The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-06-18
Its Responsibilities Are Pointed
Out to Southern Association
of Furniture .aon by w. II.
Manse
Must Cooperate In
T -storing the Land
John Wood, of Roanoke. Urges
Attention Be Paid to Farmer
and Markets-O. J. Sands
Presents Banking Situation.
Convention Ends Today

Nearly two hundred OF the retail
furniture dealers attending the annual
convention OF the Southern Retail
Furniture Dealers association, which
yesterday morning began its sessions
in the Jefferson auditorium. last night
heard addresses by Vice. President w.
TX. Manse, OF the Southern Settlement
and Development organization. OF
Baltimore, and Secretary John Wood,
Of the Chamber of Commerce of
Roanoke. The address OF Oliver j.
Sands. president of the American Ma
tiona Bank OF Richmond, on Bank
Trade" scheduled for last night, was
made at the morning session. The
business transacted yesterday was
Chiefly of routine nature,
The convention, which brings 10
Richmond about two hundred of the
most progressive Of the retail fnrni-
ture merchants OF the States Of Eir-
ginia, North and South Carolina and
Georgia. while not one 0f the largest.
IL one of the most important trade
assemblies 10 be held IN this city dur
ing the first half of the year. It's meet
ing Will close tonight with Il banquet.
after two business sessions have been
held during the day. the first AZ ! o
O'Clock this morning and the second
at 3 this afternoon.
At this mornings session the re-
ports of local association, and Of the
resolutions committee VIII be heard.
Addresses. one on THE Adva nfagvs Of
Local Associations" by A. w. Clark.
'~ecretary OF the Virginia Retail Mer-
chants association. and the other hY
s.. r, Jones, OF Richmond. member Of
she beard of directors Of the furniture
.ssefs organization, 47cfsst~iattttsss =
yrf ha Esa I'd
Meet Next In Columbia.
-Four addresses. the report of the
committee on nominations and the
election Of officers. together with the
selection OF Columbia. S. G. as the
next place of meeting, will consume
the time Of the afternoon session The
addresses scheduled are: "Valspar
York city; Advertising" by Samuel
Cohe.s. president OF the Virginia Re-
tail Merchants association; s.Main-
talning Prices" by T. A. Thurman,
of Roanoke, and Outside Canvass
ing" by II. a. Taylor, of Columbia
s. @
The delegates will be taken on an
automobile sightseeing tour ef the
city Immediately after, the close OF the
afternoon session The furniture men
will get together again tonight at the
banquet in the Jefferson auditorium
Among those who will speak at this
svent are Norman Johnson, editor Of
The Merchants Journal and Conn
meree. whose subject Is Trade
Evils Secretary Clark, OF the Re-
tail Merchants association. on Tho
Advantages OF Organization" and
Anderson Pace, industrial commits
sfrner of Chicago. A feature of the
after~dinner program will he songs
and stories by ID. II. Leftwich, Of
Wayneshoro. Va
South's Responsibilities.
THE Responsibilities of the South
was the theme Of the address by W. II.
Manse last night Mr.. Manse's talk
was made up largely OF statistics, yet
1t WAS interesting TO a marked de-
gree TO the gathering, each group Of
aguress presented being for the pur-
pose Of awakening them to the vast
possibilities OF the development Of the
South, and to the great place the
South must occupy in tho solution Of
tho economic problems the nation now
faces.
Mr. Manse pointed out that while
the average increase in population of
the nation in the last few decades has
been twenty-one per cent. the increase
In production OF foodstuffs has been
ess~than one per cent. He showed
that IL this were continued long the
starvation, IL indeed a large number
OF them now are not face to face with
starvation. In enumeratinE causes Tor
this condition, Mr.. Manse spoke OF the
congestion Of the cities and the vacat-
ing Of the farms, the productive lands.
Less than thirty per cent of the popa-
lation, he showed, IL on the farm.
while more than sixty per cent Is in
cities OF more than 100000 popuIa-
ton.
Conditions similar to those which
preceded the fall Of the Roman en-
pire and led to the thousand years of
the darkest of the worlds history.
prevail in this country now, he de-
clared, and 1t is to the South that
the nation must look for its salvation.
He urged his hearers to take their
place in the South that 10 so import
ant 10 the nations future, and called
upon them to realize the responsibility
Or the South and to cause the land to
be brought back TO It's natural pro-
auctiyity and fertility He asked them
to cooperate in drawing attention of
farmers to the farm lands Of the
South. In ~atting rid of land takers
and promoting honesty advertised and
honesty sold land; to relieve the istela-
ton and lack OF animation found in
MANY OF the farming communities by
causing to be established telephone
communication. better pubic schools
and public Fairgrounds. He urged
that farm life be made more attractive
and much will be done toward re-
storing country ,life to its own and
solving the economic problem OF the
nation.
Make Cities Better.
The address OF Secretary Wood was
4 Iaraely supplementary to that Of Mr..
Manse. II brought directly to the at