The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-10-20
TRUSTS AND DRUMMERS.
T. j. Blocher Tells What One Com.
bine Did To Travellers.
From the Baltimore Sun.

| FROM the baltimore sun.
"Ihere are no trusts, " says Hanna.
Here is the plain statement of a victim OF
| trusts, He declares that there are S0.0
others who have been sacrificed in the on
ward rush of monopoly.
| Mr.. I. J. Blocher, who resides at SO
| South Fulton avenue, is the man who makes
the statement. He says:
| Il was for 13 years one of the travelling
men employed by the p. ]. Sorg Company,
| Middletown, Ohio, manufacturers of plug
! tobacco. This company had the third largest
| factory of its kind in the United States AT
the last meeting of the travelling men of the
| company S5 assembled from all parts of the
country. The company paid our expenses
and entertained us while we met. They gave
US a great 'send-off' for the work we were
| dong, and urged us to continue our activity
| IN pushing the sale ofthe company's product
| 1t was hardly more than a year when the
| Continental Tobacco Company absorbed our
factory.
This company is the twin companion of
the American Tobacco Company and con-
trols the plug tobacco manufacture, while the
latter controls the other branches of the bust
| ness.
IS NES co AT ONCE.
The first intimation that our factory had
been gobbled by the trust was in the dis
charged of IS OF our S5 travelling men.
was one of the seven retained
Not long after this four more were
dropped and only three were kept out of the
original 50. ! was one of the four to go
We we're not given much of a chance to get
other work We could not go into the same
line of business, for that was shut off from us
by the trust. Ofthe 400 travelling men who
were dropped by the four leading plug tobac-
CO factories most of them were not even given
the courtesy of notification of their dis
charge by letter. A short telegram was all
that they got to let them know that the ave
nue. of employment, for which to fitthemselges
they had spent years of hard work, had been
forever closed to them.
Before the trust took possession of the
business | was able to earn s., 900 year, out
Of which | paid my expenses and had about
81, 500 left This was $50 a month. Now
the trust employs what are termed missiona-
rics to work up business and pays them $50
month. Even with this enormous reduction
m operating expenses the dealers pay as
much, it not more, for their goods.
There are others who are sufferers through
the trusts policy The railroads lose a big
and profitable business, the hotels miss the
best class of their customers and the cities all
over the country that benefited in some way
from the visits of the hustlng travelling man
are out Of pocket
FOR BRYAN? YES.
"Will | vote for Bryan? Certainly am
working with as much vim to help to elect
him as ever worked to sell bill af goods.
And there are thousands Just like myself in
every part of the country. Travelling men
know how to hustle and win things. and they
are out strong for the election of the Demo
cratic ticket
Mr.. Blocher travelled for his company in
Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri He was
born in Cumberland and since his enforced
retirement from the work to which he devoted
nioSf of his business career. he has been keep
ing small tobacco store at 5l5 North How
ard street. In this he considers that he is
also IN hard luck, and explained last night
that he would have TO get out, as someone
had leased the property.