[Trade Journal]
Publication: The Beverage Journal
Chicago, IL, United States
vol. 66, no. 3, p. 21-23, col. 1-3
Illinois Bottlers in Interesting
Meeting Plan for the Future
THE third annual convention of the Carbonated Beverage Manufacturers of Illinois, held in Springfield, February 26 and 27, opened with a 20 per cent larger attendance of bottlers than at either of the previous annual affairs.
From the first it was a get-together session. President Wm. R. Carse, after calling the meeting to order, requested each one present to introduce himself by giving his name, the firm he represented, and to make short remarks, which brought before the convention some of the more important matters which required attention.
Wm. R. Carse, Rock Island
President
C. G. Koller of the Springfield Chamber of Commerce welcomed the visitors to the city and talked briefly on the imperative need of organization to meet the problems common to each industry.
"If you do not stand as a unit to protect your own industry from discriminatory legislation and against the progressive ideas of other industries, you are bound to remain at a standstill or lose ground," he declared. "You have got to get together as a unit. If you don't it will cost you money, and you should build up your organization for the purpose of promotion of your products." In conclusion Mr. Koller offered his service and cooperation in every way possible.
Responding, President Carse stated that he has had occasion to call on Mr. Koller and on Mr. Sturtz of the BEVERAGE JOURNAL a number of times "and they have never failed to walk for me."
Harry D. Moore, secretary and treasurer, made his report, from which it is to be noted that just prior to the convention, with all bills paid, there was $669.22 in the treasury.
Mr. Carse stated that Mr. Moore had borne the burden of the work of the association during the past year and is to be given the credit for what has been done.
There were several members of the board of the Chicago association present as guests of the downstate bottlers, and they were called on for short remarks, from which it was apparent there was a sincere and friendly spirit of co-operation between the two associations.
Edward Meucci, secretary of the Illinois Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages, as the Chicago association is known, spoke briefly of conditions in Chicago, where the wage scale is the center of controversy at the moment.
Mr. Carse stated that the bottlers in Rock Island are strongly organized and have taken a stand relative to fairs, carnivals, charity and other affairs, which have been a heavy drain on the bottlers in the past. All requests for donations are referred to the local secretary, and the bottlers act as a unit. For instance, it was agreed to donate $50 to the recent pageant, supply soda water, dispense it and give the profits, instead of each of the bottlers donating goods outright. Each bottler shares in the expense in a certain proportion which was decided upon.
"If you can get your competitors to meet with you, you can put things over," asserted Mr. Carse. "We have frequent meetings and get friendly with each other. Sometimes we have our little fights but before the evening is over we are all friends again. Your competitors have their good points, the same as you. If you can help them make money, they are with you. When they see you are making money they are going to want to be with you.
"We get $1 deposit on everything. Price of our goods has been raised a nickel, and it is going through without any complaint from the public. If any customer says he can get goods cheaper, we tell him to go ahead and get them. We call on the competitor and nine times out of ten we find there is nothing to it, as the retailer is just trying to put something over."
Recently Mr. Carse invited the grocers' association to come down to his plant and hold their meeting go through the plant and do whatever they pleased to enjoy themselves and that was a good opportunity to create good fellowship.
"If we will do these things, we will get the business," Mr. Carse declared. "Throw your factory open to the public and give them a little entertainment once in a while. My competitors will be down there with me and be as welcome as any member of the firm."
President Carse appointed committees, as follows:
Resolutions committee Chas. Housum, chairman; Fred Waggoner, Howard Vaughn.
Nomination committee Henry Muller, chairman; Frank Smith, Chris. Hofmann.
Mr. Gould Talked on Organization
Fred S. Gould of Atlanta, Ga., the next speaker, a member of the executive board of the A. B. C. B., told of the activities of the national association and stressed the need of organization. Mr. Gould is also secretary of the Georgia Bottlers' Association and operates one of the largest bottling plants in Atlanta.
