Omaha daily bee., 1912-03-13
RETAILERS OPEN CONVENTION
Over 200 Nebraska Merchants in At.
tendance at Initial Session.
PAID SECRETARY TO BE HIRED
Delegates Are Pouring Into Omaha
from All Sections and Gensen-
tion VIII he Largest In Or
ssnIxstioa's History.

More than go meHhants attended the
opening session Of the annual convention
Of the Federation Of Nebraska Retailers
at the Rome Tuesday and more are COM
Ing In on every train. Fifty arrived on a
single train at noon. II win be the biggest
convention ever held by the federation.
Having sl.:S1.Ss in the treasury and
prospects of $500 to 5000 receipts for tho
year. the federation decided ON engaging
paid secrcary, to devote his entire time
to the federation work, a thing that has
been long desired. New bylaws. adopted
at the opening meeting. provided for the
selection Of secretary by the executive
committee. his salary to be named by the
committee.
The convention opened. with President
La +. Langhorst in the chair, with invo-
cation by Dean Hancock Of Trinity ca
thedral. Mayor Dahiman and President
Haverstick OF the Commercial club well
coined the visitors, the mayor extending
10 the merchants the key OF the city," J"
forgetting 10 mention, for the first time
THIS winter. that 'the key is pure and
spotiess." Il. A. Wuri Of Plattsmouth re-
sponded 10 these welcomes.
President Langhorst In his annual adj
dress. said that the. federation, which was
organized six years ago at Fremont with
forty members, now has more than 2.500
members. He urged the selection of a
salaried secretary, suggested careful con-
slderation- OF mutual insurance, and ad-
voeated that song plan OF cooperative
buying and distribution Of product be
worked out. In many piacesA he said,
the merchants have stopped their iossea
on perishable goods by co.operation in
buying and handling produce The large
losses 20 retail merchants on eggs last
year, he said, could have been obyiated
by such a system.
Secretary p. p. Fodrea reported that
there are more than s.7oo names ON the
membership roll, with. i,sdo members In
good standing. the remainder having still
chance to remain ON the list by seifd-
ing their dues. One hundred and forty
local organizations are affiliated with the
federation. X
Treasurer NJ. A. Hostetler reported that
he had s9sos5 on hand at the time Of the
1911 annual meeting. that he had collected
sj.0silS during the year, had paid out
S.7i40g and had left si.SSI.9.
IL was decided TO send representatives
TO a national business conference. called
by secretary Nagei Of the Department OF
Commerce and LAbsr, TO meet in Wash
ington on April Is.
The afternoon was devoted TO discus
sion of credits.
Credit system Discussed.
Much of the afternoon was devoted to
question box. tconducted by G. w.
Darner Of oyertOn Something Ike
twenty-five questions were put TO him,
all dealing with credits and collections
such questions as What would you do
with a catalogue house customer when
his money is gone and he wants credit -
Would you consider II good business TO
dun a customer in the store?" DO you
think il advisable to allow clerks the
right to extend creditg'
Considerable difference Of opinion was
developed. Many thought 1t bad business
to dun customers in tbe store; others de-
clared 1t was poor policy TO send written
statements and that the best thing To do
was o mention the matter ne cusomer
in the sore. Some thought II wise to
make a present Of cigar or something
else whenever customer paid his bill:
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