The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-06-20
TRAVELLING MEN AND THE RAIL.
ROADS,


There is no reason on earth whv the
travelling men of the country and the rail-.
roads should not enter into Il reciprocity
treaty. Their interests are co-mutual ana
interdependent. Were 1t not for the rail
roads the travelling mar>twould not be 30
numerous and his position would be more
lrhsome than 1t now is, il such a thing be
possible Were it not for the travelling man
the railroads would not haul many "A mil
| lion pounds of freight that they now haul
and every one with the faintest adumbra-
| ton of intellect knows that the earning
capacity Of a railroad is in the freight
department. Why is it, then. that they are
so very far apart? What is the secret Of.
the antagonism between them? Why are SO
few concessions granted to travelling men
by railroads and so many granted to peri
palette prating poll parrots in the guise
| OF ham-fat actors who, perhaps, pay half
pass the other?
The travelling men of the country are q
selt-respectng. toned, honorable set
OF manly men, who pay their way every
where like princes and ask no aims of
railroads or anyone else: they are the
breath in the nostris of commerce; with
out them commerce would stagnate; they
bring country and city together; they are
the heralds of prosperity. the missionaries
of civilization and progress. Why should
they be tabooed and denied recognition by
railroads? 1t is one of the mysteries OF
the commercial world. Can any railroad
man explain IT? If so. these T. p. a. col
umns are open to him. He certainly can
not deny it. 1t Is as gross to the sense as
the sun at MONDAY. 1t is a fact patent to
all. What we want is an explanation of IT,
The people who receive most and largest
concessions from railroads only travel over
the roads once In IL season and damn the
accommodations afforded them while they
are doing so. The travelling man goes over
the same territory every thirty or sixty
days year in and year out and leaves be-
hind him trail OF freight that fills the
coifers OF the railroad companies with
shellels. If there IL a man on Gods green
earth who is entitled to the distinguished
consideration Of railroads it is the travel
ing salesman That he does not receive
it is one of the anomalies of interstate
commerce
The travelling men of the country are
today asking small concession at the
hands of the railroads in the shape OF
5OOO-mlle interchangeable mileage book,
good over all the roads of the country or, |
at least over the roads in each passenger |
association territory, They are not alone |
In their request. 1t Is backed by their EN- |
ployers. the shippers OF freight, who pay |
ous thousands OF dollars annually in ras-
senger fares TO railroads for the privilege |
of shipping freight over them The rail-
roads are refusing the concession and are
standing in their own sunlight by so do
Ing.
one OF the chief arguments against the
issuance OF the 5000-mlle interchangeable 1
mileage hook which ia used by the rail-
roads is that such books would not be re-
deemed when issued by insolyent roads
and that the solvent roads would there
fore lose a large amount OF money THIS
argument has been met by The trayehhs
men by agreeing to incorporate in the IN
terstate commerce law or any state law
passed for the regulation OF this inter-
changeable mileage book, clause that VIII
compel all roads to furnish an indemnity
bond or an underlying lien Sufficient to
cover The issue OF such mileage books Tor
any length OF time agreed upon by the
roads. This is Just and fair proposition
and should be so recognized by the roads
and tho concession granted TO the travelling
men and their employers.