The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-21
STATE MERCHANTS
OPEN CONVENTION
Mayor Welcomes Delegates to
Tenth Annual Meeting of Re-
tail Association.
TAX QUESTION DISCUSSED
Former President Umstadter Says
Best to Suffer Ills of Present
System Than to Seek Change.
TAX QUESTION DISCUSSED

! Welcomed cordially by Mayor Ainslic
and forcefully addressed on matters OF
vital interest to the organization, the
Retail Merchants Association of Nir-
gnia began it's tenth annual conven-
ton in the Jefferson Hotel auditorium
yesterday morning, and proceeded at
once to business.
The question Of greatest interest to
be discussed was in regard to the Ii
censc taxes imposed on retail mcr-
| chants. 1T was taken up in Il lengthy
paper in the afternoon session by Nj.
Umstadter. Of Norfol., former prcsi-
dent OF the association. who concluded
that it was better to bear the present
ills of tho system of taxation than to
NY TO others that the association might
know nothing about. He pointed out
tli1t the present system is by 10 means
good ana not precisely fair but that
IL WIS not 100 severe TO be endured ana
might be better than any other system
which the future might dcvolvc. He
said that it was manifest that the re-
tail merchants should give some re-
turn to the city and State. but the qUcS-
tion OF how. much that return should be
he left still q matte; of doubt. favor
Ing an endurance of the taxation now
in vogue, Ills paper was followed by
considerable discussion. and 10 definite
conclusion by the association as
whole was reached. II will he the first
matter to be taken up at this mornings
session, and it is probable that set
/ OF resolutions favoring strenuous ac-
/ ton AGAINST the present method OF tax
Ing retail merchants will be adopted
! The convention was opened with
| prayer by the Rev. j. Calvin Stewart,
u. D.. pastor of the Church Of the
! Covenant. President Samuel Cohen
! introduced Mayor .Ainslie as Il young,
! active, progressive, Intelligent, high
/ minded man" and the Mayor cordial
! ~ turned the city over to The visitors.
/ lie said that Il new spirit of co-opera-
! ton had arisen among Tie ranks OF
the retail merchants, and that the re-
bring were being evidenced by the
success and standing of the Richmond
| merchants.
MANUFACTURERS EXHIBIT
Horace +: Smith invited the mer-
facturcrs' Exhibit in the Chamber of
! Commerce Building, and nearly every
/ nember of the convention went to sees
II 1t during the course of the afternoon.
Charles II. Norman, president OF the
Retail Merchants Association OF Rich
mond, welcomed the visitors on behalf
of the local organization. and thanked
Richmond in this, ciiy,'s fight for the
Roanoke, vice president OF the osso-
citation. who is being spoken Of as the
next president. responded to the nd
dress OF Mr.. Norman, and congratu-
especially for thai which he had ac,
coinphshcd with the Legislative COM
Ia his annual address, President
Cohen said that in the matter OF leg
i,. sn, The organization had better
look out for its own interests and
mat hnhncial support should be pro-
Nidcd for representatives, To work for
.mt , ,n@rGhmntS. Interests; The pres
10 hldc robbery OF the retailers" His
adiress was ordered to be printed
W. y: Clarke secretary OF The State
iS
told OF the work of organizing other
n .',,a3. and OF putting others
ber5 81 associations were read In their
Alphabetical order.
ON a" inhteTeMN,n5 and nf9rmGg address
Necessity. WAS delivered at the after
noon session by Norman H. Johnson,
81 hichmond. editor of the Merchants
inc present system Of taxing the retail
merchant was scnSclcSS, and that il
VII continue To be as long as politics
- cohsIdc'cd too dirty for decent people
!" enter. Politics" he said Should
DE, made for business. and business for
politics Politics is nothing more than
good business. and good business comes
from from good goo; politics and good politics
Lew resolutions. and then stick to them
There are now pending before Congress-
bi!ls on the fabric business and if
some OF them arc passed they will give
the mail order houses the biGges; bust
ness they ever had.
SAYS CONVENTION IL
..,, SCHOOL FOR MERCHANTS
when a retail merchant should carry :,
me mat doesn't pay him :, reasonable
Nention of the association should Ia.
regarded as summer school for re-
tan merchants.
Mr.. Cmstadtcr followed with his
paper on the license law. He held thai
IL would De better to do business under
c chG preSeni laws than 10 attempt II
81
sald mat there ought Ia be :: personal
pihopHrty tax on the stock OF goods
MniVn Ihc merchant had. and that this
upon his business 500
Interesting addresses were made AT
the banquet. which was held last ti..i,
MI Norman presided as toastmast"r
ana introduccd rs the first speaker
~ ~, l.. . MNhiand; of Lymlchhurg.. who spoke
Merchant Should I;clong to tn. Rrtnii
Merchants Association" lie pointed
rs real bencilts. and said thai every
man should JON for the good he could
do his nciShbor
= samuel w thinner secretary of the
netcrsburS association, spoke on What
should lie Done to Prevent Aputhv
chaH's ASsocaton n3 II The H nri,no Mex iLs
rs ne stated. was to make every retail
merchant realize that membership i'm
an association meant material bcuctit
80 MN ~ the way OF dollars and cents
.mi.,, n Miller. of Richmond. spoke on
, 4 ~ ~ '..''N VI Greater ACTIVITY
responsibility on the Part Of Members
OF INC tommittecs.' and j. l.. saul, ~.
OF salem. spoke against The IniQuitics
Of the National bankrupt Law as II
ielatcS to Individuals"
MAhy questions of Individual ANA
general Importance are to be disr,iegrI
iai the meetings TO-DAY.
Mr.. CALISCH NAMED
Resident Architect 10 Supervise Con-
~ .,C