The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-03-21
MERCHANTS RIOT


Fifty-one members of the Mer-
chants association romped gaily i'm
to a general business session last
night i'm the association chambers.
went TO the local telephone exchange
and inspected that complicated insti-
tuition. and returned to the meeting
rooms and mobbed the cafeteria
lunch. Then they relaxed their man
ners and just visited until time 10
rejoin their waiting families.
President Sutton called the meet
ing TO order shortly after s o'clock.
and routine reports were made. OF
the latter the most important was
the fact announced hat the associa
ton was lately incorporated.
Secretary Rowland read "A letter
from Mr.. +. b. Moon, a speaker
prominent and sought after by CO.
operative organizations. editor Of the
Farmers Review, Of Chicago. and
whom the local organization had So
licited to deliver an address along
association lines. Mr.. Moon did not
refuse to speak TO us of Madison. but
announced that his immediate book
ings were almost solidly filled. and
his dates were entered very fully far
into the spring months. 1t is not
likely that his presence will be OBJ
tanned Several members of this as
ISOLATION have heard him speak. and
they pronounce his address and ideas
10 be inspiring and original.
Another speaker, a member of a
merchants association of Rush City,
Mimi, a merchant. has also been
1,1.~4 -. .,xaral pannnharg uyug
urged that a date with him be Sc
cured. as his ideas along lines of
mutual benefit are said to be orig
inal and practical. An appeal will
undoubtedly be made for his pres
ence.
An extract was read from the
Montivideo, Mimi Commercial,
which endorses the newly-created as
ISOLATION of that place in no uncer-
tain language. Already benefits had
accrued the merchants and people
of that city from the operation Of the
principles of cooperation, handling
accounts and credits. Improvements
and development, and a warm en-
thusiasm breathed from every line.
The secretary named five other towns
in eastern South Dakota which will
soon be enrolled under the same plan
of the Madison association.
Plans for betterment of local con
ditions were discussed at length.
Theories were advanced and their
practical application considered. The
ever-present problems of credits and
collections. those bugbears of mer-
camille peace, were discussed, but no
- yln,c nnra forum
lated. Some mention was made of
plans to dissipate a feeling or dis
trust or suspicion on the part OF the
general public toward organizations
of this character. but 1t was thought
that the difficulty. small as II IS, ana
so seldom in evidence at all, would
eventually work itself into shape to
be handled. or would die of its W
accord. Such organizations are not
used as instruments of piracy or ex-
ploitation of the people: they are for
the building up of the community.
To build up is to stop waste. To stop
waste bad credits and poor accounts
must stop. And il is here that ii
helps the community; for If there
are many bad debts on the mer-
chants books, somebody must pay
for them-and it works hardship
and waste on the paying part of the
customers.
Written questions were taken
from a box, and were discussed.
They dealt with technicalities of the
mercantile business, but their nature
was such as to bring out some start
ling conditions, recollected by mem
bers from other years.
After the business of the meeting
was disposed of, nearly the whole
c~onclave went to the new telephone
exchange, where, through the cour-
tesy Of George B. Phifer, manager.
Wire Chief A. NJ. Brill showed them
the principles of operation of the
automatic telephone girl. This ma
chinery. delicate as that of a watch,
and of many times the number OF
parts Of perhaps any other piece OF
mechanism, filled with adjustments,
signals and Interviewing combina-
tions, was a revelation to many OF
the men. Mr.. Brill's explanations