The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-09-20
THE ConIsrERc1AL TRAyEI,ER.

Tne politician who would get at the
drift Of popular opinion long since
learned to get himself into comnunica-
ton with the commercial traveller. He
is, far better gatherer of facts than
is the local committeeman, for he looks
at and examines into conditions from
different motive. Politics has come
the questions Of tariffs and currency
touch business so closely, that the tray-
cling man takes politics into consider
alton purely as affecting his business
He wants to know the exact condition
and his opportunities for getting it are
exceptionally good. He visits all sec
tons Of his territory, covering one or
more states. He comes in contact with
the business men of the localities. He
is seciable and loquacious fellow and
engages men at the hotels and on the
trains in talk. No editor or politician
has the chances he has to get at the
drift of public thought and opinion.
Early in May the G. 10 asked one
Of these trade peripatetics to take note
of the silver sentiment throughout the
state. His first reports, up to and in
Guiding the Madison square acceptance
by Mr.. Bryan. were that the silver idea
was dominating everything. Could the
election take place then he was of the
opinion that free coinage would sweep
the state. The men he met in his line
of business would talk nothing but sill
yer. 1t was the topic on the trains and
in the hotels. Later, there was a.
change perceptible to him. Men talked
less confidently Of the effect of free
coinage. Doubt had superseded faith.
The educational process was getting in
it's work. They were beginning to ap-
ply to the problem the common sense
used in their private affairs They be-
gan to realize that, as they could not
make so cents worth of something
100 cents by simply saying it was so.
neither could seventy millions of peo-
pie acting through their representa-
tives. called the government.
But his latest reports show the para
Lying effects of the condition. He has
just made a round of his customers in
this state. Uniformly they tell him
that there is no trade; that farmers
are not buying; that they themselves
are not buying and are doing their
best to collect and trim ship for what
ever may happen. One of his custom
ers told him that he was happy for he
had made collections enough to square
off his debts, and that now he would
walt until there was change All at
tributed the condition to the money
agitation. There has been a great
SOLDERING down since spring. Some Of
his reports are informing. A merchant
in the southern part of the state, In
a region supposed to be strong for
silver, told him that he had stocked
up with the gold and silver campaign
hats and had sold fifty of the former
and but three of the latter A German
hotel keeper, making change of
$40 bill and parting reluctantly with
three half-eagles. said: II tell you how
it is with me. I like gold for money
and silver for change" He had taken
the milk out of the monetary cocoanut
Another. a farmer met on the train,
said: 'They try to make us farmers
all out as paupers. 1t is all nonsense.
Of course sell my wheat cheaper now
because I make 1t cheaper I used to
go in harvest time to town and get
men to cradle, or bind and stack, and