The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-07
DRUMMERs' FIGHT ON TRUSTS.
travellers and Hotel Men Form an
organization Against the Octopus.


From the Brooklyn Eagle,
The national campaign has been opened
In New York. Headquarters for the Com
mercial Travellers and Hotel Mems Anti
trust League have been established in
me ST. James building, Twenty-sixth
street and Broadway, Manhattan From
this time ON to the end of the presiden-
tlal election an aggressive fight will be
Kept up against trusts. AS vet this
league has identified itself with no DO
Htcal party, but before the close of the
election 1t promises to play an important
part in national affairs.
The organization was conceived nv Will
liam Hoge, Brooklyn man. It began with
q membership of two. Now nearly 30 900
names are carried on the membership list
and in few months it is expected that
100000 will be enrolled. The endless chain
system was used in effecung the organi-
cation. Mr.. Hoge and f. M Tierny of
Eimira mailed letters with applications for
membership 20 five of their friends with
the request that inclosed blanks be sent
o friends of those addressed in the end
less chain system. In few weeks 10000
names came in. No dues were charged
Now the organization is one of the strong
est in the country. Its objects and accom-
plshments were set forth to reporter for
the Eagle yesterday afternoon by Mr.
Hoe. He said:
we are carrying on large correspond
ence every week and are in communication
with thousands of members so that this
headquarters is in touch with every part
OF the country. In this way the CONNER
cial trave'er touring Maine is kept in touch
with his brother in California and vice
versa. All are working up public senti-
nent against trusts There is no better
missionary than the commercial traveller,
who has an influence in every community
that he visits.
we are sending to our members a.
! printed pamphlet entitled Short Talks"
| These are paragraphs bearing upon the
trust question. Some are given in dia-
| logue and few in verse. These are dis
! trbuted at hotels patronzed by CONNER
cial travellers all over the land every Sat
urday night Besides this thousands of
copies ofthe antitrust speech of Angus
tus Van Wyck has been distributed
Joseph j. Willett, the president of the
Alabama Bar Association, who is the gem
eral legal adviser of this organization, and
also chairman of our Committee on Legis-
lation, VIII deliver speeches on Inc anti
! trust issue from the standpoint of the
| commercial traveller and hotel men in Chi
cago early next February, which will be
distributed oil over the country. 1t is ex-
pected that Judge Willett will soon have
! in prepare ton a bill, to be introduced In
Congress, which. If it becomes a law, will
solve the question of trusts. The bill
will first be submitted to our COMMITTEES
on Legislation, which is composed of some
of the leading statesmen of this country.
up 60 now there has been no true
unionism of commercial travellers, and
consequently they have not enjoyed the
benefits of organization. The aim of the
Commercial Travellers and Hotel mems
Antitrust League is to bring about wide
thorough and effective cooperation for
the broad purpose of advancing our in
terests social, intellectual, commercial and
political. There Is not a man on the road
but who fully realizes his impotence as an
individual to protect his rights as a COM
mercial traveller, and / do not believe
there is a travelling man but who feels
IL all the commercial travellers and their
organizations could get together and work
together all movements pertaining to the
betterment of their conditions would be
easily accomplished, and with deter
mination of their power the abolition of
trusts will be-
ut matters not how enthusiastic indi-
vidual travellers or hotel men may feel
| about their ability 10 accomplish reforms
the cold, hard fact of the advantage Of
council and cooperation is too well estab-
lished to warrant contradiction. The pre-
cept is true that the multitude that does
not reduce itself to unity is confusion
eve propose meetings OF our members
In various parts of the country in which
the general good Of the commercial travel
ers fraternity is regarding trusts, and
we will do our best to secure IL. This will
not interfere with the general good of our
other organizations and the furtherance of
their particular objects will be of para
mount importance. We propose commend
ing what is right, whether 1t be political
or otherwise. Men who rtSre a determined
effort 10 assist commercial travellers in a
legislative way will receive the acknowl-
edgement of travelling men and their
friends, among the hotel men. and such
men will have the support Of travelling
and hotel men, regardless of which party
, may have the man or their ticket We are
simply probing by the experience of 9TH
ers and getting together to secure for our
class q position of power and influence
among men.
There are nearly $50 different CONNER
cial travellers organization. The CONNER
cial traveller Is the most practical. econ