Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-05-04
Three Hundred Register to
Hear Lectures and to Be
Given instruction
HARPER WELCOMES
PEOPLE TO OTTUMWA
State University Men Speak
and Exhibiting Concerns
Show Their Slides
(From Tuesdays Daily.).

(FrOm tuesdays Dally.)
The Ottumwa short course in mer-
chandising was opened at II o'clock
this morning in the Grand opera house
and continues for two days through
Wednesday evening.
Business men and merchants from
all parts of southern Iowa and north
ern Missouri began arriving here early
this morning and some came Monday
evening. Many brough their wives
with them and everybody is doing
something to show everybody else a
good time.
During their stay the visitors and
all the Ottumwa business men attend
ing, whether members of the order or
not, will have the entire use of the
Elks' club rooms at Green and Second
streets. This courtesy was extended
this morning by the officers of the To-
cal lodge. In like manner the OF.
tumwa Commercial club rooms, on
East Second street, are open to all.
The ladies, who are here, will be given
an automobile trip over the city. Ar
rangements are now being made for 1t.
Many Exhibits Shown.
Ottumwa's short course is the first
at which there have been so many and
so varied display Of exhibits. These
will be closed during the speaking
sessions but will be open at all other
times and everyone attending the
course will be given ample opportun-
ity to investigate them.
Among the companies having repre-
sentatives here with exhibits are the
Underwood Typwriter Co., John Mas
boro; Addressograph Co., L. P. Ros-
siter Des Moines: Felt & Warran.
Co., Mr.. Volter of Des Moines; Bur.
roughs Adding Machine Co., g. N. Pat
Russell, Des Moines; Protectograph
Co.. j. Rittman, Des Moines; Kala.
mazoo Loose Leaf Co., Miss Davis.
This afternoon there were two ad.
dresses and two illustrated lectures.
Many more came in on the noon train
and helped materially on the size of
the crowd.
There were great many more out
of town attendants at this morning 8
session than there were local retailers.
The Ottumwans came In better this
afternoon.
Record Registration.
The registration at the Ottumwa
meeting is considered by those in
charge from the state university, to
be the largest ever had on an opening
day. 1t will run to 300 this afternoon.
Harper Welcomes.
G. s. Harper, president of the Com
mercial club, welcomed the visitors
with the following remarks:
l take great pleasure this morning
in welcoming such a fine body OF the
business men of southern Iowa and
northern Missouri. It shows better
than anything else the modern spirit
of progress in business. 1t exempli-
fes the new idea in merchandising
cooperation. Cooperation in business
and that means not only cooperation
between merchants, but the coopera-
ton of the merchant with the custom
er-has raised the whole plane Of
merchandising and trade to new and
higher level.
In old times in European countries
the tradesman occupied very low
position in society and in his COM
munity. He was scarcely above the
peasant and distinctly below the skill
ed artisan. Even in this country and
| until very recent times the merchant
was not an influential figure in his
community. The doctor, the lawyer
and the banker were the leading
spirits of our pioneer towns and the
merchant was negative force. How
much this has changed we all know.
Nowadays the merchants are the lead.
ing men of their communities. They
organize and carry through all the pro
jects for civic advancement and the
public good. The respect of their fei
low townsmen is theirs and the con
fdence is not misplaced.
1t is characteristic of the good mer.
chant that he wishes to make himself
better merchant. That is why so
many of us are here today. We are
willing to go to school to men who
can give us new idea or teach us i'm
proved methods. The men who come
here to talk to us are specialists. Their
business is to investigate, analyze, ex.
pertinent and to teach. If each one
of us gets only one or two ideas which
| we can develop and use to make oul
own business better the time here
will have been well spent.
On behalf of the jobbers and manu-
facturers of Ottumwa. and the Ottum
! wa Commercial club, bid you hear
| ty welcome and trust that you will en-
| Joy yourselves here and derive much
benefit from Ottumwa's first short
course in merchandising.
Discusses Towns Power.
o. E. Klingaman, director of the ex
| tension division of the state univers
| ity of Iowa discussed the competitive
! power of towns, for forty-five minutes
! this morning and he told his hearers
some interesting and instructive facts
Regarding the pulling power which one
town has, distinguishing itself from
another. and the part the merchant