The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-01-29
GREAT PROSPERITY
AHEAD SAYS BRYAN
TRADES MUST PROFIT by
NEW CONDITION.
"OPTlMISM" is THEME

NINTH ANNUAL MEETING HEAR
LOCAL NEWSPAPER MAN.
OFFICERS ELECTED.
! Officers and directors of the Rich
mond Retail Merchants Association.
were elected at the annual meeting
held last night in the grand lodge ban
I quet hall of the Masonic Temple. re-
ports for the year were heard. and
several addresses OF peculiar interest
to retail merchants In Richmond were
made. The business session followed
the annual dinner.
Each of the reports showed that the
year had been one of marked activity
| in the Advancement of the interests of
retail merchants generally and of the
members of the association especially.
Progress along all lines was shown in
! the addresses made by speakers after
the dinner, as well as in the reports
of the officers and of the chairman of
the finance committee. Nearly the en-
tire membership, totaling 1877 was In
attendance.
The banquet . splendid affair, began
shortly before O'Clock with all re-
servations made at the tables occupied,
and It was after 9 o'clock when Presi-
uent 1hdIieN L. NORMAN. OF ~. ii. berry
a Company, as POSTMASTER, arose to
present the speaker of the evening,
John Stewart Bryan, OF the News
Leader.
Mr.. Bryan on Optimism"
Mr.. Bryan's theme was Opt
mism.' He prefaced his views oi
the "optimist'' with the declaration
that all the people in the world may
be divided into three classes --opti-
mists. pessimis.s and people without
imagination. He stressed the need OF
the world. especially in such times
as these, for more Of the frst-named
class and fewer Of the other two.
The address OF. Mr.. Bryan was really
review of the last twenty years, and
Of the last ten, so far as the business
developm mt of the city Of Richmond
Is concerned.
He told Of his earlier experiences
in New York. of his return To Rich
mond in 1898. while this city ana the
surrounding country was still strug
Cling TO regain its position after the
panic of 1898. He reviewed the re-
coyery and emphasized that the
greatest factor In it was the spirit OF
optimism, IL spirit which in recent
years has been responsible for the
development of Richmond to the
point 1t has reached--a point where
PEA iiaH as PIpuu ~ uttidltt aH
citizen of the city of Richmond"
Progress Of Public Spirit.
Tracing Riohmonds rise to the sew
enth position among the cities OF the
country in point OF wealth. posi-
tion now held. with great bank de
posits. resources and with the Regional
Reserve Bank. he declared that this
rise was due to the progress of public
! spirit, OF unity of interest and CO.
go A%r,
Oscar II. Berry. for many years one OF
the most prominent Of Richmond's
business men. as having declared to him
In 1906 or 1905 that Richmond had
progressed along these lines more in
the three years preceding than In the
last thirty.
kind OF optimism which was given
the heartiest endorsement OF the
speaker Is that which holds II In not
more money that is needed. but "A bet
ter feeling. feeling of confidence He
stressed the Importance of confidence
and as an illustration pointed TO the
confidence of President Wilson In the
neutrality of the United tSates in the
present European situation.
Sees Prosperity Ahead.
Yet. Mr., Bryan said the exports of
the country are growing rapidly and
the trade balance In favor of this
country IL steadily becoming larger.
This growth, he asserted, must re-
fleet prosperity In which all classes
OF business and all trades will par
ticipate. We are going into period
OF prosperity within the next three
years" he concluded. that will be
worthy of and commensurate with our
greatest desires"
In making suggestions for the i'm
provement of retail conditions, the
next speaker. J. q. Pattee, of the
Reinach Company, urged continued
efforts for overcoming fraudulent ad-
Vertising by continued corporation
with the newspapers and with the To-
cal advertising club. Mr.. Pattee made
several suggestions pertinent to store
that more attention be given to the
cash trade.
Confidence in, and knowledge OF.
all the selling points OF every article
In the establishment" were present
ed by Gus NJ. Schwartschiid, OF
Schwartschlld Brothers. in his brief
address on craftsmanship" Mr..
schwartschild's address was peculiar
| ~ interesting to the retail merchants,
az was that also OF Edward q.
Schmidt. of Herman Schmidt. whose
subject was THE Attitude of Retail
Merchants Toward Premium and Cou-
( pom Schemes" number of other
mem beTs or the association spoke
briefly, suggesting certain Yneves that
may be made during the year in the
discretion of the board of directors
OF tho association.
| Officers and Directors Named.
| The election of officers resulted in
the choice of Charles r. Norman
named for the third successive time,
I as president OF the association. and
the naming OF II. Carl Boschen. first
vice-president; Julius c. Levitt Sec
I ond vice-president and l.. II. Kauf-
man, treasurer. The secretary will
be named at the first meeting OF the
board of directors
The directors chosen are: Samuel
Cohen, j. @. Corley. ], r. b. Jur-
gems, c. Fred Koher. Jesse A. I.add.
l.. O. Miller, James f. Phillips Jr.,
Samuel 8. Rosendorf Wallace C.
Saunders and Moses Thalheimer
The bylaws were amended to have
Ave Of the directors serve for one
year and Ave for two years Next
/ year five will be named for a two
year term. Those who will serve the
two-year term as the result of this
election Will be determined later