Harry D. Moore, Champaign
Secretary-treasurer
"Organization means a number of individuals systematically united for work," as Mr. Gould defined it. "Not brought together solely for a good time and the enjoyment of fellowship, but united also for a constructive purpose, one that will benefit all and that from the combined efforts of its members may come reforms, relief from taxation and the evils of repeated attempts to impose unfair and burden-some laws upon us.
"Strength lies in union, and in concerted cooperative action. Divided and scattered effort is lost motion in this present-day scheme of things.
"Long years of experience in trade association endeavor has proved one fact, if nothing more. There must be a unity of effort as well as of interest behind every trade association. Concentration of control, of purpose and of action must prevail. This means, however, that it is not enough to select the officials to direct the activities of your trade organization, but that you also must support and aid them by cooperating fully and earnestly to make these activities successful. Primarily, of course, you must be a member of your association before you can give worth-while aid, but you cannot stop at merely joining and paying your dues if you would discharge your whole duty to your industry and to yourself. You must be an active member in every sense of the term.
"Make it your personal business to see that every member of the industry in your locality is a member of your local, state and national association. In addition, see that every bottler is acquainted with the representative and senator from his district. Familiarize these gentlemen with the fact that the bottling industry is not one of large profits and that the industry does not object to any general tax necessary to defray expenses of the state, but cannot and will not stand for any discriminatory special taxes.
"Our industry in the past, in my opinion, has been more grossly mis-understood and perhaps more greatly misrepresented than any other I might mention. This has been due to the lack of two things, and for these we are largely responsible.
"First, we have not taken the time nor the effort to acquaint our friends, the consuming public, with the fact that beverages as bottled by us consist of a good drink, one that is whole-some and pure and now declared by the U. S. Department of Agriculture as containing food value, and not some-thing that is simply considered a luxury. Also it is a good product, of the highest class, and one that is scientifically prepared and handled in plants, the majority of which are spotlessly clean and sanitary in every respect.
"Second, we have failed in our duty to ourselves and to the industry as a whole in that we have allowed the consuming public to arrive at the conclusion that we are making larger profits from our labors and investments than any other line of industry or commerce. This is a fallacy, as we all know, and we should make every effort to carry on a campaign of education to correct this impression.
"Every bottler should, wherever and whenever possible, address civic, business and social organizations. This is valuable publicity and will help to break down the prejudice against our industry. In my opinion the facts just outlined are to a large extent the source of our troubles in legislation, causing the placing of unfair taxes on soft drinks."
C. P. Housum of Decatur commented favorably on the suggestions of Mr. Gould, and went on to say that for an individual to go before the ways and means committee of the legislature, or even for a small group of individuals representing their companies to do so, is apt to be of very little effect , whereas if the officers and board of an organization appeared before them and in no uncertain terms stated, "We represent the carbonated beverage bottlers of Illinois," and made their desires known, they would be listened to with attention.
On motion duly seconded, it was voted to instruct the secretary forth-with to send the following telegram, as suggested by the resolutions committee:
To the Honorable Senator Deneen, and to the Honorable Senator Glenn, representing the great State of Illinois:
The Carbonated Beverage Manufacturers of Illinois, now in annual session in Springfield, Illinois, do protest any increase in the tariff on sugar and do urgently request that you as our representatives in the Senate use your best efforts and influence in the returning of the present schedule rate on sugar.
WM . R. CARSE, President;
HARRY D. MOORE, Secretary.
Conflict of Chain Stores and Independents
At this point a very interesting discussion ensued, when E. E. Rink of Beardstown brought to the attention of the assembly the strife between the independent and the chain stores, directly involving the bottlers of carbonated beverages. In turn, the chain and the independents delivered an ultimatum to the bottler that if he sell one group the other will not buy any of his products. This is a very serious situation when a very considerable part of a local bottler's output is being purchased by both the chain and independents, which is very often the case.
Convention Group, Carbonated Beverage Manufacturers of Illinois, at Champaign
In the opinion of Thomas Coyle of Jacksonville, there is no use trying to side-step this issue. If it has not come, it is going to come into your territory. Right now you are getting your test of organization. How are you going to handle this situation, each and every one of you?"
