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


There are no trusts, says Hanna.
Here is the plain statement Of a victim of
trusts, He declares that there are $4,000
others who have been sacrificed in the on
ward rush of monopoly.
Mr.. 1. J. Blocher, who resides at SO
South Fulton avenue, is the man who makes
the statement. He says:
81 was for 10 years one Of the travelling
men employed by the P. ]. Sorg Company,
Middetown, 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 So assembled from all parts of the
country. The company paid our expenses
and entertained us while we met. They gave
us great send off for the work we we're
doing, and urged US to continue our activity
in pushing the sale ofthe company's product.
It was hardly more than year when the
Continental Tobacco Company absorbed our
factory.
This company is the twin companion OF
the American Tobacco Company and con-
trolls the plug tobacco manufacture while the
latter controls the other branches Of the bust
ness.
rs MEN GO AT ONCE.
''The first intimation that our factory had
been gobbled by the trust was in the dis
charged of rs of our SO travelling men. /
was one of the seven retained.
mot 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 were not given much of 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 OF the 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 fit themselves
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 So, 900 year, out
of which paid my expenses and had about
81, 800 left. This was $3.50 month. Now
the trust employs what are termed missiona
res to work up business and pays them $50 a
month. Even with this enormous reduction
in operating expenses the dealers pay as
much, If not more, for their goods.
There are others who are sufferers through
the trusts policy. The railroads lose 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 hustling travelling man
are out of pocket.
FOR BRYAN? YES.
Twill vote for Bryan? Certainly. Tam
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 ont strong for the election of the Demo-
cratic ticket
Mr.. BIocher 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
most of his business career. he has been keep
ing small tobacco store at 515 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.