The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-09-09
TRAVELLERS FOR BRYAN
Knights OF the Grip Have
Changed Since 1896.
AN ORGANIZER rs HERE
j. Z. PITTS STOPS OVER ON WAY
TO COAST.

BRYAN will be elected president of
the United States on Nov. next. Just
as sure as the sun Shines said Mr..
j. E. Pitts. at the Kenyon hotel last
night.
Mr.. Pitts is the secretary and organ
izer of the National Democratic COM
mittee of Commercial Travellers, and
in connection with his duties as rep
resentative of a large Cincinnati shoe
firm. is enroute to the Pacific coast to
organize branches of the organization
there for active work during the cam
Pc ign.
"A club was organized If Denver
last Saturday with a large member
ship which Will make itself felt in the
| campaign in Colorado.
The national committee of Com
mercial Travellers was organized in
St Louis in August 1896. under the
ausDices of the national Democratic
committee at the special direction of
/ Senator Jones. The work of the COM
mittee which is entirely national in
character, has for it's object the organ
izatiOn of clubs of travelling men, or
which there are at present sixty-fve,
nearly every large city in the United
States being represented The clubs
/
Hard Work in 1896.
In 1896 the committee found it al
most imDossible to interest CONNER
ciaf travellers in the eastern states in
politics. The committee made the
prophecy then that the success of the
Republican party meant the growth
of trusts. and that the trust meant
death to the commercial traveller The
fears of travelling men, however. were
I Cd nv 10 vatl CT
promises of the Republican party. and
the commercial travellers of the east.
almost to a man, voted the Republican
ticket.
To-day the largest club in the coun-
try. with a membership of little over
). 200. has it's headquarters at the Union
Square hotel in New York City, and is
recognized everywhere as one Of the
strongest Democratic organizations IN
New York state While the change of
sentiment NAV not be so great all over
the country. it is an assured fact that
rs per cent of the commercial travellers
of the United States will support
Bryan in the coming campaign, where
hardly 20 per cent did so in 1896: me
reason for this remarkable detection
from the Republican ranks is not far
to seek. Since 1896 more than 10000
commercial travellers have lost their
positions as q direct result or the
growth of trusts and the consolidation
I
the Republican barty in power is
therefore looked upon as synonymous
with the death of the profession.
Will Astonish the Trusts.
1T is a silent force, not generally
recl1oned with. but 1 fancy its results
will astonish the trusts to say moth
ing of Mark Hanna, who counts on the
travelling Salesman'S vote But the
commercial traveller is waking o
3 tn, - e III Ii,
lively and active interest in this years
campaign, because NJ, IN its result de-
ponds his very existence. And this is
something ne knows, and you can't
promise, persuade or inveigie him out
of his belief. In the event of the cleo
ton of the Republican ticket, which
means the continued fostering and up
| building of trusts and combinations,
he knows that his occupation, like
| that of so many others. will be gone.
1.-The trusts meanwhile make the
statement that the people get the
/ money saved by dispensing with COM
mercial travellers in cheaper prices.
/ We are in a position to know. No
/ other class of men is so well posted in
commercial matters as the commercial
! traveller. Let me cite you one in
/ stance of these cheaper prices. Bat
/ tle-Ax plug. known and advertised all
over the United States, was whole
sailed everywhere at 13 cents per pound
/ under the Olu cOIlneFCldI system
Since it passed into the hands OF the
! trust however, known as the Cont
/ mental Tobacco company, it is sold at
| So cents a pound, and the jobber who
sells il has orders to handle no con-
/ fficting brands if he expects TO keep
/ the business. The Continental com
pany has dispensed with the COM
/ mercial traveller. The benefit to the
/ public is an increase of nearly 200 per
| cent in the wholes;IIe price and the
discharge CT over SoG0 statesmen. The