Evening star., 1900-09-18
THE TRAVELLING Statesmen
MISREPRESENTATION AS TO THEIR
POLITICAL PROCLIvITIEs.
What One of the Class Says In Regard
to Business-Majority Loyal
to Mckinley.

Mr.. W. R. Sears, representative of one
of the largest jObbing houses in Chicago,
passed through Washington recently en-
route to New York. where 1t Is his inten-
ton to employ several additional travelling
statesmen for his firm. Mr.. Sears Is op
timistic regarding the success of Mckinley
and Roosevelt, and SCOTS at the opinion ad-
vanced by the democrats that the travel
ing statesmen Of the country will support
Bryan ut the coming election. In speaking
Of the situation to The Star, Mr. Sears ex-
pressed himself es follows:
Democratic Literature.
THE democrats are flooding the country
with literature intending to show and max
ing great claims tha. the travelling men
will support Bryan The democrats make
the false statement that there are fewer
knights Of the grip now on the road than
at any time during recent years: they fur
ther claim that this alleged condition of
affairs is due to trusts and corporations.
They have addressed circular to the vari
Gus travelling mems associations OF the
country, which contains one of the most
startling calamity howls that has ever been
issued in a campaign. Trusts and corpora
tons are pictured as hideous monsters
which are becoming SO independent that,
the democrats allege, in q very few years
they will do without travelling statesmen,
from them direct. whether or no. This
circular Of the democrats claims that all
branches of trade will be affected. 1t goes
on to mention that all Of the dry goods
one immense trust and secure absolute con-
troll of this branch of trade. Every de-
partment Of business is thus characterized.
and from this 1t is intended to frighten
the travelling man into believing that his
occupation is practically gone.
Some INTERPRETATIONS.
"The democrats have further tried to i'm
press the travelling men that during the
present administration they have had
harder time than at any other period in the
history Of commercial progress. They have
also, with great fanfare Of trumpets In
certain party organs, attempted to show
that the travelling men believed these alb
surdities and that they are going to sup
port Bryan almost to unit. rms is ab-
solutely false. I never was a politician or
took anything more than a passing inter-
est in politics. but do not think the peo-
pie should be deceived as to the true posi-
ton Of the travelling men, 1t is conceded
that the country never enjoyed period
of greater prosperity than during the pres
ent administration. This prosperity mas
caused new industries to be established,
trade to increase, and 1t has given the con-
sumers more money to spend. This condi-
ton Of affairs has caused more goods to be
sold to larger number OF retailers, ana
consequently the employment Oh Hoie
travelling statesmen.
Loyal to Mckinley.
GAS stated before I am not politician,
but have Travelled and sold goods in nearly
all of the middle and western states. know
hundreds OF travelling statesmen, and am
willing to state in their names that great
majority of them will support Mckinley
In travelling have also come into contact
with hundreds of country merchants. They
say that trade was never better, and that
they are perfectly satisfied with the pres
ent condition of affairs. I forgot to men
tion one thing which the country merchants
have told me- and that is that for the past
three years the majority of their customers
have been paying in cash. while formerly
long credit had to be given in order to Sc
cure trade. This has had the effect of
causing goods 20 be sold at a slightly re-
duced cost to the consumer These facts will
/ think, bear me outin the assertion that the
travelling men WILL class, be found
loyal to Mckinley and Roosevelt at the
coming election"