El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-06-12

IN HILADELPHIA is today the Mecca
~ for host of commercial travellers
who have come from every section
OF the United States and Canada to at
tend the annual convention Of the
American Travellers Protective associ-
alton, beneficial organization for the
purpose of protecting the interests of
travelling statesmen and other travel
erS.
The "drummers" organizations of
the country include a much larger
number of men than is generally
known, and there is no trade or pro-
fession more misunderstood. However
much inclined to civic duty and domes
tic life man may be, the fact that he
Is continually upon the road hinders
him from taking any active part in the
welfare of the community which he
calls home, as 1T also prevents him
from daily intercourse with his fam
lily. Comparatively few travelling
men are able to vote, consequently
they have no voice regarding the af
fairs of the town in which they may
claim residence or own property.
WIN Try to Get a Vote.
One of the matters to which the at
tention of the members Of the T. P. A.
convention will be called is an attempt
to secure the passage Of legislation in
all the states permitting a travelling
man to vote in his own town without
requiring him to register some time in
advance. as the present laws demand.
A bill making provision for the late
registration Of travelling men is already
before the Missouri legislature. 1t is
said that in that one state more than
10000 travelling men were deprived of
their rights as citizens last year be-
cause their bushes did not permit
them TO be at home in time to register
the required period before election day.
Many travelings statesmen are patriot
ic enough to make some sacrifice to
enable them to be at home for election
day If they were permitted to vote.
But to most of them 1t would be I'M
possible to make an earlier trip to
secure registration.
Wish Election Day Changed.
The commercial travellers are also
anxious to have election day changed
from Tuesday to Monday, as many Of
them, although able to spend Sunday
with. their families. are compelled 10
leave home early Monday morning
The fact that election day is on Tues
day involves either the loss OF their
votes or the loss Of a full days time.
which very often cannot be arranged
The members Of the Travellers Pro-
tective association. individually and as
a body, object strongly to any proposed
parcels post legislation. The travel
ing statesmen claim that the advan-
tage this system might bring TO the
rural farmer is more than offset by the
injury 1t does to village trade. AS the
different state organizations or COM
mercial travellers have almost upan1-
mously acted upon this matter during
the past year some active measure OF
opposition probably will be taken by
the national convention in Philadel-
phia.
Number One Million.
There are a large number of COM
mercial travellers organizations IN the
United States and Canada and their to-
tai membership is said to approx
mate 1000, 600. While organized pri-
marily for the benefit OF travelling
statesmen, most Of these organizations
have a beneficial or insurance depart
ment to which all white males are ell
gible. In this way, ideas which the
progressive drummer brings up before
his own society receive the support OF
men who are permanently located but
at the same time interested in CONNER
cial trade The interest OF the traV-
cling salesman and the local mercnant
both center in trade increase, so d
movement like that of the parcels post
NAV affect both. These interests as
esrt that while the farmer would reap
the benefit of securing goods al CITY
prices for a nominal postage thus
avoiding heavy freight or express
charges. the local merchant loses sales
because, having paid the freight, ne
cannot compete with the prices OF the
city. and that when the merchant loses
sales the commercial traveller loses
future orders OF course the advocates
of the parcels post deny these asser-
lions in toto.
these yariousi organizations Tor
commercial travellers have done much
TO raise the standing OF their pro-
fession or calling a quarter OF a cen
+urv ago the word drummer o1ten
carried a stigma The men engaged
in such work were supposed 70 DC
set of dissipated rowdies, totalIy unAie
for recognition in polite soclely, W.
men in particular were taught % aNolu
them AS sailor is credlteo wiz
q wife in every port. SO a drummer
Nos sunnosed to have a sweetheart IN
every town, and wellbred maidens were
Taught to discountenance all his al
vances. Now, however, commercial
travellers are recognized as men OF
ability and good standing and there Is
no circle of society not freely opened
to the knights of the Grip
Drummers Religious Workers
From the immoral. sacrilegious scot
fer OF the traditional anecdote, the
drummer. has developed in many IN
stances into an active. wide awake re-
neious man whose attendance IS wei
coined bE the churches of whatever
town he may find himself in Many
travelling statesmen are members OF
the Y. NJ c. A.. and this organization
makes a special provision for their
comfort in most of the cities.
religious association composed en-
tirely of commercial travellers is called
"The Gideons" It's shibboleth is: Not
to preach. but to persuade others to
live right" Their practical object is
distribution Of Bibles. THE Gideons
association is now II years old, and Its
membership approximates 1000. Dur
ing the last year it has distributed
5000 Bibles. placing them in the rooms
of hotels in various parts of the coun-
try, and giving them TO any persons
likely TO read them. All religious de-
combinations respect 1.-The GideonS,