The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-08-24
The Auction Business.

AIT xAuC IlOU BUSINESS
Through the influence Of an TX Alder
man, once interested in tie auction busi
ness, the license for an auctioneer in our
city has been reduced from one hundred
I, fifty dollars per annum. And upon the
payment OF this pitiful sum an anctioneer
may carry on his business, sell thousands
Of dollars of bis own goods, or OF the
goods Of resident or foreign merchants,
without any liability 10 any other charge
or tax whatever.
Such state Of things we venture TO say
is without parallel in my other city Of
the United S ales, and IL is Mt the same
time exceedingly impolitc, and iljud
cious TO the interests of the city. while it
operates very unequaliy and nnlusty upon
the regular business OF legitimate trades
men in the community.
The merchant and The shcpk.cpcr per
manently settled in Our place and contrib
uting their share Of labor TO build up the
interests of the city, pay tax 10 the
State, TO the county, to the city, TO the
school and to The road, upon all the goo Is
they sell. But the suclionecr By then
eide, without a2y investment OF his capt
tai, receives ten times tie amount from a
Cincinnati OF ST LOUIS merchant. and SELLS
II out at auction, with no other taN thln
an Iniinitesimal proportion OF the nifty dol
lars annual auciloneer's license. Thus
hy this license arrangement, our city rohs
tie State, the county and the school, and
10, contei.s with that, even robs herself.
williraws q premium from hcr own Trca-
sury 10 encourage irresponsible auction
GERS and agents Or foreign merchants =
interfere with and Jurc the business q
her own permanent dealers and manufac
iurers.
This ought not TO be suffered 10 coutu-
ae any longer. II is an evil and az MUS
tee which directly affects the Interests o.
sll the DEALER in The city, and all tic
manuf c'urers WHO pay taxes on their
property, for il gives the foreign dealer
and manufacturer an open heJ of com
petition, free from ,axation. II interests
every tax payer, because he Treasury &
robbed of what Justly lelon.s 70 it, and
in Consequence every tex payer > p.l
ccntage is little higher than ii ought (,
be- Ii interests all our people because
the true policy Of our city as well as eve
~ other is 10 paironize, encourage, ans
build up the home dealer, and the hom'
manufactures permanently settle y IN thcl
midst
Our City Council should revise the
regulations in regard TO auctioncers a
once. Make them pay a pretty round pc
centage on all goods sold by them; at tn
same time make discrimination in favo
of 60 DIS owned in tie city. Require
per cenatge also on all sold by way Q
land brokerage, and in other irregular de
Oi kltU DusiHfss- anu INluli
them 10 give bonds 10 the city for thel
faithful discharge of their duties, for Il
payment Of all expenses incurred by them
and for the payment to the vendors Of III
proceeds Of the sales. Such provisio
as this last is absolutely demanded. 10 pre-
vent irresponsible ysgabonds with braze
faces AMI hrazen lungs, from swindiah
not only those who ccnsign goods to Their
from distance, but those who my Be lc
TO trust them here al home.
We trust tina, the ordnance on this sui
lect may be revised, and that one may b
adopted instead which IL better sub ,ers
the interests Of the city and he ends {
justice.