Commercial Travellers. A commercial traveller ('C.T.') is a person whose occupation is to transact business as the accredited travelling representative of a trading house to other trading houses. In the later half of the 18th century in Britain 'many districts remained completely secluded, so that foreign products never reached them at all,' and 'even at the beginning of the 19th century the Yorkshire yeoman was ignorant of sugar, potatoes, and cotton.' It has been the work of the commercial traveller to materially assist in altering this state of things, and to bring about 'equality of distribution of produce, and corresponding equality of prices, and generally to promote that 'facility of exchange which is the very soul of industry.' Commercial travelling in the specific sense is not an old institution. The 'commercial traveller,' 'bagman,' or 'rider' (in the United States, 'drummer') was the successor to the 'chapman' or travelling merchant, who carried with him not samples merely, but stock. Chaucer says—
In Surrye whylom dwelte a companye
Of chapmen riche, and therto sadde and trewe,
That wyde-where senten hir spicerye,
Clothes of gold, and satyns riche of hewe.
The application of steam to machinery, the consequent rise of the factory system, increased facilities in banking, improved means of locomotion, and the increasing competition for business have made the commercial traveller an important factor in the commercial world. By far the greater portion of the business done in Britain is by commercial travellers. Within recent years a formidable competitor has entered the field in the person of the foreigner, whose superior education and commercial training have hitherto placed the British commercial traveller at a disadvantage; and there is room especially for men possessing a thorough knowledge of foreign and colonial trade, and above all of modern languages. No restrictions are placed on travellers by the British government, and 'the road' is free to all; but in many colonial and foreign countries various regulations are in force. Travelling is free in Canada, France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Bulgaria, Greece, Australia, Jamaica, United States, &c., except that some of them require an ordinary selling license to be taken out when goods are carried for sale. In most other countries a special commercial traveller's license must be obtained before goods can be exhibited or sold. In Belgium this costs 16s.; in Denmark over £8, and travellers cannot carry on business outside the municipal town, or sell to any but merchants or manufacturers, and a certificate must be produced from the magistracy of his residential town to the custom-house authorities. In Germany a license is necessary, but the authorities of any district may refuse it. In Cape Colony a license costs £25 per year, and in Natal £10 per year; for the period from 1st July to 31st December the charges are £12, 10s. and £6 respectively. In Switzerland, Roumania, and Servia travellers must produce a certificate from a British chamber of commerce stating that they are legitimately employed. The Foreign Office reports intimate these regulations from time to time.
There are several excellent institutions connected with the body, owing largely to the efforts of men like George Moore and George Stockdale. The Commercial Travellers' Schools for destitute orphans and necessitous children were founded in 1845: the school at Pinner accommodates 360 children. The Commercial Travellers' Benevolent Institution was founded in 1849 for the relief of necessitous commercial travellers over the age of fifty-five years, being members, and for their widows. The relief is given in the form of an annuity of £50 to members, and £30 to their widows. The Commercial Travellers' Society of Scotland was founded in 1838 for the relief of members incapacitated by disease, accident, or infirmity, and for securing a payment at death. The British Commercial Travellers' Provident Society, like the last named, is based on the Friendly Societies Act. There is also a Commercial Travellers' Christian Association (1882); and the United Kingdom Commercial Travellers' Association (1883) has done good work in pushing forward hotel and railway reforms, and in promoting social intercourse among commercial travellers. A newspaper, On the Road, devoted entirely to the interests of commercial travellers, was established in 1883.
In the United States the number of commercial travellers has increased rapidly, till in 1890 it was computed that there were between 230,000 and 300,000. Amongst their benevolent associations are the Commercial Travellers' Association of New York (2000 members); the North-western Travelling Men's Association of Chicago (4000); one at St Louis (2100); an Order of Commercial Travellers, a secret society organised in 1888; also a Travellers' Protective Association (9000 members), for providing against overcharges by railroads and hotels, &c. The organ of the travelling salesmen is The Merchant Traveller, published at Chicago.