Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-10-26
TRAVELLING MEMS VIEWS
FIND BUSINESS SENTIMENT ALMOST
UNIVERSAL FOR MCKINLEY.
Increasing Their Out
put, Confident That Bryan Will
BE Defeated.

| In the different pursuits of life perhaps
| the commercial traveller has the best op-
portunity to sound public sentiment on po-
| litical and other questions. He is thrown
directly in contact with business men, and
| is less inclined to view matters from one
standpoint than a politician or Office
! holder.
! At several of the large hotels this morn
ing Star reporter interviewed such COM
mercial travellers as could be found in the
Hobbies, irrespective of their politics, in an
effort to arrive at the sentiment of the
business men throughout the country with
whom they dealt.
At the Arlington he saw Arthur Brad
shaw of New York, who represents a sill
Verware corporation in which are associat-
ed fourteen firms doing business in New
York and Connecticut. Mr.. Bradshaw's
company controls 60 per cent of the silver
ware output of the United States.
Increasing Their Forces.
My route" said Mr.. Bradshaw, takes
me through New York, New Jersey, Mary
land, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Missouri and Kentucky, so I cover a great
deal of ground in trip and meet men of
all shades of political faith Fully 80 per
cent of the men with whom I deal are for
the reelection of President Mckinley. 1
|
| business and do not come in contact with
the great mass of voters. and of this class
of men the result summed up briefly is
| l have stated.
| MY company controls only 60 per cent
| of the business in which it is engaged, and
is in no sense trust, simply combina
| ton for mutual interest, but If the demo-
| cratic press would denominate it l will
say that we are employing more men thus
combined than before Our men are all
skilled workers and command high wages.
Il is my experience that the commercial
men of the country at large are for Nc
| Einley this year as four years ago, and
the reports of wholesale discharges have, l
! believe, been largely exaggerated. We have
added to our force. 1t may be that in
or two industries the working force in all
| branches has necessarily been somewhat
reduced, but nothing like the reports and
| III only few instances. Times are good:
| the big firms and corporations are selling
their products and they require men to
make the sales. The men I meet on the
| read. like our business men who have some
| thing at stake, are for Mckinley
A Change of Sentiment in Indiana.
How do you find conditions from bust
ness and political standpoint in the middle
| west?" was asked.
About six weeks ago. when I was in
| Indiana, 1 found that the business men We're
| in doubt to the outcome in the state,
! but on my last trip the sentiment had veer-
| ed around and they seemed to feel that
! the state was no longer doubtful but would
surely go for Mckinley by a safe majority.
| It was the feeling that former President
| Harrisons stand for sound money and sup
port Of the administration would add thou
sands of doubtful voters to the republican
column Mr. Harrison is most influential
| in that state. Governor Roosevelts tour Is
conceded to have won lot of votes. and
it is thought that these two powerful in
| hoy I'm na1 he 10 in, 10 or
state. t-
From my observations the same senti-
rnent holds true in Illinois, where the
publcans are confident of rolling up a
great, big majority in the state outside of
Cook county, and the business men met
were confident of the ultimate result.
Kentucky's Business Men. 49,
Personally. I look for Mckinley to
carry Kentucky, and base my opinion
upon my talks with it's business men. In
the first place, they are doing well down
there in business, and the merchants desire
no change which will hazard their pros
perity. In the second, the better element of
the state are not only ashamed of Goebel-
ism and what it stands for. but they are
disguised with it. They feel that the only
way the state may redeem itself IN the eyes
of the nation is to defeat the democratic
state and national ticket. The republicans
have recently had some strong additions to
| their ranks from lifetime democrats of the
highest prominence. and their confidence of
carrying the state had greatly increased
| since my former trip. 1 think 1T will be
| proved justified"
People Buying Diamonds.
| Irving L. Russell of Boston, who repre-
| sents a diamond house, is also at the Ar
| lington. His route covers the great cities
| between Boston and Washington
| THE sentiments Mr.. Bradshaw has just
expressed said Mr.. Russell, 81 concur in,
| because find the business men in my ter
| ritory of similar mind. OF course. diamonds
are luxuries, but the prosperity of The
| country under republican admnistra ton Is
shown by the fact that the diamond mar
| ket, though prices have gone up 30 per cent,
| is stiff and the demand brisk. If the people
| thought Bryan would be elected they
wouldn't buy diamonds the of
presidential election There is always a
slight falling off of trade preceding any
| election, no matter how confident the peo-
| pie are, and the luxuries of life necessarily
| feel it first But there is no doubt that the
business interests are for Mckinley"
SILK Drummer's Views.
| At the Raleigh, ]. P. Van. Hook Of New
| York, who represents large silk concern
| and whose territory is in the eastern mid
| die states. said that Of the travelling men
| and merchants with whom he came In con-
tact the great majority were for Mckinley.
| II do not see" he said, "how, under ex-
| lStlnS cOnQltlOnS IN tnlS country, business
| interests can be prevented from working to
| their mutual advantage. The consumer
| gains nothing when the manufacturers are
| fguratvey cutting each others threats,
even II the consumer entertains this Opin-
ion. The consumer knows about what the
standard price is for standard goods, and If
goods are sold at wholesale at ruinous COM
petitive rates. it is the retailer who. a
rule, puts the resulting profit In his pocket.
IF travelling men lose their places by
reason of consultations. while it Is
| fortunate thing for them, do not see how.
| all things, 1T may be helped. and they will
| have to accept the inevitable A driver Of
! an omnibus or street car who reviled
| against the electric roads and the auto
mobiles would be told to hunt up a Job in
| these new lines motOrman driver.