The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-10
OPEN ON THE TRUSTS
TRAVELLING MEN TAKE A POSITION
IN THE ASSAULTING
PARTY
FEATURE OF THE STATE FAIR

Travelling Mems Day at the Annual
Exhibition Marked by a Meeting
Under the Auspices of the Com
merciaI Mems Antitrust League
Mayor Kiefer Delivers an Adj
dress in Popular Vein.
Distinct evidence of a feeling on the
part of a large share at least of the trav-
cling men that the present tendency of
the trusts toward Capitalization is in
imical to their interests, and also that
the missions to Canton, O., in 1885, were to
shrine the inspiration of which can
hold them no hope in their contest with
the trust spirit, was given at the state
fair grounds yesterday, the distinctive
feature of Travelling Mems Day
being meeting at the institute hall in
the morning, which was attended by a
large number of the travelling fraternity.
Daniel w. Ahern, president of the State
Antitrust league, presided, and in call
ing the meeting to order said, in sub
stance:
THE objects of this meeting, I feel sat
isfied. are such as will commend 1t to ev-
cry intelligent man in the country. This
meeting was called by the direction ana
under the auspices of the Commercial
Travellers Antitrust League for the pur'
pose of discussing the all-absorbing ques-
ton of the hour-the great trust question
and to take into consideration the rela-
ton of the trusts to the travelling man,
and how the interests of the travelling
man are affected by the trusts and COM
bines. This is the all-important question
70 dnr. iC
or occupation affected by the operations
| of the trusts and combines? If our bust
ness or occupation is affected advei Sc
ly, what steps should we take to offset
| the evil, and what further steps shall we
| take to protect ourselves and our occupa-
ton from the evil consequences brought
about by those trusts and comb1nesY 1t
has been stated by good and reliable au-
thority, that during the last two years
there has been displaced and thrown out
of employment by the operations of the
cial statesmen. Now, gentlemen, this be-
ing the fact, it would seem to be our duty
to ourselves and our families that we
must organize, as that is the only way
that we can get united action, 80 as to
cooperate with other similar organiza-
lions to protect, not only ourselves and
our business but society In general from
this great evil. 1t Is claimed by the trusts
and that the amalgamation Of the large
| number Of manufacturers into one large
concern or trust, that they are enabled
to reduce the prices Of their commodity
to the consumer. Now, let US see as to
that: Now, 1t Is fact, that within one
year the price Of steel billets and other
great steel trust have been advanced
more than 100 per cent. Now, this is re-
ducing prices with a vengeance, and I
could cite you hundreds of similar cases
of this kind. And where the trusts have
reduced prices, 1t has been the prices Of
the other fellows goods; that Is to say,
the raw material that they use in the
manufacture of their commodity. For
vanced between 25 to 40 per cent to the
trade. but the trusts In this particular
branch of business, having complete
monopoly, were not only able to dictate
the price of the furnished article to the
consumer, but to dictate the price of the
raw material to the producer and so re-
duced the price of the straw 81 per ton.
This Is very favorite method Of reducing
prices by the trusts.
Mayor Kiefer, of st. Paul was then In
troduced and addressed the meeting in
delightful vein. If the present tendency
continued, he felt, the travelling man, like
the American bison, would soon become
an extinct species, and this would be
truly deplorable. The mayor was in a
facetious vein and was frequently inter-
rupted by enthusiastic applause At the
close of his address he was given a rising
vote of thanks.
Henry Slade Golf, of Minneapolis then
read an original poem, THE Travelling
Man and the Hippogat,' as follows:
In the once olden time of the not long
Ye Travelling Man was king.
And of all of earth's gifts that did not
come his way
There wasn't a single thing.
All conVersant he was in all reconcile
lore,
And ever resplendent in wit,
While In matters of traffic and travel and
trade.
The Travelling Man was at"
In the East or the West. here or there,
everywhere.
In the tropics or blizzard-swept North.
From the centers of trade to the ends of
the grade
The Travelling Man went forth
Went forth as a conqueror stalks the
And defying the powers of the air;
For in matters Of "biz" the great earth
was all his.
And he had the thing dead on the
square"
Then. oh! wonder profound. on the
Travelling Mans ground.
Right athwart rose the huge hippogat.
And the Man was sore tossed. and with
bruises embossed.
TIL he didn't know where he was at.
And the Man found the Cat covering all
the vast earth,
TO rule and to ruin and rob.
And do what the Man could. or turn
which way he would.
He found himself minus Job.
And the Man sat him down. sore from
heeldrtft to crown,
To pine and to cower?-not he.
But to plan great feast on the flesh
of the beast,
And to heave his bones into the sea-
For the Man was not made to be knock
And he thought of his children and
OF the Hippogat's greed. and humanity's
need
OF the requisites of life:
Of the grip of combines on fields, forests
And their ruinous rule in the state;
OF the meaning of wives, and empower
1Shed lives,
And of homes rendered desolate:
OF the suffering caused by the Trusts
soulless clutch.
Laying hold of the gifts Of the earth:
OF the tn; Il. lsb ss groans, and the sui
Gltstening white on the surface of
earth
Then the Travelling Man swore by the
depth of despair
That he witnessed on every hand,
BY the graves of his sizes, and his own
household fires.
+ That he'd drive the Trusts out of the
land:
BY the fear and the dread Of men asking
for bread,
And the God ruling heavens high
throne,
That the Trusts should be slain. and fair
equity reign,
iI1ctioa should houa ho1. oun