Evening journal., 1914-03-12
OPTIMISM
KEYNOTE OF
MERCHANTS
City Business Men Hear Phil
adeIphlanS Tell Of Whining
toms Advantages
WEALTH In TIE
DOWN STATE FARMS

Approving the slogan. Five Hundred
sr None" members of the mercantile
section of tho Chamber of Commerce
gathered in the rose room at the Hotel
DUPONT last night and fired the tirst gun
IN the campaign for enlarged member
ship. George II. Spackman, chairman
OF the meeting. named the chairman of
committees of the various mercantile
businesses in this city, and they are TO
attempt TO enroll as members all mer-
chants. The affair last night was in the
nature of a smoker, and was Get To-
gether Night
Optimism was the keynote Of the ad-
dresses OF all those who spoke. and
James Edward Cattel city statistcian
OF Philadelphia, the principal speaker,
proved 10 be the most cheory speaker
the business men OF the city have heard
Tor years. Mr.. Cattell and Charles w.
Summcriield. secretary of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association, of
Philadelphia. who also spoke. were COM
PEELED to leave early. The two visitors
were introduced by Governor Charles r.
Miller after Mr.. Spackman had called
the meeting TO order.
Mr.. Cattell, whose remarks were in
terspersed with humor, said that the
next fifty years would see the great
est development of the Atlantic sea-
board and that Philadelphia In ten
years would have a population OF B.
100000. AS all things accomplished
we're for the common good, Whining
ton by reason Of its location would be
benefited by the development of the
seaboard. Mr.. Cattell said In open-
ing his address Mr.. Cattell said that
Wilmington has more ability. more
energy and a better location than
any other city along the coast and he
vas enthusiastic over It's possibilities.
Air. Cattell then told his hearers what
his doctrine OF life was. He said
Let's get in line with life and do the
work we can do We all have some-
thing to do. That Is what makes
life worth living
Mr.. Cattell then told of some of the
possibilities of nature which are
awaiting the hand OF man to be con-
Perted into wealth He cited am in
stance OF New York man who had
bought a farm on the Delmarvia
Peninsula and at first lost money.
Last year he had realized thousands
Of dollars on the land. This had been
made possible by the new methods of
farming, and in speaking OF the great
wealth, the speaker said that former
ly the southern cities had seen cot
ton seed wasted in the streets and
now that same material Is valued
annually at $12S.000.000. AZ the pres
emf time but one quarter of the acre
age Of the country was utilized. but
through dry farming and irrigation
more lands were being utilized.
In closing his address Mr.. Cattel sale
the future held great stores for as an
he spoke of his love for Delaware and
OF the Old Swedes Church which he
admired SO as he passed ia on the train
The speaker also paid tribute to the
late Thomas =. Bayard, whose memoir
he had written years ago for the London
Times.
Mr.. Summerield was the first speaker.
He congratulated the Chamber of Com
merce for the remarkable results ac-
comphshed by the body He portrayed
great possibilities for this city and
spoke Of what can be accomplished
through organization. In telling OF the
methods used IN Philadelphia TO stimu.
late trade, Mr. Summerheld said the
idea was not copyrighted and the vii.
mngton merchants were at liberty ia
use them, but be admitted phiadcl.
phia merchants would give them run
for the trade. Mr.. Summeriield closed
his remarks by referring TO the trade
expansions excursions operated bv the
Philadelphia organization which had
proved profitable.
As the visitors concluded their ad.
dresses Governor Miller said that he
Favored the trade excursion idea which
might be used TO stimulate trade south
Of this city, and at the request of Gov.
ernor Miller a rising vote OF thanks wa.
extended the visitors.
Following the addresses David
Snellenburg spoke Of the efforts be-
ing made by the mercantile section OF
the Chamber OF Commerce to enroll
all business men of the city into the
organization. He favored small dues
saying he thought Il better to have
great numbers Of members pay.rr
small dues rather than a few indi.
viduals contributing large sums tC
the Organization. Mr.. Snellenburf
passed out literature pertaining tC
the various businesses. to those hs
Of the section. These follow:
Coal, A. d. Warner; drygoods. VII
Ham c. Murgatroyd hats and fur
nishings, Frank ODonnell; printing
John c. Saylor; tobacco and cigars
s. H. Durstein; bakeries, F. H
Steinle; clothing, John S. Mullin
jewelry. Charles A. Rudolph; auto
mobiles, Frank W. Anderson; candies
F. W. Griffenberg. The other chair
men will be named later.
In appointing the committees, Mr.
Snellenburg spoke of the great goo,
to be accomplished through co-opera
fion. He referred to "The Dolla
Day" plan recently followed her
and declared Il was the bigges
trade booster his firm had expert
enced here. II was then that Nh
Snellenburg declared the member.
should get new members. and If the
co"ld not get SOC they should ge
none.
Charles Topkis. chairman OF tn
retail advertising committee. spolx
Of the Spring Style Week" to be OF
served by local merchants next weel
He asked what method was to be fol
lowed in refunding car fare to pui
chasers from out OF town. The mo.
popular idea promulgated among IN
members was to refund car fare
purchasers Of $50 or more as far Z
Dover Several thought the ide
should be applied TO all sections
the State and after several persor
had expressed their ideas on the sui
t..nf " nfcCorkindalo c,uuoof.