The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-05-02
Travelling statesmen and Results.

The following original article was read
before the recent National convent ion of
,ht,.,i.,,t, L., c,,.o,
',i'l
j. r. Nutting. Nhile 1t apples directly TO
hardware trade. 1t has that in II which
win anvil. "a all trade In qcnnraI and ia
"''' 'N''' g. j.
roproducea from ihe 9ai'pie |aSe' III
which IL was published;
Rack far hack in Tie uncouth ages. the
,....,..,i., ,,.,,.1,o, ,,,,,a,, Mic ora,,ors
-,
work IN mis- small ruae BOAT ne husseu
the wild shores, beaNAs up Uaue' NO
money had ne Tor none had oeen coined,
put he mad coarse taorics ana ,rlnhe's 10
barter Tor crude SUM, LOT pel'ries' lor
gums, and Tor, now ana then, bHs OIL sue
gesttve metals. ana once IN whlie' LOT
attractive slaves Az the flsh OF ms me-
he ventured afar aud sought trade re was
the aVant courier OF inc present Gay
vast commerce. After MN, III me process
OF time came greater SHIPS anu iohser anu
more frequent caravans great houses ana
| firms sprang into life, concerns That sent
out travelling men, sent ont their agents
| 10 seek for commodities with Whlch to io"d
tho ships and caravans III IKE interest
! they wandered more or less from point 10
point, from hut to hut, rom port 70 port,
| trailicklng and preparing for traiIlc ana
(
| wild world in matters Of useiul enter
change Of the products Of the times, laying
| the first foundation stones OF the commerce
which now is ours,
| Commerce built the cities anu me roaus'
| Oftentlmes In tho wor!d history mas COM
merce destroyed them. commerce sent INC
| ships To sea and kept them th"re' proViueu
means for setting up tho great and little
schools, for the erection Of great enteF-
prises and odiAces, both Pagan and Chris
tian. Through the laoorS OF our class IN
other days and ages, laws were framed
"Ht toult9 - g., -. I., hos
it pushed the word alohs' conqu, ~
darkness and making II possible for light
10 shine Its ships plow every sea; It's
iron rails mark every land. Behind every
useful enterprise the world has ever known
the sturdS merchant stands, the merchant
and the travelling man Ihey were hmnhs
the first in history ana they nave never
lost their grip. Great Is the word pro-
gress, and the men OF commerce are a'
the bottom OF II.
The commercial traveller Is no new thing
He began With the beginning He was a
peddlcr hagman. chapman. wandered In
boats. afoot on horseback or on wheels.
sold goods for himself, or fof obAerS' ne
found trade. extended H. planted more ans
more, nursed II, brought mo IL ,hlItl ~
IS mere hulNelNNh Nv" t"''.- ~ ~, -
DAVIS but b!s instincts are much the same.
II His energies aro Increased II Is only
berause Of his greater facilities. Let ns
now proceed 20 look INTO nm ana ms
affairs moro closely IN the light 81 the
present hour The commerce Of all civilized
ciountries depends largely mon the tray raw
cling salosmen, or on personal solicitation
How then. can travelling men best sub
serve their personal in'eFe1ts aea me ~
forests of their employers, whether en-. en-,
gagged on iSed ,alary or Oh t,,s ~ nav
r nsr mn
pV That there Will be as many opinions as
,haro are persons on this floor admits OF
some thoughts worthy Of your eare y,
consideration the discussion a which
brngs you n lpp co9 more hrmany bring,