The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-03
statesmen and
TRAINMEN
MANDEL LENER IN AN ARTICLE
IN A RECENT ISSUE OF THE
COMMERCIAL TRAv ER
SHOWS RELATION BETWEEN
statesmen AND TRAlNMEN.

Mandel Lener in The Commercial
Traveller, says: The business relations
between the travelling public and the
railroads are observed to be growing
more and more friendly with the pass
ing OF each year, and this is due, in a
great measure, to the spirit of CO.
operation the one receives from the
other. Realizing that the best possible
results are to be obtained through
these means, the railroads constantly
court the good wilf Of the public in
every possible way, because the wide
awake railroad man readily recognizes
that 1t is to this end he must look for
increased passenger and freight re-
ceipts.
Constant travelling and meeting all
classes Of people-as the drummer
Is called upon to do-also greatly
broadens ones knowledge, and where.
| ask, can one pass more pleasant
period and more effectually interrupt
the monotony of a long railroad
journey than in the smoking compart-
ment Of a Pullman listening to two
up-to-date 'drummers" swapping
yarns, perchance, veteran railroad
man at intervals narrating an exper-
ierce OF bygone days?
Let me say that the railroads will
ever continue to cater to the wishes. of
the drummer wherever and when
ever II lies within their power to do
so, and handle their baggage with as
little delay as possible, for the greater
the number OF towns this army of com
mercial hustlers make, the greater will
be the earnings of the railroad from
both passenger and freight traffic.
And nowhere, / may add, is this so
strikingly apparent as in the relations
existing between the commercial
travelling man and the railroads. And
by the travelling man allude more
particularly to the large army daily
canyassing the country securing orders
that make the wheels Of commercial
activity grind on and who. in every
day parlance, are referred to as drum
mers." After all, there are various
reasons why the railroads should Of
fer every accommodation to the
drummer" OF the numerous classes
or travelling men, these are perhaps
the greatest patrons of the railroads
and many Of them travel thousands Of
miles monthly.
Then let us see how this affects the
railroad earnings. Take, for instance.
the drummer" for large drygoods
house, with a territory OF several
states to cover" Aside from his own
transportation, his sample cases are
frequently Of excessive weight and
necessitate an extra charge. And the
railroad, by prompt handling of his
baggage, and other seemingly small
favors. gains his good graces, the good
will of the house he represents. and
often the orders are supplemented bv
a request to forward the shipment over
a special route.
This army of commercial travellers
Is very important in dealing with bust
ness conditions. There are about 400
GOO Of them In this country, and on an
average each talks to ten men day.
They are the emissaries of optimism
and the bearers OF the message OF
business stagnation They represent
the business organizations that have.
the welfare of this nation in their
hands. and, acting together, they can
and do constitute a tremendous force
for good. Who are on the 70 more
than the railroad trainnan and the
commercial traveller? they are "nen
OF the road
Eighty Ave years ago our ancestors
could not travel faster on land than
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob travelled in
the days when the world was Young.
Then came the first steam railway In
England and the Baltimore 81 Ohio is
the father Of railroads In this country.
1t was July 4, 1898. that the illustrious
Charles Carroll OF Carrollton. the last
surviving signer Of that immortal and
sacred document TO all Americans
Declaration OF Independence Laid the
corner stone that marked the begin
ming OF construction of the Baltimore
n Ohio at Baltimore. Md. and the flrst
operation was OF line fifteen miles
long fIeom Baltimore to Ellicott's Mills.
with horses az the motive power. the
use Of steam beginning In 1880. The
Baltimore q Ohio OF 1928 has grown
to system Of nearly $500 miles and
generally recognized as one OF the
leading trunk lines Of the country.
with trains easily making speed OF
q mile minute.
So it Ii that the travelling statesmen
and the railroad trainmen are pecui-
iarly closely related. are on the road
together, the one constantly doing
things for the other. and thus the
world Ii better with them forming d
part Of II. They form an important