The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1877-10-26
COMMERCIAL TRAVELLERS.


Texas Commercial Travellers assooa'
lion took place at Germanla hall this
evening, The attendance was full
and enthusiastic. The regular business
was transacted aud the election OF
officers took place, resulting ~ follows,
for the ensuing year; President, j. O.
Buckner OF Cincinnati; first vice.
president, John slime, Of Dallas sees
ond vioe'presldent, o. r. Yates, OF 81
Louis; third vice.presdent, A. W.
Chlldress, OF Durham, North Carolina.
The directors comprise sydney Smith,
j. Il. Evans, =. s. Higgins and j, Far
ley. The society Ia entering the new
year with increased energy, and It's
prospects for the accomplishment Of
lasting benefits to its members are
more than ever encouraging.
The following IL the admirable ad-
dress OF Mr., Q. IL. Pope, delivered to
the association on the oath instant;
Mr.. President, Fello,o- Members Qrthe As0cid-
ton, Gentiemra Q( thc Commercial Irdretip0
Profession 10 large, dAd Ladies' ddd Gentle
men Of Dallas
salute you all, welcoming In the numbe-
OF faces assembled an evidence or interest," IN
the cause which IL Is my privilege to adNo'
cate.
Personal feelings and the time honored
Z custom of ages would sugg, ~, and perhaps
a'rtnction, n formal expression OF THANKS rom
our speaker 10 the committee winch had 80
hon0rg1 him. Aud whilst j feel no less nat
diiBfIA Gtion, yet / shall not a,temptto show
my appreciation OF IL by such Stereotyped
language ns IT usual ana proper ON occhsiohs
of public speaking, but snail nope, IaIheT'
hat devoti, n to he.AYt9act may 80 far swat
.ow up the deferlsTa presen lag " that
.he committee may not regret Us appoint
menL
We are gathered to night under the aus.
pic of the Texas Commerolai travellers
Association, invited to examine lts orlB'ui
10 consider the history of lts progress, To ais
cuss It's future and TO Identity ourselves Win
lis objects, so FAR AS they may prove worthy
OF support. ,,..,,,.,, ,,,,,
takes ma hack 10 the summer oi 1876, when
about one dozen commereial pilgrims met
at the LeGrand hotel, In this Guy, 70 DISCUSS
the feasibility OF unlung 10 resist tllue law
which imposed TAX for selling goous ny
sample. -.L.,..u-
The cause was common one, ana all were
interested, but in ventilating us merits OWer
issues came up, WnlCll W lllb litblS 'uhu
seemed to appeal with force to every travel
ing salesman: issues which the members
though would warrant n general cohVehlng
OF commercial travellers ana the FORMING Oh
perm qnent so lefty. Accordingly notlce
was issued and circulated throughout the
state, asking all travelling statesmen TO as
semble mt Dallas for discussion OF the ben
eilts arising from co-operaton, tuis uiseus-
sion to have In view such action ana organ
izatiou rs would result in receiving those
benefits,
This briefly outlines the object and the
work of the preliminary assembly, when
called into existence the october cOnVen-
ton.
What were the elements which that con-
yentiOn had to work onP what tools had IL
TO work with? What were the difficulties
and what the advantages which were 10
meet It's operations at the ontsetY
And in passing let us remember that the
obstacles were at a max mum IN the very
beginning, whilst the benefits could, IN the
nature OF the case only arise from WORK, ny
emulation and with growth, Il
Let us remember, also, that community OF
interest must eEiSt before cooperation cOulu
be- possible, and that common interests must
be organized before cooperation could DC
effective. But once existing, united and
harmonious organism, power Is developed
which is Irresistible. ~
First, then, who were to compose the So
ciety? |
An army of travellers, representing every
branch OF commerce and manufacture, with
roth separate and even conflicting interests. |
Secondly, who were to compose thls go
ciety? ,.
MS they we're In business interests: class OF
men selected from the various ranks ana
caIlings, with but little apparent regard to
age race or previous condition." IL. /
rhird-Who were to conf pose this society
A collection of citizens from eve'y quarter
of the globe, whose habitatiOn stretched
from the rising to the setting OF NE sun
whose residsnce In Texas was put llmiteu
Bl,An p1IH ma
i'm large mum berS aud whose two consecutive
meetings could never compose the same
faces. ,, 1870.
ne verv cohesive which could bind into u
community elements of such evident antag- |
onism, Plainly, then, the platform
10 contain these principles must be broad
liberal and comprehensive, And most Ger,
tainlv sectional bias, party aim, or personal
Interests of any kind, would re fatal to the
permanent organization and harmonious
Workings of such body,
So far the outlook was d1scouroglng. VINO
could say, "Let there be light y with any
certainty that It's rays should penetrate the
confines OF this seeming chaos? 49,,
If we turn for aid to the character OF the
traveller, shall we discover any elements
which will make light possible?
In no department Of business can man S
abilities be weighed, and ms cash value so
accurately determined as In the canvass ng
field, ii 8 salary and his expenses appear !
directly upon the cash book. $500
The profiis on his sales and the bad debts
which he contracts, furnish the remaining
elements with which to strike n balance, |
that will show perfectly his position, consid- |
OF, d as an Investment for his house. 49,,
should the balance be n deoitfthe travel |
ers tenure of office Ia precarlous, but II ms
buying and selling has resulted In getting
gain, he is rewarded by the welcome of
plaudit, "well DONE good and faithful SER
Want, accept higher salary ana SOFT posi- |
tion in the business!" or ut all events such |
is the theory and such should be the "bean- |
tiful natural law" ,,..,-,
, IN, the traveller has his being by the prin- |
4es Of ,snntural Sc ection,' or the "survi- |
yaI of the flttest.n We may therefore infer
that statesmen who retain the'- positions,
promote the financial weliafe their en- |
rloyers And that such shall Dc the result |
these statesmen must be M RSs meb
and they !, must nG,,l be iS20y possible, it can
A ruSiness men. And In these two traits OF
! character appear the first rays OF rising
sun, A sun which Is plovlnS me chaos TO
be but seeming, and whose light as y grows
more brilliant reveals broader Held Tor
we'll directed effort, and shows more accu-
r,tely the magnitude and dimensions OF the
WORK to be Accomplished ,,,,,
We will look closer at the outlines OF TINS
work and consider briefly what we have
hitherto taken for graz ted, VIZ The desira-
blliiy OF cooperation. 90 -, -
I'm the present condition OF commerce
competltion has 80 greatly Increased, that
almost every branch OF mercantile anu
manufacturing industry IS overdone. The
whnlesale trade Of to-day Is almost wholly
under the control Of tie eanyassing en-
nlovae whilst in former times " was en-
tirel, In the hands OF the employer.
The primary effect Of composition Is, OF
course To reduce prices and thereby decrease
the profits. And whist IT'S therefore, more
necessary To conhne business TO ttrictly
safe and legitimate hannels, the result OF
an nv rernwded market Is directly the re-
verse. - ..,..., 49,
Merchandise is no longer puIGcn i ny ny
IA. Luvar ptt A is forced upon MIN by the
Solicitor. Who amongst us ever saw mer-
chant that trantei to buy goodsY
such surroundings increase tne fespoi i..i
bility Of the agent and make ~ moi NM III