New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1867-05-17
CHOICE OF CUSTOMERS.

We republish from the columns of the
New Orleans Tribune the follow ing excel.
lent summing up of the rule Of justice on
! this subject:
But We say that merchants are in duty
bound to sell to every person, without dis
elimination. Suppose the power be rccog-
nZed TO them to make distinctions, then
the chemist may refuse to sell remedies for
the sick; bakers may starve any class OF
CitlZens: butchers may do the same. A man
who has to provide himself with a license is
under obligations toward the public. He
receives said license upon condition Of per
forming the service for which he is licensed.
The license is given on behalf of the com
munity at large, and paid to the benefit of
said community. The obligation incurred
is, therefore, toward society at large, and
not toward any class in particular.
This is the law and jurisprudence all over
Europe. The question was first agitated in
France, at the time of the great famine Of
1892. Bakers's-rgued that they had a right
to sell the few lOavGs~tley were able to fur.
nish every day to customers of their own
choice. Heads of families, poor~arphans,
widows, mechanics, laborers, waited frosn
midnight at the doors of the baker to OBJ
tain bread, and when admitted at daybreak,
they were told that tho loayes on the shelves
were for habitual customers only.
The question was then brought before the
Legislative Assembly of France, and the
rules on the matter were fixed forever.
These rules are all over Europe:
l. That every merchant when his store
is open, is under the obligation of selling to
every person in the order according to
which he may ask for goods.
?. That no discrimination on any account
can be justified. For instance, the CO,u de
EdSSation of France has decided that res.
taurant could not refuse to attend guests
that wore a blouse. and could make no dis
elimination on account Of dress. That de-
cision was delivered under Louis Philippes
reign.
3. That no different price can be asked, at
one and the same time, from two different
persons. The actual current price Of the
store, and none other says the law Of 1892
"will be charged ndiscrimnately, to ali
persons, without any distinction between
customers
That the principles embodied in these
rules are in accordance with natural justice.
is hardly a disputable point They are also
implied in the provisions of the .iyil rights
law aud being so, are guaranteed the pro.
lection Of the United States government
That they will be formally recognized in
the laws Of this State when its political
power passes into the hands Of the Repub
lican party is beyond doubt. In the mean
while it is the course Of wisdom not to at
tempt to anticipate events by force. Such
attempts, in the present state Of public feel
ing, can only lead to breaches of the peace,
and to placing those who make them in a
llse position. The authorities are bound
10 maintain the peace, whatever their opin-
on may be about the principles involved in
my dispute which leads to its disturbance
We therefore advise all to submit with pa
fence, knowing that in a very short while
he revolution through which we are now
passing will eliminate in the supremacy of
aw and justice and to regard as unwise, |
/ not unfrendly, all who would excite
hem to forcible attempt to assert their
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