Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-05-16

man a figure in the eye OF the nation.
He expressed for the people of the
tri-cities the pleasure the towns took
in having as their guests the knight
of the grip and spoke of the spot oc-
cupied by the inn and how appro-
pirate it was that the gathering
should be held where the red man
once made favorite resort and where
Black Hawk was wont to sit and
smoke his pipe until he was forced TO
move by the irrepressible tramp,
tramp of the travelling man following
the westward trend of civilization.
He ascribed this transformation of
country to the law Of the survival of
the fittest and told how the travelling
man and his grip followed the flag,
and how, almost before the smoke of
battle had cleared away, the traveller
had thrown down the gauntlet in the
commercial war for supremacy. He
said the commercial traveler was a
feature of modern civilization and
that to him was due much for his
part in the upbuilding of nation and
that by no combination Of capital or
industry could his services be dispens-
ed with
Rev Lawrence Speaks.
Rev. o. w. Lawrence. of the Memo
rial Christian church, of this city,
was next on the program, and spoke
in pleasant and happy fashion, the
conclusion of his sallies being greeted
with an enthusiastic outburst of APP
plause which was quieted only by an
acknowledgement from the speaker.
He said there was n link between the
clergy and travelling man in that they
both frequently changed locations.
and logical direction of force and
ability in the case of the latter. Just
as in other occupations, the ministry,
for instance He illustrated his point
by telling a story of a man who APP
piled for position at roundhouse
and who was put on an engine and
told to run it in to the structure. He
reversed it full tilt and just missed
demolishing the house by switching
the lever and then went out as rapid
" as he had come in. This thing oc-
CURED once again. and as he passed
the group watching him he was hail
ed with some uncomplimentary re-
mark and replied that he had the
blamed" thing in a couple of times
if they would only have shut the
door.
Talk by j NJ. Irwin.
j. NJ. Irwin, of Quincy, one of the
genial and pleasant men who make
the traveller known as the universal
good fellow he is. was the next speak
er. He gave vent to numerous With
cisms which provoked a great degree
of laughter, and then went on to tell
of the economic import of the travel
ing man and how he was the barome-
ter of progress. No other was in a
position to know the commercial con
dition to country. to feel the coming
storm or note the effect of lcgisla-
ton. He occupies the prominent mid
die ground in all conditions of society.
He concluded with an eXhortation to
all the members of fhc profession to
realize their opportunities and act
accordingly.
The Dance.
The banquet was followed immedi
ateIy by the dance in the hall up
stairs. \ program of - numbers was
played by Bleuer's orchestra, and be
sides waltzes and two-steps there
were lancers and quadriIles which
made decided hit with the old boys
who were present. During the inter
missions concert. music was played
by Strasser's band. The general ar
rangement committee was as follows:
John w. Day, chairman; Charles
Schneider, secretary; Lewis +. West,
Hiram \. Morrow, Henry j. Klauer,
Joseph Andrews.
Special cars carried in the visitors
at half-hour intervals until 1 o'clock.
when the last car left making the
through trip to Davenport. The ban
quet and dance were attended by
about 800 people.