Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-02-03

Travelling men boosters of the new
accident association in this city are
meeting with much success on the
road this week, according to advices
received by c. G. Porter. Monday
morning the knights of the grip went
out on their trips armed with applica-
ton blanks for the new organization,
and many are expected to return to-
morrow night with the signatures Of
applicants The meeting Saturday night
in the United Comm ercial Travellers
room will doubtless be an enthusiastic
one. The report of the committee on
constitution and bylaws will report,
and the organization temporarily
formed last Saturday will be perfected.
Apropos Of the new organization the
following article from the Cedar crap
ids Gazette will be interesting:
The Gazette's Article.
Those who have been in touch with
the travelling men of the state have
known for several months that there
was great dissatisfaction among them
in regard to the manner in which the
affairs Of the Iowa State Travelling
Mems association were being conduct
ed Months ago many of the members
withdrew from membership in that or
/ ganization and long before the recent
annual meeting of the association in
Des Moines there was more or less
talk of forming rival association.
! The first step in this direction was
taken some time ago by some of the
leading travelling men of this city, who
had formerly been members of the l.
S. T. M. A. But this movement died
down and the idea of forming an or.
ganization with headquarters in this
city was given up.
The Last Straw Is Broken.
] "The members of the association, not
only of this city, but in all parts OF
the state, discountenanced such q
movement, preached loyalty to the as
ISOLATION and went to Des Moines in
large numbers, hoping that the Des
Monies contingent would be as loyal
/ to the old association and as true to
themselves and all members, as they
were themselves That annual meet
! ing is now matter Of history, and II
| has been recorded that no more high
handed methods were ever adopted by
anyone than were used by the Des
rMoines members of the old association
The outside membership was refused
any voice in the meeting, were howled
down, Kissed and villified. the Des
Moines contingent carrying everything
I to suit themselves.
The Expected Has Happened.
What has happened since that time
is not at all surprising. The Cedar
Rapids members of the association re
i turned home utterly disguised with the
i methods adopted by the Des Moines
contingent, and while many of then
. declared they would withdraw from the
/ association, they would not even dis
Icuss the possibility of the organization
Iof similar association in this city
! They were still hopeful that the asso
citation with which they had been iden
titled, so long might be yet directed il
different manner. Not SO with the
y Ottumwa members. A meeting wa'
/ held in that. city Saturday evening, a
which the preliminary steps wer'
/, taken for the organization of nev
association.
Action Here Problematical..
what position the Cedar Rapid
travelling men will now take is prob
: lematical. 1t is well known they ar
greatly dissatisfied with the De
: Moines members and .undoubtedl
). many of them will join hands with tn
Ottumwa knights of the grip, unles
the Des Monies contingent decides t
/ listen to the rest of the state with re-
E erence to the future policy of the as
ISOLATION"