The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-06-02
T. P. A. CONVENTION
THE sDRUMfERsv WILL TAKE
TERRE HAUTE By STORM TO-DAY.
National Meeting on the Travellers
Protective Association VIII Have
SIX Hundred Delegates.


Speclal 10 the lnolanapOuS JOURNAL.
TERRE HAUTE. Ind. June There win
be six hundred delegates in the national con-
vention Of the Travellers Protective Asso-
citation which meets here tomorrow
and It Is expected that fifteen
hundred or two thousand moro men,
bers of this. the only national organization
of commercial travellers, Will be here to-mor-
row evening to take part IN the Illuminated
parade. The annual conventions are made
an occasion for a weeks reunion and a gen.
eral good time and the T. p. A. men will
be dropping in during the week If only for a
day. The city Is being elaforately decorated
and the Illuminated parade tomorrow has
been arranged on big scale.
The election Of John C. Wilkinson as pres
ident. which had been assured, has been
upset by Mr.. Wikinson's withdrawal. IL
has always been conceded that the Missouri
division should name the president because
the headquarters were formerly located in
that State. Mr.. Wilkinson has decided that
his business affairs and his health win not
permit him to accept. Col. John A Lee has
served three years and announced that he
would not be a candidate for fourth term,
but since Mr.. Wilkinson's withdrawal he
has consented and he will be elected without
opposition. He is the editor of the Inter-
state Grocer. published in st. Louis, and is
a member of the Board Of Police Commis-
sioners in that city.
The most important question to come be-
fore the convention is that of railroad rates.
The T. p. A. was organized for the purpose
of securing better railroad rates. improved
MOTEL accommodations and legislation on
matters in which the commercial world
might be interested. 1t was mostly through
its efforts that the railroads issued the in
terchangeable mileage books which recently
were abandoned by the companies. The T..
p. A men think the railroads are treating
them unfairly in the matter by making it
appear that travelling men have been dealing
with scalpers and that therefore the books
had come into misuse. The travelling men
had agreed to most any measure Of pre-
caution in this regard. but the trafhc asso-
citation does not seem willing to give them
the books. The abuse OF them, according TO
the belief of the travelling men, was due
to the acts of the railroad companies them
selves. as the scalpers bought them direct
from the agencies. The feeling Of resent
ment towards the railroads has been in
creased by their refusal to grant special ex-
cursion rates for the convention. Several
hundred men in Decatur and Peoria wanted
to come here tomorrow, but no better rate
than one fare. for the round trip could be
are making rates at less than that for ex-
cursions TO st. Louis. The travelling men
say that they .patronize the railroads the
sions are patronized by persons who never
ride on the roads except on some cheap ex-
It is probable that the convention will
start a movement for legislation in the sew
eral States in the middle West for gen.
eral rate of cents a mile for all persons
The Convention will be called to order to-
morrow morning in the opera house, when
an address Of welcome on the part OF the
and on the part of the city by Mayor Ross
Col. r. w. Thompson Is also expected to
add to the welcome The afternoon session
be sessions Wednesday and Thursday morn
ings.
The ladies VINO accompany the visitors to
mittAes of Terre Haute ladies and to-mor-
row morning will be guests at the Terre
Haute Club. Wednesday morning they
mttee m Ss Of ades saesh wednssday ehs night tSsre @
will be special vaudeville perform
ance at Harrison Park, one Of the perform
ances being dancing by & MISS fuler, M ,,, SISTER
apparatus used by the sister in the dances
which have made her famous. Thursday
there will be racing and athletic sports at
the fair grounds and that night there will
be banquet and dancing at the Terre
Haute House Friday morning a special
train will carry all VINO want 10 make the
trip to Put-in-Bay, going by the way OF
Dayton over the Panhandle. and 10 Toledo
Saturday evening the excursionists Will go
by boat to Detroit, where they will remain
until Sunday night, returning TO Toledo by
boat and back here, or many OF them
whose convenience it will be to return TO
this city, Monday morning.
The Travellers Protective Association was
reorganized on it's present plan at Denver in
$780, 1t had a membership Of l.1so the fol-
lowing June and 1883 last June. The re-
ports this week will show membership of
about 1900. For the year ending June, 1895,
s57s25 was paid in indemnities for injuries
or DEATH The only insurance in the asso-
ciation is for accident. For death or total
blindness 1t is 5000; loss OF one eye, s1.o00;
loss of both arms or legs. $500: loss of one
arm one leg. $500; loss OF one hand or
one foot, 81. 900: weekly indemnity for acci-
dental injury not to exceed fifty-two weeks.
SIS.