The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-09-03
ARE BUSY SELLING GOODS
MORE TRAVELLING MEN EMPLOYED
THAN FOUR YEARS AGO.
The Democratic Claim that Competent
Men Have Lost Employment
Disputed.

Some people who do not know what they |
ere talking about are trying TO influence
men to vote against Mckinley this year
by declaring that thousands of travelling
men have been thrown out of good posi-
tions under the present administration"
said Livingston ID. Wells, a well-known
travelling salesman, last night "but a more
erroneous statement was never made"
Mr.. Wells represents one of the country's
largest spice manufactures and his terri
tory extends through the States of both
the East and middle West. In his particu-
lar line of business. Mr.. Wells comes in
contact almost exclusively with men en-
gagged in the wholesale grocery business
incidentally, he runs across great many
men who are in the same business as him
self
II met a brother drummer the other
day over at Wheeling. w. Va, said Mr..
Wells, "or at least, he was in the business
until recently, but is now member of the
flrm for which he formerly travelled. L
said to him Lew, what are you doing
here?' Oh he replied, L have got to work
1T seems to me- 1 said, that if were in
your position / would hire somebody to do
my work for me- You would, would your
he answered, well, that is easier said than
done. I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give
you bonus on all the goods sold If you
will put me into communication with five
good travelling men who are out of jobs
and whom can secure. You know very
well that neither you nor any other man
can do it,
The fact of the business is" continued
Mr.. Wells, that the only travelling sales
men who are out of positions are those who
are not competent. personally know that
one of the biggest tobacco concerns in this
country Is employing more travelling men
now than ever before. There are plenty of
opportunities for such men to get employ
ment, but the kind of statesmen that are
being sought for now is the kind that pos
sesses intelligence-the highest class of men
and such men are being paid larger sal
aries than ever before in the history of the
country
AN INTERESTING FACT.
"A most interesting fact, and one that
would be hard to account for by those who
are talking big about travelling men be-
ing thrown out OF work." said Mr.. Wells
lis that from 10. to 20 per cent more rail-
road tickets are being sold to commercial
men at the present time than were sold
four years ago. Does that look like very
many had gone out of the business? Speak
ing for myself. have not heard of single
Democratic travelling salesman who voted
for Mckinley four years ago that is not GO
ing TO do the same thing again this year nor
do know of a single Republican travelling
man that has made up his mind to change
about and vote for Bryan. In my opinion
more travelling men will vote the Repub-
lcan ticket than four years ago. for the
simple reason that they are getting larger
salaries, and opportunities for employment
are better"
What is the showing made by the no.
tets which you have visited in covering
your territory" Mr.. Wells was asked.
AT hotels in most of the large cities il
is almost impossible to secure good accom-
modations, he replied, because of the
number of commercial men on the road
Sample rooms are at a premium. Take,
| for instance, the Anderson Hotel at Pitts
| burg, which is about the first stopping
| point of Importance on the way out from
New York, and 90 per cent. of the men who
register at that hotel early in the morning
are unable TO secure rooms before noon.
Never in the history of trade has there
| been so much competition, and competition,
you know, means plenty OF travelling men,
There is no business house on earth that
can stand very long without sending out
representatives to see the trade L was
| talking with representative of the Ma
| tional' Biscuit Company not long ago. and
| he told me that his company has more men
| on the road to-day selling crackers than it
| ever had before. III tell you the reason
why he said. 1T is because L now make
trips every three weeks, instead of every
| five weeks, as formerly OF course an
other man has to be employed to fill in
that intervening two weeks
ITEMIZED ACCOUNTS.
Il am not a defender of trusts" con-
tinued Mr.. Wells, but do know of one
good they have accomplished, and that is
| in the matter of expense accounts. A man
| who travels for one of the big trusts told
me that when he represented one of the
| firms which was taken into the trust he
| used to fix up his expense account just any
| old way and it passed muster at the home
| office. When. however, I began to travel
| for the trust he said. 4 was presented
with blank form upon which was in
| formed / must make out my expense ac-
count in itemiZed form. AT first / was in
| clined to feel a trifle sore at what / con-
| ceived to be an indignity, but now that 1
have tried the plan a while L like IL. In
| fact, ] feel grateful to my employers for
| starting me on new plan. When / did
| business the old way, l would often pay
out money from my own funds which L
never got back from my house. Now, how
ever / charge up each and every item,
| and il is allowed and paid. L find myself
| considerably ahead. ="
Mr.. Wells was asked as to the political
| feeling among the wholesale grocers with
| whom he comes in contact.
They are for Mckinley almost to a
man. he said, even those who have here
| tofore been Democrats. They find their
business in better shape than ever before
| and do not care to risk change of adj
| ,ninistration. which might be disastrous
| 1t is pretty hard matter to persuade a
| man who is doing well TO change his pol
1 lev"