Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1909-08-27
Friday, August %. 1909.
FOR OUR DRUMMERS.

We nave IL iTOul several friends
(and we claim many such) among
the travelling fraternity that
some drummers who are ON
political, ifnot personal, enemies,
charge that this paper INDUCED
in editorial abuse of that profes.
sion just prior to the election.
Some narrow minds can warp a
story into baneful shape and
make Others believeit. A certain
local sheet can take up the SLAM
der and bootlick a disgruntled
set till they shine as the greasy
African. In all its career OF
eighteen years the VIRGINIA
CITIZEN has been friendly to
the travelling profession, and
from time to time has gloritied
the rise OF that profession during
the past twenty years. We num-
Der many of the statesmen among
our subscribers and advertisers
ana have no desire to misrepre-
sent the class, and n desire not tn
be mlsrepresented by them or
anybody else. To that end we
reproduce in toto the editorial
which Someunscrupulous persons
nave told about i'm an untruthful
way, and ask If any salesman can
take umbrage at our few remarks
preceding clipping from a New
port News contemporary, oreven
from the clipping itself? Both are
complimentary, but also recall
that elections do not always 90
as II majority of the TRAVELLING.
men sometimes predict-as wit.
hess the Martin-Swanson fight of
icur years ago and the Mann
victory this time.
Here is the article with the
Tim es-Herald's heading 1.-THE
heading doubtless puzzlin~ the
ignorant soul that spread the
canard above alluded to-:
PRoGNosTlCATING DRUMAiERs."
Some gentlemen Mt our hotel n
lew days ago were discussing how
lar from the political mark our
travelling statesmen often oct.
predicatlng rs they do their
Opinions upon the wish on. iudo-
ment OF some leader of THEN. craft.
and reechoing it as they oo to
and fro. Having had a little
experience with the poor calcula-
lions OF some of these estimable
gentlemen, we We're Interested
enough to again scan the follow
ing editorial from the Newport
News Times-Herald, flying under
the above caption:
"The travelling salesman in MANY
respects is great man and fills a large
mission In life. Now and then YOU
meet with one who is SLOUGH. but most
OF them are princely good fellows. AS
general proposition they are a great
convenience to the buyer, who formerly
mad to go to the market instead of buy
ing by sample, which the salesman now
makes possible. The salesman is a
man OF rare ability, unexcelled nerve
AMI unreasonable endurance. He ia
diplomacy itself. Hard by the foun-
lam oil smiles Is the fountain of tears.
10 mat he rejoices with those that do
'eJoice and weeps with his customers
Who weep.
AS delineator of human nature J
ne travelling salesman stands along !
ide OF the hotel clerk. The salesman :
liso Is benefactor to transportation
ines, hotels and most especially small +,
livery stables and the cheap boardina
ouses IN the country. All of these :
rlbutes we are willing to lay at the .
eet OF the travelling salesman. =
when 1T comes, however, to giving :
the travelling salesman all the now .
r of the prophetic vision we enter q :,
rotest and draw the line good and hard :
he drummer has no better idea of Z
'hat Is gong on than any other well
cad and well informed man. and vet we
INSTANTLY see, "a travelling salesman =,
lst returned from such and such a ter
ltory says so and so" and that seems to :
ettle the question. Whether it be pro- q
ibition sentiment, the primary plan. N
ne gubernatorial campaign, a sensa- q
onal murder case, or any question n
nder the blue canopy of heaven, the O.
prominent travelling salesman will Il
OBJ up and tell exactly how public opin- 9,
m stands or what the verdict is at the 9,
ands of all the people. "
1.-The truth of the matter ia Mr.
RUNNER goes into Lonesomehurst or w
me other town. He drives over sew lie
al miles of rough road and converses ly
it'll the presiding genius of the whip OF
I'd reins. often half witted negro. in
ID from this supreme fountain head of OF
knowledge he learns just how Lone b,