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Show STORES WILL CLOSE AT SEVEN At tho county court house last evening even-ing un important mass meeting was held, at which several hundred leading lead-ing merchants, clerks nnd representatives representa-tives of labor unions and women's clubs were present, to dihcusH the 7 o'clock closing law and the 9 o'clock plan as Hubmltted by a few dissenting merchants and their clerks. F.arnest speeches were made, and the final vote resulted In placing the representatives represent-atives irrevocably on record In favor of the 7 o'clock closing. Representatives of the orlglnnl movement were out in full force, as wore those responsible for a second petition favoring a W'eduesday half-holiday half-holiday and extending the Saturday night hours to 9 Instead of 7 o'clock. Delegates also were present from the Child Culture club. Historical society, Tolstoi Circle, Ladles' Literary club and other organizations. Theodore tllerrfe, representing the local federation federa-tion of labor, was present, as well as Frank Welsenbarger, who represented the Machinists' union, and was on hand in behalf of railroad and laboring labor-ing men, with a reph to the statement state-ment that for their benefit storea should keep open until 9 o'clock. "The machinists and all other working men can, and will, be glad to do their shopping shop-ping before 7 p. m.." was the substance sub-stance of the message he brought to the mass-meeting. Able speeches were made by I. L. Clark, John Watson, Arthur Kuhn. S. H. Hrowne and P. T. Wright, and while all spoke "straight1 from the shoulder," thero was nothing to Indicate Indi-cate bitterness in any direction, but rather a feeling that the but-iness men had not associated closely enough In the first place and that the slight difference dif-ference of opinion wns the outgrowth of this lack i.f unanimity. It was derided, after brief discus-Hon, discus-Hon, that a committee should be appointed ap-pointed to approach the merchants on lower Twenty-fifth street with an appeal ap-peal to Join In the movement Arthur Kuhn. S. H. Hrowne and .Mr. Herrlck were named to act In this capacity, and they will endeavor to secure the names of the Twenty-fifth street merchants mer-chants in the petitions. Attention of those present were called to the fact that Rosenbluth & Oppman had offered no opposition to the plan, that they had entered wi'.l-Inglv wi'.l-Inglv into the original agreement and had remained staunchly by the plau. and that, for these reasons, their firm should not be classed with th-iso of lower Twenty-fifth street in dlcnsfiln,T the refuel of others to meet tho agreement. It was reported that many or the merchants of lower Twenty .fifth street nrr responsible buHness men and willing will-ing to ent-r Into the plan, and stand by It if tbey can be assured that their neighbors will do likewise. A petition representing 33 clerk who favored the 9 o'clock plan with Wednesday half-holiday was read, followed fol-lowed by another In favor of the 7 o'clock closing law. to which wM attached at-tached th nams of 22."i clerks. |