The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-08
TRUSTS AND DRUMMERS.
NOT TRUE THAT THE TRAVELLING
SALESMAN rs DYING OUT

In Some Lines Of Trade They Can't 0ee
Drummers Enoueh-Ahe o'u"'ioh III 'Ao
Drs oooos ".AIse'
Dooih Do"nh"s Ahose AfSs
In q letter on trusts printed In New York
newspaper several weeks ago Pierre Lorillard.
Jr. the then Treasurer Of the Continental Tobacco
Company declared In substance. that the forma-
ton OF trusts In all lines Of business would DO
great boon TO the public because the trusts would
do away altogether with commercial travellers
He said that tho cost OF employing commercial
travellers by the wholesalers was an unneces-
sary tax on tho consumer and that since the
members OF trusts had no need for travelling sales
men, the prices OF the products sold by trusts
would be reduced by tho amount saved in salaries
paid to travelling men
Since the publication Of that letter Il has been
reported from time to time that this or that firm
or company had discharged Its travelling sales
men and did not purpose TO employ that class Of
help In the future The H. d Clanin Company.
Charles Broadway Rouss and Butler Brothers
were among those reported 10 have done away
with their "drummers" and THE SUN was In
formed recently that many other firms and COM
panies were going TO do likewise and that the com.
mercial travellers were about 10 Join hands with
tho Populists and others In crusade against
Trusts
SUN reporter made an investig alton OF these
reports the other day and found that they had
little foundation In fact On the contrary IL was
learned that not only has there not been or Is
IT,. 4, oon,.,,,I.,io, h, vho,...l. d..,o,. .
- hi :, -. y; ~. ',
general discharge OF travelling salesmen Dut INC
supply is not equal to the demand. Never has
tber. heen in this oountrv . mora favorable on
'noio o.e' ~ 'u'H Oo.s o'o 10 ,tl w
portunity 10 sell goods those In various lines OF
,n.n,.d All ,h,, N, r.,.i,srs ,b,ouabout tho
-. A, -. -, ~, -.
follow II is no, sVe p retailer who can come TO
New York to nick out his goods. Therefore
ave-" 1lA w @ W, u nIz s" 1 =, n. v,,,
the wholesaler must 20 to him and that can only
be done through the travelling salesman Hence
IN. increased demand for rscd men Til. Rus
sell & Erwin Manufacturing Company, said to be
tho LARGEST makers and sellers OF hardware In
tho world. are in need of several e,por. hard,
ware statesmen
Not only have We never had thought OF dis.
manager to Tho Sun reporter, but we would
~, 49, ,ha ,io,t kind =, uan Ths h.sr,ss, .,n.ns.
se' 'no rig Nv k'nu u u'eu INC hee''es' "Opens
and expenses of our agents on the road and we
,-or,d h. onlv Ion o, al IN a, ow,v wi,h IA Rnt
Wouia DO oh'y VOC E,au 70 10 away WIN i" Du'
the thing cant be done at present and ! see
no way OF accomplishing IT, What is true of
us 10 ,,,a ~, s,r. -, al, a.. oon.o,n. IN 90,
US 10 uuo, ! aln 'ui'' VI oil 'n' CONCERNS ia ou,
line II were otherwise, | would have heard
oft Furthermore don believe that travelling
i.,-.,. 90. h,,,, o,.u Ii.,sL ~
eaiesfnoh arc oeihg gehetahv oispehsed Win
anywhere in tho country. II such were the case,
some OF tho men. at lea T. would driit TO New
ani PS 0 1 iSS1 s RS Supply
2i good travelling sale is not equal to tho
demand These gentlemen are the ablest, bright
est ani most 'ces5sry evil know OF.
Joan q Eames anaging irectot Of the
H. b. Claf1in Company. took the wind all out
Of the story that his company had been discharg
ing their road agents in droves
solicited trade through travelling statesmen. Our
policy has always been TO try to bring buyers
to New York We want them TO come to this
market ana once they re here. We take our
chances with our neig hbOrs OF selling them. We
spend thousands OF dollars every year in CORE
ondence in the endcayor to bring our customers
TO this market and we have been fairly success
full. In order to bring home to buyers through
out the country the force OF our written argu-
ments and suggestions and lso to show our
II ever, come TO New York, we ssnt into differ
en parts of tho country, about four years ago.
fifteen statesmen. They were intended to be
animated advertisements for the company and
for the city. rather than sellers OF goods; When
they had accomplished that for which they were
sent out, they were recalled A lew were then
discharged but the majority were retained in
other employment You will see, therefore,
that we never did regularly employ commercial
travellers and that OF the Tow We did employ for
specific purpose for short time the majority
are still with us doing other work. You will
md, l think, that firms and companies. in all
lines OF trades, who have always employed travel
ling men, have not only not discharged any,
OF Increased trade"
This statement WA verified wherever the
porter went Charles broadway Rouss hasn't