Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-12-05
DUTCH LUNCH FOX MERCHANTS
Feature Of Annual Meeting of As.
ISOLATION Last Evening.
Name Changed. Nrports Presented
New OHiccrs Elected aud Revised
Ey-LRws Adopted for the Gmid-
aMce Of Members.

P
by the merchants associat on, as ii
feature of their annual business meet
ing. Although the attendance was not
large, general good Zine was en-
ioved. and those present had the
hountiful supply OF perfectly good
catables all to themselves. Tho loss
suffered by those WAC stayed away
was all their own. for the iced" was
provided at tho expense OF the assp-
citation.
The name Of the organization was
changed from the Burlington Nor.
chants Protective association to the
burlington Merchants association.
and Thomas H. Wright was olcct ID
president succeeding George Il. Jar
Wis. who has held the Office since the
association was formed two years ago.
The bylaws were repealed ana "A new
set of them. following in the main the
old ones, was adopted. The ofric. of
treasurer was abolished and the du-
ties of that official combined with
those of the financial secretary. This
IS really tho most important of the
changes made.
other changes were cmbo lied in TN.
sections making the president a mem
Der eX-officio Of all committees Az.
thorizing the vice-prcsident to act IN
tn" absence of the president. and TX.
ins the dat" of tn" annual meeting ms
the third Friday in Octobcr at eight
O'Clock in the evening No provision
for filling the presidents chair when
temporarily vacant nal been made pro-
Viously, except by the or linary usage
n nor
secretary treasurer will be REQUIRED to
HE a bond of $1,000 to he paid for by
the ASSOCIATION. The executive COM
mittee, which in the past has had H.
tie power. WAS authorized to make
rules and regulations.
. In tn" absence OF the retiring president.
, the Vic"-prcsidcnt, ii. e. Humphrey. Or
cupiod the chair Fic had held his office
Ter two wears ana had declined to consider
. promotion I" bo tho headshipoft the associa-
=, ton. tn" new Vico-presidont is Frank C.
= Lyon, manager of the w O. REYNOLDS
. COMPANY. frank T.. Lane. the, secretary
/, was re-clocted. The office of treasurer
= now d"volN"s upon Harry l., bingham
| the financial secretary. in pursuance Of
: last nights action. a III animous vote of
: thanks was extended to Mr.. jarvis for his
= energy and fnithfuness as president. Al.
= though Ill health prevented his attendance
: las evening. he transmitted, through Mr.
. Bingham, his thanks and appreciation OF
h the loyal support of his associates.
Other action taken by the association
4. was to do away with the monthly supple
. mental lists issued from the financial
9 secretary's Office. the regular lists to bt
. issued periodically, as heretofore. 1t was
l.. also specified in the new bylaws that NJ
. | suits at law shall he instituted In tn,
name Of the association. This. of course
, mas no bearing upon suits TO be brough
by nomhcrs personally. Attention wa.
called To the provision that amendment.
to the bylaws can be- made at an annua
=, or special meeting only Wh-n such pro
a posed action is named in the call for tn
, meeting, which must he issued two day
prior.
II The retiring treasurer. Mason G. Beebe
V reported total receipts of $2,1ld.95, and
/. balanc" on hand Of s25+. 10. showing a ne
Z. advance of SG5.So over the financial condi
+ ton of the assoc iation one year ago
n Financial Secretary I;ingham's repor
,e showed that debts presented by member
70 for collection amounted to s3,G50.'N Ac
n counts collected totallcd A-,l4S6> thcs
y figures including s65j.ji in delinquent &C
|, counts left over from the preceding year
Il. There are. he said, 1853 members in goo
. STANDING. since lie took office nine ne,
Ia members have been added and four oil
- ones rc-instatcd. on the delinquent lis
u are 5oS names. and ., names have bee
=. removed
- Following Mr.. Bingham's cxplanatio
\. tat the sending out OF the first letter b
the merchant in the effort to collect d,
r. linnucnt account raises manifest objot
=, tons against the method now IN Use.
IA | was voted that the sense of tn" meetin
-, favored the issue OF the first letter froI
n the secretarys office instead With IN
=. executive committee lies the power
10 make this change. the purpose of whic
- Is to avoid placing name on the delr
luent list that do not belong there, and
show more accurately the amount of dc
. linquent accounts collected BY the .issocia
vac tons system. AT present many slow a.
counts are paid as result of the 1rs
letter, and the association gets no recor
q these, One member stated that 30 pc
II. cent, of the first letters he sent OF
IL brought about payments Another objcC
IA lion to the issue of the first letter by III
i. merchant himself was to the effect that
IL l.NeS MIN the power to treat delinquor
$. customers unfairly II he happens t. /
t. lacking in principle.
IN Mr.. Bingham also suggested the cl
VI. p.oyment of IA firm Of bonded attorneys
d. reach delinquent debtors outside II
oi state. He said thai at present the Bu
"a lington association Is in touch with ass,
IS cations in Woodstock, Rutland, St a
hans, Mont pelier and Barre, and that m,
tual benefit results Mr.. Bingham wa
authorized by vote OF the association
!" collect delinquent accounts upon COMM
w. sion. through private arrangement viii
- merchants. when tho resources OF the a
e. soclation In this direction were exhauste
~ you see," said Vice. President Hun
D. phrey. speaking OF the protective featur'
H. 81 tho association what has been save
You. In some cases 1t Is from 500 to s.
a year, your dues amounting only to 81
40 IL Is now rare thing to see anyor
around with a subscription paper or a
vertising scheme This little ASSOCIATE,
nays a member a better percentage thf
- he gets on his mining stock for instance
Secretary bingham and Manager COLI
mer of the hotel had forgotten nothing .
scntial to the comfort aud entertalnmc
CT the merchants. ana tables loaded wi
salads, sandwiches of several kinds. co
meats, cheese olives, saltines, cigars al
" lemonade IN quantities far in excess
~ the needs of the number present. We
!, there.