The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-19
Birmingham Simply Wants
to Get Acquainted-Not
Expected to Buy
Goods
BETWEEN 5000 AND
1000 EXPECTED TO
BE IN ATTENDANCE
Clerks at Chamber of Commerce Yes
terday Addressed 5000 Letters to
Prospective Guests-Prelim-
mary List of Speakers
Given Out

After an enthusiastic meeting of th
Chamber of Commerce committee on th
promotion of wholesale trade yesterda,
afternoon, Chairman Murray Brown pre-
siding. a partial speakers programme fo
the barbecue-banquet at East Lake parl
on the evening of August q was mad
public and indications are that the Nortl
Alabama Merchants convention to b,
held in Birmingham August 27 and 2
will be a complete success.
The travelling men of the Birmingham
district have been delegated the officia
boosters of the convention and Mr.
Brown stated yesterday that every trav
cling man who worked In North Ala
bama was expected to be in Birming
ham during the convention. The accep
tances to the invitations are alread,
coming in to the Chamber of Commerc'
offices and a large force of assistant.
at work In the directors room yesterday
addressed the 5000 letters which are to
go out ito follow up the first letter.
of formal invitation. Eight thousand
merchants are being invited and it i.
expected that between 5000 and 1000 will
attend.
Railroad Rebate Planned
Any merchant who comes to the city
during this last week of August and
buys $3.50 worth of goods will be paid
his railroad fare both ways. This stands
good for the entire week of the con-
vention. although the convention proper
lasts but two days. The last week OF
this month is to be made a sort OF
buying carnival by the local wholesalers
every one of whom is working with
might and main for the convention s
success. All of the wholesale houses will
be open early and late. special souvenirs
will be on hand, all travelling men will
be called In to help entertain the visitors
and a large crowd of north Alabama
merchants is expected during the entire
week
Following is the partial list of speak
ers for the East Lake barbecue banquet
Wednesday night. the first day of the
convention, as II was decided upon by
the committee yesterday:
Partial List of Speakers
Presiding, w. p. G. Harding, presi-
dent Chamber of Commerce.
Address of welcome Give minutes), C.
Exum. president city commissioners.
Merchants from north Alabama re-
sponding
Advantage OF Turning over Your
Stock Often" 90 minutes), e. Wilkinson
why We Should Insure" GIVE min
utes), M. p. Northington, president
Birmingham Credit Mems association.
From the Bankers Standpoint" GIVE
minutes).
Increased Profits and Better Busi-
ness by Cooperative Methods" (20 min
utes). Norman III. Johnson, general
counsel National Retail Merchants as
sociation.
Advertising" Give minutes>, John
Sparrow, president Ad club
Credits and Collections (ive min
utes). Capt. J. H. Crawford. Jasper.
Buying" Give minutes), w. l. Null
Inns, Clanton
Selling" GIVE minutcsl. A merchant
from Alabama.
Merchandising from a commissary
standpoint.
Election of president and officers
from merchants attending GIVE min
utes).
The two days of the convention will
be one round of pleasure and the mer-
chants who come here with the expecta-
tion of doing tiny business hod better
come early or prepare to stay a day
or two after the convention The prime
object of the convention is to promote
the friendship and soeialability of the
north Alabama merchants and the Bir-
mingham wholesalers, and none of the
merchants is expected to come here to
buy goods.
Will be Guests Of Wholesalers
They Will come here as the guests
of the local wholesalers and If they de-
sire to buy goods at the same time it
is all right. but the object of the plan
Is not to fnveigle the merchants here
and then make they feel they are un-
der obligations to buy The purpose of
the convention is to get acquainted
with each other and see each others
needs; the merchant can see what the
wholesaler has and more than that can
realize that it will pay him to deal
In Birmingham whenever he does want
goods.
For those who will combine their
trip with business, and as a matter of
fact 1t is expected very large per