The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-12
CHIEF OF THE DRuMMERs.
Pres. Smith Talks of the Travelers'
Protective Association.

Protective Association.
A representative of the Morning News
had talk yesterday with Mr.. f. E, Smith
of Atlanta, the president of the Georgia
division of the Travellers Protective Asso-
citation.
In response to questions concerning his
| association. Mr.. Smith said: 81 am always
glad to put the aims of this association
before the business public because every
business man ought to be deeply interested
in our work and ought to cooperate with
US heartily. We form a body of nearly coo
men-jobbers, manufacturers and CONNER
cial travelers-in the Georgia division
alone There is not a man in the division,
but has the best interests of Georgia at
heart and is willingly giving of his time
his thought and his means to build up the
commercial interests of the state Many,
who have not investigated, think we are
simply an accident insurance association.
Each of our members pays $40 per year.
With this we furnish protection at cost
against total disablement, or loss of life or
limb by accident and have enough money
left to advance the chief purposes of the
an incidental feature) These chief pur-
poses are:
l. To elevate the moral and social char
acter of our members.
2. To develop spirit Of true business
ethics among our members and thus do
away with Misrepresentation or abuse of
a rival or his goods.
| g. To bring about q better understanding
between business houses and their travel
| ing men.
4. To secure just and equitable passen-
ger and hotel rates and proper convenien-
ces for commercial travellers,
5. To promote our commercial interests
both at home and abroad.
| Now l am sure that there is not a citi-
zen of Savannah but will say these are
| laudable purposes, and that every
| jobber, commission merchant, manu-
| facturer and travelling man Cfor our men,
| bership is limited to these classes), will
see that his interests and the interests of
| the public are promoted by our efforts.
Because we have had to pound pretty
hard our friends, who are presidents, gem
| eral managers and general passenger
| agents of the railroads. in order to get
| them to believe that we were in earnest
that we knew the justice of our case, and
that we were not going TO be discriminate
| ed against without a vigorous protest
| some have inferred that we were enemies
to the railroads and willing to cripple their
| efficiency. No graver mistake could be
made. We have hit hard and we have
! intended to hit as hard as truth and JUS
| tice would permit, but nowhere in our
| arguments can be found abuse, misrepre-
sentation or malicious spirit. Our in
terests and the railroad interests are mu-
| tual.
1--WE have found the railroad officials
hint
| awfully hard to corner on the mileage
| question Most of them are like our friend
| Wrenn, of the Plant system who wishes
| to hunt with us as did the white man
with the Indian. They were to divide the
| game. They killed a turkey and buzz
zard. NOW" said the white man, 'you
| can take the buzzaTd." THAT seems
! turkey or I'll take the turkey and you
can take the buZzazrd. THAT seems
fair" said the Indian, "but somehow or
| other you seem to get the turkey every
time
l had a very pleasant conference on
yesterday with Mr.. Egan, vice president
Of the Central railroad, whom 1 found
solid, level-headed business man. call
| ed his attention to the 5,000-mile inter
| changeable mileage book. good over some
| ninety railroads in the Central Traffic
Association, and sold at the fiat rate of
cents per mile; and also to the new 1000
Il
good over forty different railroads,
| that went on sale in the
north, Sept 1, at the net rate of
cents per mile; and 1 said to him that
it was not unreasonable that the largest
business interests in the south and those
representing those interests should be rest
| less when compelled to pay from to
cents per mile, or else purchase ten to
twenty-five books with unusual restrfc-
tions in order to obtain even rate of 21a
cents. came from Columbia, S. c., to
| Savannah and was charged s4.95 for a tick
ct, or 31s cents per mile. We have given
fair consideration to the earning capacity
of the southern railroads." I said to Mr..
Egan, but we know they run at less than
| half the expense, employ less than half
| the number of men, get more hauling per
train-load out of their passengers, collect
| from the average passenger from two to
three times as much, and grant less priv
| ileges than the sections which are favor
ed In the matter of better rates and more
facilities Mr. Egan promised that his
road would give the matter careful con-
| sideration.
"Our post in Savannah has about 100
members and is in good, working condi-
| ton, with energetic and efficient officers
Our next state convention will be held
in this city, and you will see as fine a
business body as ever gathered in Savan-
nah. am proud of our membership, and
l think have right to be-"