Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-25
MARION IS CHIEF
OF BUSINESS men 4
William II. Thoms Chosen Vice Presi.
dent and Channon and Kings.
bury Are Reelected.
ALBERT HUBER MAIN SPEAKER
Counsel for Association Gives Splen-
did Talk on Difficulties Of Mer-
chants and Gives Remedies.

]. T. Marion, head Of the Electrical
Machinery & Construction company,
was elected president of the Rock Is
land Business Mems association at the
annual meeting and banquet, held last
night at the Rock Island club. The
other officers named are:
Vice president-W. H. Thoms.
Secretary-George H. Kingsbury.
Treasurer-C. F. Channon.
Directors for two years-H. ". Ire
mann. Oscar J. Ohlweiler, W. S. Nc
Combs. l.. NJ. Casteel, o. W. Billings,
W. P zimmerman.
W. S. McCombs, retiring president,
urged that the members work in har-
mony the coming year and put forth
greater efforts than ever before. Pre-
paredness, cooperation and push are
three very necessary qualities to
make 1916 the banner year it should
be-" he said.
C. F. Channon, who was reelected
treasurer. reported that the assocla-
ton was in better financial condition
at the end of the present year than 1t
was in 1915.
George H. Kingsbury, in making the
annual report of the secretary brought
out a number Of good points. The as
sociation has at present access to over
$4,000 ratings in the tri-citles, but ne
stated that the members themselves
were not availing themselves or this
information. He pointed out that dur
ing the year only 5000 inquiries had
been made for ratings and in his estl-
nation this number was not one-tenth
enough. He also stated that LOU
householders here who had poor rat
ings were given credit during the past
year, showing that the members were
careless in conducting their business
Advances New Idea.
Mr.. Marion. in accepting the presl-
dency, brought new thought to the
members. He stated that there were
too many booster organizations in the
city and that they were too scattered
and not concentrated as they should
be- He advocated organization OF one
central body, with various departments
to take care of the different lines OF
business, to have one secretary with
sub-Secretaries under him to care for
the various branches of the work IN
the city. This organization, he said
could be operated at a lesser expense
and much more real good could be &C
complished. NJ. H. Sexton and Robert
c. Mitchell also gave brief talks on
cooperation. H. o. Kelley, secretary
of the Davenport Rating association
and William Carstens, secretary of the
Moline Retail Merchants association
were also present Both thanked the
Rock Island business men for their
cooperation during the past year.
The speaker of the evening was AL
bert Huber, counsel for the Business
Mems association. Mr. Huber touched
mainly upon subjects and difficulties
now confronting every merchant and
suggested a few remedies.
The value of collection agencies
are much overestimated," said Mr.
Huber The first course the major
ity Of the merchants pursue is to take
their bad accounts to collection
agency, where they are charged 10
% and sometimes even so per cent
commission. An ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure. We do not
get at the real causes of this great
problem and in most cases we fine
it due to lack of system, or faulty sys
TEN. Too many merchants have baC
accounts. Why is it that the most evi
dent question is so hard to learn? The
troubles lie with the merchants them
! selves. In the law business we get
the money and in the retail business
the motto seems to be to get rid of The
goods.