The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-09-08
THE DRUMMER.

The commercial traveller has become recognized, not only as a factor of American commerce, but as factor of American civilization. The following excellent paper from the Atlanta Con- stitutton contains many truths relative to the man who was formerly regarded as mere "hustler," but who is now admittedly man of many virtues:
 The commercial traveller, or, to give him his more popular title, "the drummer" has captured my sincere admiration. As the result of several years of close study, and of an inti- macy due to similar period of social intercourse, I want to say, without flattery and in no spirit of undigested laudation, but merely as an expres- sion of an honest opinion based on personal observation, that the average commercial traveller is in every way 8 splendid type of the best class of American citizen, and has many ad- mirable qualities which should com mend him to the world.
 The worst side of the commercial travellers character is the one usually presented to the public, and the rather unfavorable estimate of the travelling agent which undeniably exists in many circles arises from the fact that in such occasional glimpses of the nature of the traveller as the public gets from 8 crime recording press and burlesquing stage given over to ridicule and ex- travagance, the seamy or unconven- tional side is the one always exposed to view.
 If a wandering spirit from another sphere should by chance pause for 8 second in his celestial course and try to get clear idea of the kind of mor- tals dwelling on this globe by reading the columns of 8 metropolitan news paper, he would speedily take wing under the impression that nine-t tenths of humanity were busy committing 8 variety of horrible crimes and the other tenth were engaged in trying to capture the malefactors.
 So with the commercial traveller. I am not astonished that so much prej- udice against the drummer exists in ranks where judgment is founded on hearsay and on newspaper report. For
 "The evil that men do gets into print;
 The good Is oft forgotten ere quite done." The black half of the shield is the one the world generally sees, and it ignores the possibility of white obverse.
 Suppose lady who would not or dinarily come in contact with con- mercial men formed her conclusion from such examples of the class as she found in dramatic representations like "Saml of Posen," "Hole in the Ground" etc., and that such conclu- sions were strengthened by an occa- sional newspaper reading of a drum mer's escapade with pretty heiress, or of his arrest for trying to make 8 mash-she would inevitably decide that the fraternity, as a whole, was made up of undesirable people.
 Yet you cannot mention any one craft in which there is larger amount of chivalrous sentiment and sterling integrity of life.
 The true character of the commer- cial traveller is being better under stood, and the profession is being more appreciated every day. You will not find 8 merchant prince anywhere that is to say, one who takes an active interest in his affairs-who is not ready to deliver you glorious tribute to the thrifty, enterprising gentlemen who extend his name and push his business who are, in reality, the sub- architects of his fortune. The com mercial traveller of the better sort possesses the full confidence of his em- ployer, and rarely betrays it. He is 8 man of tact, intelligence, and of emil nent discretion trained business man and the merchant of tomorrow. He is not paid hireling. He is repre- sentative, and he is always thoroughly aware of the fact that in his represent ative capacity he is the trustee of the honor, the dignity and the standing of the house with which he is connected. He knows that men judge of his house by his actions, manners, appearance, business methods, etc., and he would rather lose the little finger of his right hand than do anything to bring the shadow of disgrace upon the firm whose card he carries. His name is on that card, and 1t is as sacred to him as is his country's flag to the patriot.
 One hears of few defaulting or ab- sconding agents, although many of them are intrusted with heavy collec- tions. Travellers are often promoted to membership in the firms whose business they have extended, and it is an accepted truth that the best mer- chants are those who have faced suc- cessfully the fierce competition of the road. The junior members of many firms now make periodical trips to keep posted, to sell a certain trade, or to cover unallotted territory. Among