Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1896-03-05
PRAISE FOR THE DRuMMERs.
Hon. j. R. Burtou's Eloquent Ad.
dress to Travelling Men.

The travelling men are noted for
wanting and getting the best OF every
thing and when the Travelling Mems
Republican club Of Iowa invited J, r.
| Burton of Abilene to deliver the an
nual address at its Washington Day
banquet in Marshalltown, Iowa, Feb.
22, it secured one Of the best orators
in the nation and he made u magnif-
cent talk. The Times-Republican Of
Marshalltown publishes the address
in full under the heading, -. X.
Burton, the Next Senator from Kan
sas, Talks Grandly on Patriotism.
The address was an eulogy Of Wash
ington, Lincoln and Grant and was
filled throughout with tributes to
these great Americans which awaken
ed the sincerest applause from the
hundreds present. Probably the most
interesting feature Of the address was
his reference to the travelling men
and every Knight Of the Grip will ap-
preciate the high encomium upon tn
calling Of the commercial traveller
He said: =.
A word to the travelling men and |
have done: You are an army half
million strong in this country. You
represent the ceaseless push of COM
merce, that never tires and never
resistant is, except under a Demo-
cratic administration.
Commerce is weary row, and en-
forced rest has come to many indus
tries that you heretofore have repre-
sented, and that kind Of rest makes
them, yourselves and all the rest Of
us very tired. Don't you want changer
We do. Then the country does.
Then help to bring it about. | trust
no travelling man has lost his grip
il he has there is way to get it
again.
You are courageous class On
the banner of the drummer is inscrb-
ed the word hope. never knew but
one Populist that was travelling
man, and he talked himself into in
sanity.
You should, in common with all
citizens, be politicians in the highest,
purest and best sense Of the term
No class Of men Of equal numbers
are as good single-handed takers;
none can create SO much public opin-
ion; none are better acquainted with
the condition of the times.
| said you should be politicians.
You are politicians. 1t is part Of the
business OF a drummer to be polite.
You bring sunshine with you wher-
ever you go-on railway trains, in
hotels, on the street--in your rela-
tions with men everywhere-life, joy,
hope. True, you learn who is the
enemy Of trade; the enemy of success;
the enemy of business; the enemy of
commerce, and your enemy, and when
you do the whitening spirit Of boycott
strikes such an enemy with deadly
blight. believe you have boycotted
this administration; you have decid-
ed to work for change. have ever
been the friend Of travelling men.
Many kindnesses they have shown
me. For every unkind word said |
against me by a travelling man, a |
thousand have been spoken in my |
favor | am so constituted that
cannot long remember an injury. |
try never to forget kindness. Your
coming through your gen
ial president, Mr.. Wentworth, to me
to be with you tonight and talk to the
only Travelling Mems Republican club
in America met with responsive
feeling in my heart. lam glad that
have come. The courtesies extend
al IN mo have hpen abundant over-