I know of a group of chain stores in my city which is buying on price and buying as cheap as it can, and they have got it down to where I cannot manufacture it at that price, and, of course, I do not get the business.
"If we were properly organized we could go out and dictate our stand. If the chain stores, or any other group, come to me and demand what I am going to do, I will come back at them and ask them what they are going to do. You are bringing foreign goods into our territory and beating us down. You are paying the price for foreign goods, and deny us a living price. 'You invite outside competition to come inhere and cut my business, and then ask me to cut my price to sign with you. Let me know what stand you want me to take and measure up how much of my business you want to cut away from me. Let me know exactly what your proposition means to me, and I will let you know my stand.'
"Men, it is a serious situation. If you cut your prices a little for this business, how long will it be until you have to cut them more? This is a subject well worthy of consideration. It is staring you in the face today.
"The only thing I can say at the present is, balance, analyze, classify all the groups and justify your own actions. I am not so sure that this is a brief wind that will blow over in a little while, but I do believe this is the first time that the real need of organization has slapped us in the face."
Mr. Housum of Decatur stated that chain stores and independents were giving more trouble than anything else at the present time, remarking that "Wholesale grocers have had a fight for their lives. The independents have had to take notice that their business was slipping away from them, and they formed the Home Stores for cheaper and better buying, advertising once a week in the papers, and they had a central buying organization. Another group formed the Clover Farm Stores, and all together we have six groups now.
"Each group asks us, 'What price are you going to make? Will you sell only our group ?' and we have quite a problem. What is to prevent these chains and groups from going into the bottling business? They will play one bottler against another. Will you give them a lower price than your other customers of many years' standing who have always paid your bills and are struggling for their lives?
"There is only one way to cut a price and that is to cut to your old customers first.
"Go to your local chamber of commerce dinner, look down the table, and do you see any ginger ale made by local bottling plants ? No, only the nationally advertised brands.
"At this point Mr. Carse made the interesting remark that he had never gone into a chain store, and he said:
"Go into those stores which patronize you. If the chains ask you to make a deal, ask them what they will do for you for losing the independent stores' business. We will offer them a fair price based on merit, but they want price only, and we cannot afford to do business on that basis.
"Mr. Blum of Galena thought the solution of the problem lay in advertising and quality. He admitted that the chains are stirring up a lot of trouble, but that it was possible to sell both the chains and the independents if the goods were of high grade and well advertised locally. He would ask them what they would do if they were in his place: "If I do not sell to your competitor, he will buy from out of town," and nine out of ten will see it and say, 'After all, you are right.'"
Increase of Membership
The second day's session opened with a discussion of ways and means of increasing membership and of guarding against discriminatory legislation.
Mr. Waggoner promised that if some of the bottlers down his way would help, he believed he could get 25 new members.
Mr. Gould of Atlanta described the methods used in Georgia. About four years ago the secretary of a druggists' association was employed to get members in the bottlers' organization, dues being $10, of which the secretary kept $6. Out of 155 bottlers he got 122. When he left that association, other arrangements had to be made, so a bottler from each congressional district (twelve) was elected a member of the board of directors; each one was to look after his district. Present membership is 107, of which 85 attended the state convention last year.
"These directors all attended the convention," Mr. Gould stated, "and were questioned to find out the legislative situation. When the legislature opens we know exactly where every legislator stands, as they have all been personally interviewed. It is the duty of each director to become acquainted with the congressman from his district. He is made responsible for membership and for getting the men into the meetings. We found this plan to work out fine and we are going to continue it."
Mr. Carse stated that just recently Henry Mester, a bottler of Springfield and a representative in the legislature, had succeeded in killing in committee a bill that would have been harmful, and that so far the bottlers of Illinois had been fortunate.
Mr. Coyle of the legislative committee reported that the down-state association had been incorporated.
Secretary Moore reported a paid up membership of 48 out of about 218 bottlers in the state outside of Chicago.
