The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-07-09
At Luncheon at TutwiIer Yesterday Over S2OOO
 Is Subscribed
TRIP TO LOCK IT
 WILL BE FEATURE
Special Rates for Merchants Conven- ton Granted by Railroads-To Have Barbecue at East Lake-Begin
 Mailing Invitations at Once

entertainment plans for the big Ala oama Merchants association convention were made by Birmingham bankers. man. ufacturers and Wholesalers vesterdav a, luncheon meeting at the Tutwiler ho. tel. over s2oo0 being voluntarily suh. scrlped on the spot for the expense fund and long convention entertainment pro- sramme of which. as Chairman Murra brown puts it, the balloon ascension fen ture will be a trip down the Warrior river to Lock r, was decided upon. r. ne third annual convention of the Alabama Merchants association. an or- ganization whose membership include. practically every retail merchant in in, state, will be held in this city August -4' 70 ana 2b Special rates from all parts or Aiaoama have been granted by the railroads and as has been the practice in other conventions of the association. th. Birmingham wholesalers who will he tbe hosts of the convention will rebate inc railroad fares of every delegate who cares to lay in his fall and winter stocks during the convention and places orders or certain sizes to that effect.
 Barbecue at East Lake
 The big features of the entertainment programme will be a barbecue at Eas, Lake park; addresses by Prof p z Holden, the crop expert. and by w. F. G Harding Of the federal reserve snls board of Washington. and an excursion from Birmingham to Lock 1T on the War rlor river by boat. refreshments heinz served at the locks and the return trin to Birmingham made by moonlight on the Warrior"
 mere were about 10 present at the luncheon yesterday. Chairman Brown opening the discussion of the plans for entertainment with review of how pre- Vious conventions have been entertained and suggestions of plans for the coming convention. The plans for the 1915 com ventlon were enthusiastically indorsed by the meeting and then F. M Jackson when called on for a speech, opened the voluntary subscriptions, which, after tha f. run around the table each man joining In Nntii over s-Vo had been raised in a couple or minutes. Committees were appointed to see those who were unable to attend the convention After the financial aid or every man present had been yolun- teered. Chairman Brown called on l. j. Smith of the Ledger and C. M Stan ley, news editor of The Age Herald. to pledge the moral support" of the press. MT smith stated he heartily indorsed the work of the wholesale trade cona- mittee and could sincerely pledge his sup- port to its plans for entertainment of .he merchants convention. Mr Stanley sald that he but recently had begun to realze the mistake of constantly boost ing Birmingham as an industrial town town of coal and iron. We have and must promote he said. "a town which is just as big commercially as it is in- dustrially, a great wholesale center. a residence city and all other phases of development as well as city of one great activity. whose ups and downs otherwise must be unduly felt l can as- sure you The Age Herald will support the work in every way possible"
 The great task of mailing out the in- vltatlons and programmes to the 5000 merchants of the state who are members or the association will be started by the Chamber of Commerce at once The an nual issue of ''rhe Alabama Merchant D the special newspaper which Is the con- Nention organ of the association. will be run off the press and mailed to the mer- chants within a short time.
 The first convention of the assoca tion "t thS tiuiS lHe OfRdnlZatlOn was per- fected two years ago. was attended by 900 delegates officially registered Last year the second annual convention was attend ed by l40o delegates, and from 1900 to 1900 are expected this year.
 Programme Announced
 The tentative draft of the programme of the convention for next month is as follows:
 TUESDAY, AUGUST "A
 12 o'clock, noon, barbecue at East Lake with band music. All attractions in park free.
 D. m.-Executive session at Bijou the atre. President w. w. Ogden presiding, and Norman H. Johnson of Richmond to assist in organizing convention. All mem bers presenting cards admitted Address by Prof. P. G. Holden, International Har- vester company, Chicago Subjects for general discussion by entire membership: Good Roads. "Diversification of Crops . "Education,' How To Beat the Mail Order Houses.' Election of officers
 Morning and afternoon open for visiting bankers, manufacturers and jobbers
 WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25.
 S:30 p. m.-Baseball game Redwood Field, Birmingham vs. Little Rock
 D m.-Bijou theatre address by w. P. G Harding of federal reserve board Vau- deville
 Morning and up to 3:a0 D. m. open to visiting bankers, manufacturers and job bers
 THURSDAY, AUGUST 26
 12:15 D. m.-Train to leave Louisville