The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-25
pRUMMERs ON THE MOVE.
a Lively Time Looked for ct the At
lama Convention.

The greatest enthusiasm over the coming
convention of the Southern Travellers As
ISOLATION to be held in Atlanta ths week
after Merchant week in Savannah, pre-
walls among travelling men. Not only are
the Georgia branches intere ted, but
branches OF the st. p. A." in adjoining
states ara enthu ed. At the convention il
is believed that Charleston and New Orleans
will apply for membership. The applica-
tons from Chattanooga, Rome, Columbus,
and Athens are in, and they will be ad-
mitted to membership at the convention.
The Southern Travellers Association is
beyond question the most thorough organ
izstion of the kind in existence, and it has
inst begun its work. There is no telling
what it will be after it has been in opera.
4ion a reasonable time. Many important
and some vital questions will come up a. its
convention in Atlanta, however, aud the
associations success from now on depends
materially upon the settlement of these
questions. For instance, the settlement of
headauarters and the election of officers.
Il is understood that the Atlanta delega-
tion is urging the name of its branch's
nresident for president of the association.
Atlanta has always been opposed to Savan-
nah branch having very much to do with the
associations affairs, notwithstanding the Sa-
yannah branch is the mother of the associa-
ton. Ii was under the Savannah branch's
guidance that the association attained to
its present Importance. While Atlantl is
for itself, that branch has always been
very favorably inclined toward President
Newman. Not until now is 1t appearing
that the Atlanta branch wants everything.
1t is believed now that Atlanta will struggle
for the headquarters and the president If,
however, the rules and bylaws and con-
stitution be complied with to the letter At
lanta can hope to secure neither. The con-
stitution provides that each branch's
standing will be measured by
the membership of the branch
Savannah paid up its dues and
showed a membership list of over 40. At
lanta's membership at the same time was
not over seventy-five. Neither did Atlanta
pay its dues thirty days prior to the time
Of holding the convention. 1t is understood
that Atlanta is rapidly increasing its men,
bership list now, however, aud at the last
meeting of the branch over 100 new mem
bers were elected. 1t is believed that its
membership roll will approximate 400 at
the convention. The question arises, will
Atlanta be entitled to this representation.
If it is not, only about SIS will be paid into
the treasury. If 1t is entitled to the repre-
sentaton of 400, instead Of SIS, $500 will be
paid into the treasury. By the first ar
rangement Atlanta will be deprived Of the
headquarters and the president, by the lat
ter plan it may get both.
The question is one which is giving the
various branches good deal of trouble to
settle, II the constitution amounts to any,
thing it is plain that Atlanta can be barred
from representation larger than seventy
five, or what it was thirty days
prior to the meeting Of the con-
vention. 1t is contended by some
Of the members of the association that if
Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon,
Jacksonville and Charleston increase their
membership as diligently as Atlanta has.
the headquarters may be placed where
these branches wish it. None of these
branches, it is thought, will support Atlanta
for the headquarters. While Atlanta will
gain from Rome, Athens and perhaps Chat
tanooga, it is hardly probable that these
branches will have larger representation
than those first named.
The Savannah branch claims that Presi-
dent Newman has been the means of keep
ing the association together, and his unceas-
ing efforts in the associations behalf entities
him to any honor in the gift of the men,
bers. However, it is only fair and
just that the president of the association
should be selected from the different branches
each year, and the Savannah branch does
not ask for more than it is entitled to. If
the other branches believe that Atlanta or
some other branch should, this time, have
the presidency, why not create the office of
general manager with salary and place
President Newman over the association in
that capacity. He is more familiar with
the operation and movements Of the differ
ent branches of the association than
any other person probably in the
association, and while in this posi-
ton he would ne remunerated
for his long services, it would be a pecul-
iarly fitting acknowledgment of his able
and faithful work in the past. The consti-
tuition provides that the president may re-
side outside Of the city in which the head
quarters are, but it prescribes that the
secretary shall reside in the town where the
headquarters are. If the office of general
manager is created, why could not the same
rule apply to it as to the PRESIDENT the
members are asking.
Another important question to be
discussed at the Atlanta convention is the
insurance feature. The board of directors,
OF which President Newman is a member,
will meet at the Kimball house Saturday,
before the convention which convenes on
Monday, and at that meeting some plans
and recommendations will be formulated to
be submitted to the convention.
1t is proposed that 100000 stock
be subscribed for the insurance feature.
Fifty thousand dollars to be paid ia
as a reserve fund, and the remainder called
in as the association demands. The insurance
feature will be upon a mutual accident
basis. Stock will be sold to outsiders,
portion being reserved for each branch The
association will require the stockholders to
purchase the franchise from the association
before q business can be begun. That is,
the association will demand royalty upon
the amount of business. Each travelling
man from the cities where branches are es-
tablished will be an agent for the insurance
company.
Some leading business mrn in Atlanta,
Macon, Savannah, Augusta, or some of the
larger cities, will be named as president of
the insurance company.
President Newman is urging the Savan-
nah branch to increase its membership as
rapidly as possible, and if it, under Presi-
dent Humans direction, will strive to make
as big showing as possible, the Savannah
Contingent may expect to have as much to
say about the work of the convention as
any other branch. Otherwise she cannot
hope to have the influence that it had last
year. When it went into the convention
last year it was the strongest branch in the
association.
Secretary Max Robinson and President
Newman worked untiringly to accomplish
That end and their labors told. 1t is expected
That Savannah branch will not lag, now
That the time for the hardest work has come {.
THE OWED AMT nAppnp