-
ling rates corresponding with the In
Icreasing length of the haul. His talk
developed some argument and many
questions which the speaker tried t.