Mr. Coyle made a motion, duly seconded and carried, that the board of directors appoint a committee to workout a plan of development along the lines now in operation in Georgia, and that committee make a research among other organizations who are desirous of development, through which cooperation they could employ a special representative on a percentage basis to solicit membership over the entire state. In doing this the executive board is to be called together for a special meeting, calling in further counsel as it sees fit, and map out plans in the very near future.
G. J. Hurty of Hurty-Peck & Co. then spoke on the subject of "Fermentation and Ropiness in Soda Water," at the same time showing a number of illustrations, and his talk was listened to with great attention.
C. P. Housum, chairman of the resolutions committee, reported as follows:
Whereas, in the conduct of and bringing to a successful conclusion the annual convention, we, the Carbonated Beverage Manufacturers of Illinois, recognize the fact that success can only be brought about by the cooperation of various factors which go to help make all conventions a success and a pleasureable event, therefore, be it Resolved, that this third annual convention of the Carbonated Beverage Manufacturers of Illinois go on record and spread on the minutes this resolution, thanking the supply men, the supply houses, the Elks Club of the city of Springfield; E. J. Sturtz of the Beverage Journal; Edw. Meucci, secretary of the Illinois Bottlers of Carbonated Beverages; Fred S. Gould of the A. B. C. В.; Col. Miner of the Division of Food and Dairies of the Illinois Department of Agriculture; G. J. Hurty of Hurty-Peck & Co., and the officers of this association for the very successful and cordial manner in which they contributed to the success of this convention through their whole-hearted efforts.
Approved by rising vote.
Col. C. C. Miner, representing Commissioner McCullough, division of food and dairies, Illinois Department of Agriculture, expressed high approval of sanitary conditions and products of the bottling industry through-out the state with few exceptions.
It is the purpose of the department to cooperate with the bottlers to the fullest extent. First violation of the law brings a friendly but clearly stated warning, but the second violation means prosecution. Once a case is started it is never withdrawn. There is no "fixing" possible. That is a fixed policy of the new commissioner.
Election of Officers
Henry Muller, chairman of the nominating committee, presented recommendations for officers and directors for the ensuing year, as follows:
President, Wm. R. Carse, Carse & Ohlweiler Co., Rock Island.
Vice-president, Thomas M. Coyle, Jacksonville Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Jacksonville.
Secretary treasurer, Harry D. Moore, Champaign Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Champaign.
Directors: C. P. Housum, Decatur; Fred Waggoner, Madison; C. Hofmann, Galesburg, and T. T. Jackson, Streator.
On motion duly seconded it was voted that the secretary cast unanimous vote electing the proposed officers and directors.
It was also moved and seconded that the special meeting of the board of directors should be called by President Carse, and the traveling and hotel expenses paid by the association.
Mr. Davenport, stewart [sic] steward of the Elks Club, was presented to the members and given a rising vote of thanks.
The bottlers were guests of the supplymen at luncheons Wednesday and Thursday and at a theater party on Wednesday afternoon .
A large number of "sit pretty" prizes were presented to the bottlers at various times during the convention sessions, being donated by Citrus Products Co., Hemingray Glass Co., Frank B. Lomax Co., Smile Sirup Co., Liquid Carbonic Co., Northwestern Extract Co., Gotchaux's, G. J. Arnold Bottlers 'Supplies Co., Armstrong Cork Co., Green & Green, Jacob Schmidt Brewing Co., Crown Cork & Seal Co., Berghausen Chemical Co., J. B. Ford Co., Perfection Equipment Co., Pure Carbonic Co., Owens-Illinois Glass Co., Miller Manufacturing Co., Pioneer Cooperage Co., Root Glass Co., D. M. Goodwillie Co., Sethness Co., Julep Co., NuGrape Co. of America, J. F. Lazier Mfg. Co., W. H. Hutchinson & Son, Howdy Co., Theonett Co., C. T. Trees Co., Taylor-Long Co., Warner-Jenkinson Co., S. & S. Products Co., Ladewig-Schlueter Co., Geo .J. Meyer Mfg. Co., Pfaudler Co.
