The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-10
SAMP Plies
Were Out OF
Sight.
TRAVELLING MEN
Take Stop Overs for Their
Annual Banquet.

A good supper, good speeches and
general good cheer We're the features.
of the annual meeting of the Worcester
Commercial Travellers Association,
which was held at the Bay State House
last night.
OF all the gatherings of the associa-
ton since its organization. it is doubt
ful if there have been any as enjoyable
as that Of last evening. From the start
to the close there was nothing to mar
the fullest pleasure of the members. and
the committee in charge of the affair
has every reason to congratulate itself
upon the success achieved.
With the Rev. Almou Gunnison, d.
D., as POSTMASTER there was no end of
witticisms at the expense of the differ
emit speakers introduced, and with such
men as Mayor Dodge and Col. Winslow
and COngressman-e elect Thayer to re-
ply to clever introductions, there was
no lack of delightful repartee that was
intensely enjoyed by the brethren of
the road and sample bag.
One of the brightest speeches of the
GNGIIliS w dS utllNeIGu ny lQe HON.
Theodore c. Bates of this city Mr.
Bates came on from New York for the
special purpose of accepting the invi-
tation extended to him. He addressed
the boys from the standpoint of a for
mer travelling man, and his words left
a deep impression upon his hearers. Mr..
Bates was obliged to leave just before
midnight, in order to take the train for
the great metropolis.
rs,F
association was called to order al 7.30
O'Clock by President e. Webster AL
len. The annual report of the secretary
and treasurer showed that SIS new
members had been admitted to the as
sociation during the past year, making
the membership 200 No deaths had oc-
CURED during the year
The treasurerS report shows the as
sociation to be in excellent shape, fin
ancially. Mr.. Thorndike declined the
honor Of reelection to the office of sec
rotary and treasurer, but his associates
valued his services too highly and he
was elected in suite of his protest
Following is the list of officers elected
for the ensuing year: President. E.
Webster Allen; first vice president,
Fred A. Jones; vice president, Charles
B. Newhall: executive committee, the
above and Albert II. WinsoW. Herbert
K. Spared, Charles M. Booth, J. G.
Cherry and w Fl. Condor; secretary
and treasurer, Charles s. Thorndike.
Following the discussion of a splendid
dinner provided by mine host of the
Bay State House President Allen
raped for order. and brifly welcomed
those present. 1t had been sixteen
months since the association lost one
Of its members, and the president sug-
gested that all stand for a moment, in
silence, in memory of the dead.
President Allen read a letter from e.
I. Comins, president of the Board Of
Trade, in which that gentleman eX-
pressed his regret at not being able to
be present. Rev. Almon Gunnison, D.
D., was then introduced as POSTMASTER
of the evening.
DR.. Gunnison was all that could be
asked in his position, for the evening.
His ready wit and comments on Col.
WinsloW, Mayor Dodge and other gen
tlemen brought forth round after round
of applause and tended to keep all in
the best of spirits, in addition to bring
ing forth spirited replies from the gen
tlemen alluded to.
In Introducing Mayor Dodge, the
POSTMASTER referred to the fact that
the life of the mayor is not altogether
a happy one, any more than the police
mans On one hand he is confronted by
the Kettle Brook litigation, on another
by the Millbury sewage question; again
a delegate from the w. c. T. U. calls
at his Office and upbraids him for snok-
ing a cigar and last of all he loses his
dog. Truly the life of a mayor is not a
happy one.
Mayor Dodge fired a few hot shots
for the benefit Of the toastmaster, and
told a funny story about purchasing the
dog in question. He said he went to see
a farmer in his native town about the
animal, and on the first visit was told
that the animal came from the j. IT.
Walker stock, which spoke well for his
running ability. a little later he called
on the same farmer and was informed
that the animal was of the John r.
Thayer stock. He has found this true,
for it is difficult to locate the animal
except when he was chained.
He was glad, however, to turn from
the frivolity of being mayor and at
tend a reunion of the travelling men. He
spoke of the surprising growth of the
city, its exceptional railroad facilities,
its diversified Industries and rapid
growth as d center of the wholesale
trade.
Mayor Dodge spoke OF the travelling
men as the ones who we'll represent
commercial interests of the city. The
problem of doing what is best for the
interests Of the manufacturing and
primary Importance. Every effort
should be made for the promotion of
new enterprise, but at the present time
there seems no immediate prospect of
tightening the tax rate of the city. AS
soon as possible the burden of taxation
should be reduced, but no false econ
Cmy should be practiced. The city
should have something to say to new
enterprises aside from the exhibit of
business capacity. 1t should be able to
give advantages in the matter of tax
alton.
DR.. Gunnison introduced as the next
speaker, Hon. Theodore C. Bates of
Worcester. Mr.. Bates expressed his
pleasure at the opportunity in address
ing the members Of the association He
could speak to them, he said, as trav-
cling man, for he had himself been for
ten years on the road with the sample
bag. and later closely allied with some
of the brightest and the most clever
men in the profession.
He congratulated the Worcester trav-
cling men upon their organization, in
which there was union of mutual in
terests and exchange of good feeling
and fellowship at least twice a year.
There was no class of workers in the
whole country with more influence and
power than the 100000 commercial
travellers in the national organization
Of the United States, and to the credit