Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-05-09
COMMERCIAL PROGRESS.
FOURTH ANNUAL SESSION OF THE
VIRGINIA DIVISION,
STANTON POST &C." RECEIVES AND
ENTERTAINs THE CONVENTION.

It. p. A.
STANTON POST &C." RECEIVES ANI
ENTERTAINs THE CONVENTION.
The plan of conducting mercantile and com
mercial intercourse, especially by wholesale
merchants and manufacturers, with retail
buyers, is not wholly new to that now so gen.
orally adopted, the soliciting system by prin
cipals in business and their accredited repre-
sentatives in person which has grown of lat,
years into grand proportions. Many of thu
larger dealers in cities and towns still continu,
at stated periods to visit the great emporiums
of trade and make regular calls upon manu-.
facturers in fabrics they handle, but these, in
Guiding all retail. dealers, receive and enter
tain the "Drummers' or Commercial Trav
elers" with every oivility, and in the mair
find them well-toned business men, possessing
every requisite to conduct their calling In
honorable intelligent, and liberal dealing
and as such they are power in the whole
country.
Education and training are as essential to the
mercantile class as to the professional
and there is a science to mas ter and a practice
to exercise with the one just as with the other
terror, often finds in the multiplicity OF the
cares upon his time and mind that the instruc-
tor he needs is not always at his call. In the
department of drumming" are many who
are themselves educated and trained mer-
chants, and scarcely one so employed. but is
well qualified, and it is an adopted custom
with all ION the road" as their mission is
termed, to be the friend by counsel and by
practical instruction of the retailer who has
not had the opportunities they have had In
conducting business. Many of them are nne
clerks and expert accountants. They know by
education and practice the best methods OF
conducting q retail-trade and possess many
other valuable experiences, for all OF which
leisure is taken to impart whenever 1t Is de-
sired, and. in nine cases out of ten, the infor-
nation to the young country-dealer is the
most to be appreciated of any he has ever had
the benefit of. If his mind is enquiring and in
any degree analytical, he has the matter, as
he desires 1t, received from the scores, from
the Oldest to the youngest. who call on him to
try their theories and practices in his good
crucible OF common sense enlightened by
reading. study and application, and to bring
out the true theories and the right course to
pursue for his own advancement and success.
To practice deception or violate a just prinsi-
pie of business by drummer would be a dis
grace which would deprive him of standing in
his trade, and for which he would have to
answer.
Commercial travellers are the representatives
of capital and labor associated as they should
be- Their guild is conservative in every
feature Strikes and disturbances calculated
to embarrass the progress of trade, are dis
countenanced. The employer and employee,
Ill
united interest, and all equally concerned for
a common prosperity. To promote these ends,
many thousands of drummers are united in
local, State and national associations.
THE VIRGINIA DIvIsIo N.
The fourth annual session of the Virginia
Division, Travellers Protective Association,
was held, according to previous appointment,
in this city on the End instant. Staunten
Post &c" had made arrangem ents for, and car
ried out in full an elegant reception aud one of
the most complete and pleasant entertain
ments which ever cheered the heart or awak-
ened kindly feelings.
The committee of arrangements, Messrs.
Geo. c. Maslin, W. N. Blackley, R. B. An
drews, John McQuaide, j. H. Powell, S. II.
Cohn, W. Fl. II. Lynn, and W. R. Tyree. with
the Stonewall Br igade Band, were at the depot
of the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad on the
afternoon of the LIST instant to receive the dele
gates, as most of them came by that line: but
previously, President Hope, of Post &C.," with
q detail from the Committee, met the delegates
at Greenwood, On arriving. the column was
formed under direction of Capt. John Nc
Quaide, the band at the head, and marched to
the Virginia Hotel amid cheers of welcome
The strangers made fine impression. being
afa oorir
THE MOVING COLUMN.
At half past nine o'clock, on the morning OF
the End, the column was formed on New street
in front of the Virginia Hotel, the Band at the
h cad, facing to the East under the direction OF
Chief Marshal John McQuaide. Of Staunton,
and his Assistant, c. H. Phillips, of Richmond.
The line of march was along several OF the
principal streets, passing in front of four of the
Female Seminaries to Odd Fellows Hall,
where the Convention was to hold its session.
The morning air was bracing. and the hun
dreds Of our citizens who observed the dele
gates were evidently pleased with them, and
the proceedings taking place. Arriving in
front of the Hall, up the long flight of steps
they nimbly pressed their way, and from the
tall windows gave three hearty cheers for the
Stonewall Brigade Band when it ceased play
ing in the street below.
INTRODUCTORY PROCEEDINGS.
President John S. Harwood of Richmond
called to order, and invited Rev. DR.. D. K.
Mcfarland, of the First Presbyterian Church,
to open the meeting with prayer, which be
did in deeply impressive words. Members in
conversation afterwards said that they had
never more sensibly felt the responsibilities
resting upon them than during its delivery,
and that they hoped to profit by observing its
teachings, which were that q country and its
business could only become grea and prosper
Gus by the observance of christian principles,
as it was a God-fearing and God honoring
country. Next in the order of proceedings,
was the
WELCOME OF POST "C''
delivered by the President, Mr.. M. A Hope
1t was a brief. but happy address, sketching
the history and prosperity of the Post, and
concluding with a welcome to the delegates
which came from and went to the heart. But
this was not the only welcome.
The city, through representative citizens,
claimed share in these proceedings, and its
Inequalities were also extended to the Di-
vision, and, on its part, Mr.. Henry st. George
Tucker delivered the
Address OF wELCoME:-
Mr.. Tucker said he had been summoned at
very short notice to perform that duty in the
place of the Mayor who had been chosen for it.,
but was unavoidably absent. Short or long
notice for any service he is called upon to per-
form, Mr.. Tucker is always ready, and we
venture to say the members of the t, P. A
will take the one on short notice all the time,
for in his humorous words, as we'll as his
serious enunciaicas, he charmed his hearers,
and when concluding his eloquent message Of
welcome, the last words were ANGST lost in
the rounds of applause with which it was
greeted.
THE DIVISION RESPONDS.
President HARDWOOD, on behalf of the Division
acknowledged the sensibility with which they
were impressed as the recipients of the honors
extended. Eloquent and pointed illustrations
made in few words expressing gems OF
thought as the work of the commercial ira vel
Ter was sketched. He was in the streets, alopi
the mountains, and on the lakes of all the coun
try carrying the messages of commerce, whiel
was the genius OF our Republic. After conclud
ing his response, the President announced tn
further
ORDER OF BUSINESS.
The hall is large and well lighted. The mem
bsrs and Officers were pleasantly seated, and tn
cast of the body most favorably impressed tn