The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-19
M E N w o M EN
 A ND T H IN G s

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 There have been so many meetings In the past 10 days that I have been unable to keep up with them or even to write about the ones I got a chance to attend.
 I thought would pass up the great Travellers Protective association gathering at the Southern club, which took place on Saturday, the 10th. but instead of it's losing it's hold by the passage of time, the stronger 1t grips me, and therefore even at this late day I want to say something about it.
 I have always known the tremen- dous power of the travelling men. They have 1t within their power not only to sell the lines which they represent, but to sell the town out of which they travel. If there was ever any doubt that the Birmingham ones were do- Ing this it was dissipated at the get to O-Eether meeting.
 am used to big dinners conclaves. conventions, notifications. etc. but the sight of between 300 and 400 trav- cling men flanked by the executives of nearly 100 jobbing and wholesale houses gave me a new and bigger conception of their potential power in putting Birmingham on the map throughout it's ever widening trade territory.
 It was not so much that was said as the spirit of the meeting which gave evidence that at last Birming- ham awakened to its possibilities as a jobbing center and was set to cash in on it's strategic position and uss it's natural resources to the limit in pushing out for new business. It was possible to almost sense in the very atmosphere the birth of new deter imitation to go out and win in thf fight for trade.
 Murray Brown. who presided, was at his best He was never in a hap pier frame. He seemed just to radiats optimism, and his hopeful. aggressive manner was catching. He stands for the incarnation of the Birmingham spirit, which has in it little bluff, but Is ready to tackle both big and little things. Our people have been singu- 1arly free from brag while getting ready to make good. It was the con- sensus of opinion that Birmingham hour to begin to declare full dividends had arrived.
 The speeches were made not by what l call the professionals" or 'repeaters," the usual spell binders and "hot air" artists who perform at the usual run of dinners, banquets, and public meetings. I have nothing against the talking tribe (for I plead guilty as perennial offender), for they do do their town and state some service; but there are occasions where their absence can be put up without any crepe hanging.
 
 Most of those who were on the programme were men in business who spoke not es trained orators, but as plain. saskatchewan men of aff,iirs whose message was of greater im- port that the manner of it's delivery. R. A. Porter Sidney w. Lee, E. M Couzins, Chap Hodges, Frank Bridges, C. w. Chambers, Le Grand Wilson and c. C.. Blackwell each had something to say about things on which they could speak with author ity, and therefore were heard with pleasure and profit.
 The meeting was full of signifi- canoe in showing that the wholesale and jobbing houses were officered by men who believed that the old motto, Competition is the life of trade" could be bettered by the new slogan, "Co-operation Is the life of trade" and were willing to try it out freely, saying in the presence of their trav- cling men. If you can't land an or- der, help your rival to get it for Bir- mingham." Believe me- the boys on the road are ready to fight for their home town.
 Another noteworthy thing about the gathering was the big way in which the Birmingham Chamber of Com merce is ready to back up the travel ing men, President Porter and Gen. eral Bum were both ready to put 1t at their service for all that it is worth. I left the meeting feeling that at last Birmingham had found itself and was just on the eve of big adventure in conquering new fields of trade.
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