Show TRAVELERS FOR BRYAN Knights ot the Grip Have Rave Changed Since 1896 I AN 1 ORGANIZER IS HERE I J a E B PITTS STOPS OVER ON WAY TO COAST t Bryan will be elected president of the United States on Nov 6 next dust as sure as the sun shines said Mr J E Pitts at the Kenyon hotel last night Mr Pitts PIUs is the secretary s and organ organizer organ organizer organIzer izer Of the National Democratic com corn committee committee of Commercial Travelers and andin andin in connection with his duties as rep representative representative rePresentative of a large Cincinnati shoe firm Is to the Pacific coast to organize or anize branches of the organization there for active work during durin the cam campaign campa campaign pa A club was organized ir Denver last Saturday with a large member membership ship shin which will make itself felt in the campaign in Colorado The national committee of Com Cern Commercial mercial marcial Travelers was organized in St Louis in August 1896 under the auspices of the national Democratic committee at the special direction of Senator Jones The work vork of the corn com committee com committee which is entirely national in InI character has for its object the organ organization organization organization I of oC clubs of traveling men of which there are at present nearly every large city cIt in the United States being represented The clubs range in membership from to Hard Work in 1896 In 1896 the committee found it al almost almost almost most impossible to Interest commer commercial cial dat travelers in the eastern states in politics The committee made the prophecy then that the success of the Republican meant the growth of trusts and that the trust meant death to the commercial traveler The tears sears of traveling men however were soothed by the plausible and facile promises T of oC the Republican party part and the commercial travelers of ot the east almost to a man voted the Republican ticket Today the largest lar est club in the coun country country country try with a membership of a little over has its headquarters at the Union Square hotel in New York City and Is iz d everywhere as one of the strongest stron est Democratic organizations in New York state While the change of sentiment mav may not be so 80 great all over the country it Is an assured a fact that 75 5 per ncr cent of the commercial travelers of ot the United States will support Bryan in the coming campaign where here hardly 20 per cent did so in 1896 The reason for this remarkable defection from the Republican ranks is not far farto farto farto to seek Since 1896 more than i commercial travelers have havo lo lot t their I positions as a direct result of the growth g of ot trusts and the consolidation of businesses and the continuance of the Republican barty bart in power Is therefore looked upon as rs synonymous with the death of the profession Will Astonish the Trusts It is a silent force not generally reckoned with but I fancy Tancy its results will astonish the trusts to say noth nothing nothing nothIng ing of Mark Hanna who tho counts on the traveling raveling vote But the commercial traveler Is waking wakim There Is a of his taking a alively alively lively and active interest in this years ears campaign because uj n Its result de do depends depends his very existence And this is I something he knows and you cant promise persuade or inveigle him out of his belief In the event of the elec election election election tion of the th Republican ticket which means the continued fostering and up building of ot trusts and combinations he knows that his occupation like that of so many man others will be gone The trusts meanwhile make the statement that the people get the money saved saed by dispensing with com commercial commercial commercial mercial travelers In cheaper prices We are In a position to know No other class of men Is so well ell posted in commercial matters as the commercial traveler travelerS Let me cite you YO ono one in instance instance Instance stance of these cheaper prices Bat flat plug known and advertised all till allover over the United States was whole wholesaled wholesaled wholesaled everywhere at 13 cents per pound under the old commercial system Since it lt passed into the hands of the trust however known as the Conti Continental Continental Continental Tobacco company it is sold at 38 cents a pound and the jobber who sells It has orders to handle no con conflicting conflicting brands if It he be expects to keep the business The Continental com cent company company pany has dispensed with the com corn commercial commercial mercial traveler The benefit to the public is an increase of nearly per percent percent percent cent In the wholesale price and the discharge e cf of oer 0 er tC Cuo Cw salesmen The same Is true of other trusts Wherever competition is thus stifled prices rise The commercial travelers services are only needed where there is competition tion and competition is the only safe safeguard safeguard safeguard guard which prevents the people peo le from being robbed by the greedy monopoly Any product sold by commercial travel travelers ers in open competition wish wilh other brands carries with it a written guar JUar guarantee guarantee antee that the people are paying only a fair profit pro t to the makers maker Where a monopoly exists however no salesman I is needed and the trust is likely to exer exercise exercise cise else human nature and charge what it likes HItes You can see I think that our Interests are only those of the public brought brou ht home a little more sharply Our committee in St Louis is hard hardat hardat hardat at work and Is in constant communication communication communication cation with is s official representatives In every state in the Union In 1896 we the thc policy of the Republic n a party and warned our o r men of the danger dancer but they paid no heed After the elec election election election tion Mr Ir Hanna could say with rea reason reason reason son that the commercial travelers were entitled to more credit Jor the election of McKinley than any other class el s of voters Our prophecy of 1896 however is isnow isnow isnow now a fact Traveling men have been let out ut by thousands and under the favors of the Republican party trusts are extending their operations every ever everyday I day while themselves in their present positions Our desire to retain our positions has been nonpartisan from the start I I That we oppose the Republican party part it not our fault eW have been forced to take issue and our work of organization organization j has met with marvelous suc success success success cess In the seclusion of his retire retirement retirement ment meat after election Mr Hanna mav may say once more The commercial travel travelers ers deserve more credit for the defeat of McKinley than any other class of voters I Tours Several States I Mr Pitts has recently made a tour of the states of Ohio Indiana and Illinois and he considers that they can be safely counted in the Democratic column for Bryan and Stevenson Indiana is a cinch On his way ay west Mr Pitts stopped off at Lincoln and called on Mr Bryan Bran fend nd made arrangements with him to speak sneak in St Louis on the instant The meeting will be held under the auspices of nf the St Louis Traveling Mens club which comprises 2500 mem members members members bers of the Knights of the Grip Two other clubs have signified sl their intention Intention intention tion of attending in a body one Is from Peoria Ill and the other from Indianapolis The meeting Mr Ir Pitts says sa s will be one of the most enthusiastic In the campaign n It will be a great gather Cather Catherine inn ine of commercial men who are tired of Republican l rule On this occasion Mr Bryan will make his first real antitrust speech which will be care carefully carefully carefully fully prepared by the Democratic leader lender The speech will be printed and will constitute an important part of ot the literature to be distributed by the Traveling Mens committee during the campaign |