The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-04-10
WOMEN AS DRuMMeRs.

Reatnns Why They Can Not 90 On the
Road and Compete With Men.
'eThe women are leg ming TO follow
nearly all the occupations pursued by
men," sad the proprietor of an en-
ploymqnt agency uptown. 81 have
women registered for employment to
canvass for books, to solicit for adver-
tisenents, and to canvas for life insur-
ance companies. but strange to say,
40 one has expressed willingness to
GO on the road as a general drummer
Cor large mercantile house. l eS
pect it 20 ceme, though, very soon.
The indications point that way now.
Nearly $4,000 women are idle in New
York to-day. Some of them have tai
ent and energy enough to make sue
eessful drummers, feel sure.'
"Fhey have women drummers IN En-
gland. why not in America" asked a
reporter for the Nail and Express.
''Weil, the reason is plain. So many
avenues to make a living in the United
States are open to woman, theS natur-
ally shrink from an occupation that
would keep them travelling alene con,
staatly and meeting men of all kinds
and dealing with them. 4 woman
VITA energy and talent enough 10 be-
eotae a successful drummer would pre-
fer 10 lecture or become a book-agent.
A merchant, as general rEle, is mar
IRELAND settled. A woman, then, cs.n
moi call her charms in to aid her much
in getting merchants to buy. As a
beGk-canvasser, she can tackle the
bluShing young bachelor and the SuS-
ceItlble young man, and get a sub
scr.l-er on her beauty or winning Ways.
No single man would dare to refuse
q pretty or charming woman. Not
so the married merchant. He
.ha, to buy and sell agais, and purchase
every season. His bills amovnt tC
Thousands, too, and he watches for
'elcse competition TO get bargains. for
1t means many hundreds perhaps saved
TO him. With a woman he would not
like to speak of cheap offers II de by
'pther travelling drummers, and ask fol-
rebates and reductions. To gave this
ttrouble he merely ssys he does not
wish to buy. That settles Mrs. Wom-
IAN Drummer right there. Could OF
would a woman drumm you think,
adopt the methods of the typical drum
im..r now on the road? Let us see his
Programme: He arrives at the towI
puts up at the best hotel and kiadly
consents to drink with the landlord,
an 1 tell him how glad he was to lesye
Smiths hash-house at the next town in
order to get to his hotel; makes mr.
ra1gements with him to play little
draw-poker after the merchants have
BEEN visited; he goes 20 see merchant:
asl-s him to come around and see his
samples on exhibition ct the hetel:
merchant refuses. He asks the Iler,
chant to drink. They do. They smoke
cigars. The drummer swears he can
discount the figureseof the other drum
me- the merchant has been buying
from. A dispute arises. and several
hours are consumed in drinking, talk
ING, and smoking. The result is mer.
chant buys a bill to -get the discount
rCmised. Would & rgoman do that:
No much, think. Now, it IS pla.n
WIFI women are not Crummers.
In England a few are travelling foI
commercial houses, bat they simply &C
TO places where trade has already been
established and take norders. They do
not work upon any new business.
Hege in the United States drrnmers
must not only sell to old customers
every time, but woti- mp new ones.
Their success depends on it. The old
customer is liable teibe persuaded to
buy from the discount drummer who
taIsS and drinks for hours. CONNER
ciai houses know there facts too we'll.
; an0 that is why women are mot en-
PLACED in that capacity.
A line must be drawn somewhere,
ami the very nature of the business de-
bars them ct once. There are plenty
of women in New York to-day plucky
enough to 90 on the road. but they are
wise enough also to foresee the result
A large life insurance company EN-
ployS a woman to canvass .tor policies
among women only. They inform me
that thus far the trial has given emf
merit proofs of the fitness of ore good
taking woman TO get,others Liner sex
to insure their lives. The company
will shortly put seveuDr eight zen the
road in different States. If there should
eve. be an American woman drummer
vita the requisite qualities and the ir
repressible pertinacity and lortly as
sumption of the average male drum
me-, then | will say the time has CONT
to let women vote andtanterthe prize
ring of sluggers. ~ T. AaiL ana
Erpress.