Putnam patriot., 1915-06-18
ADJOURNED MEETING Putnam Business Mems Association Adopts Program, Changes Name and
 Provides For Increased Funds

ue duJ0ufDed annual meeting or the Putnam Business Mems association was held in Owls hall on Friday even- ing, raised the dues, elected treasu- Ter, adopted a program for the year, and authorized the directors to hire permanent headquarters.
 William k. Davison, who was chair man Of the executive committee last year, was elected treasurer in place of J. Richard Carpenter, who declined to serve when elected at the meeting five weeks ago.
 The annual dues are to be as follows for members g, for contributing mem- bers 5, for sustaining members sl0, for patrons S25. There is assurance that some of the large local industries will become Patrons; and so far dog. en men have indicated their willing ness to pay S10, believing that the as sociation will be .of even greater benC- it to the city if it has more funds with which to work. The majority of the members will probably pay 8, but many who will derive less direct bene- fit will pay the minimum. A large membership is desired, sand all mem. bers have the same privileges, whatev- CT dues they pay.
 The program adopted was that pub- lished tentatively by the directors in aJyanaa oS dahata o,I |, sartsod to .aa,,- vince those present that their leaders had planned well. This, program has also been distributed in the form of letter, and additional copies may be dad from the officers. The questions to be taken up include public health, revaluation, town and icity consolida- tion and commission government, trade school, retail trade conditions, lectures on public questions, and coop eration with the farmer
 It was announced that the rooms over the post office, formerly occupied by E. NJ. Barney, could be shad for of- fees, and that the WindhamsGounty Farmers Association would pay half the rent if the two bodies could both be accommodated there. A friend of the Business Mems Association has of fefed to pay one-half Of it's share for the first year. These offices will be opened the first of July.
 The directors and merchants com- mitlee met at the office of E. C. Morse Tuesday evening to discuss plans for the benefit of the retailers of Putnam, and to arrange for offering member ship privileges to larger number of men engaged in active trade.
 The merchants committee has been recently enlarged, and nowseohsists of Omer J. Milot, chairman, Chester M. Elliott, Howard B. Deacon, Walter j., Bartlett, and William D. Wilson. They are making plans for merchants evening at an early meeting of the as. sociation as there are number of inn portant questions on which a greater degree Of cooperation among sthe local stores would be money made and saved for each. It is pointed Iout that seve- ral associations such as this have made their greatest success based on rex change of credit information and the collection of bad debts, as an associa- tion doing this work at cost, and back ed by the whole body of business in- terests, can collect more cheaply and surely, and insure against the heavy loss that careless and professional dead beats can cause.
 Notice was given of q motion to amend the constitution by changing the name to the Putnam Cham Der Of Commerce. This name is the most common today, and the state and na- tional bodies use il also.
 The directors meet this Thursday evening at o'clock at the Putnam Inn.
 The merchants committee is formu- lating plans for Thursday afternoon closing during July and August, be- ginning July sth. The initiative comes this year from the merchants and not from the clerks.