The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1869-01-21

MERCHANTS VS.. AUCTIONEERs.- -
The greatest excitement prevails in
our town, concerning licensing auo-
tioneers. 1t is no business of ours, par.
ticularly, and we have heard 30 many
uuanswerable arguments produced by
the advocates of either side, that if we
were Sc inclined, we would scarcely
know which side to favor, but as we
occupy the rooms Immediately above
the auction room, where there is a
continued blowing aud believing from
Q o'clock. a. m. to IL o'clock, p. IN ,
every day, We feel ike saying that al
though it is theoretically right that they
should come here, pay their license,
and sell their cheap goods, yet proct :
caHy it is nuisance to many and prob
ably swindle upon others. The RICH!
20 be humbugged is one very dear to
the American people, and if deprived
oft, life would become blank, and
we have not the slightest idea Of in
fringing upon that right. To buy
goods at an auction store is as good a
game as to rattle for turkeys, or throw
the dice for lager beer, and those who
indulge in the pastime are about as
apt to get stuck
Many of our merchants do net rest
well at night because the people are
being swindlcd 80 terribly. This may
be the reason for The interest they man
ifest ia the matter, but some Of the
people think there is little seIs.inter-
est connected with it: These ner-
chants are in the habit Of going east
and buying their goods where they think
they ars getting the best bargains, and
some Of them are also in the habit Of
getting their printing done east, be-
eluse they say they can get it done
cheaper there than here, and we must
sag it does net come with a very good
grace for such merchants to be talking
SO much about the citizens here not
supporting their home merchants.
We are glad to say, however, that
there are but very few Of this class of
merchants in our place. 1t is righ!
for- US to support home industry and
enterprise in every direction, but no
class should set themselves up as priv
ileged characters to supper. whom
hey please and compel their fellow
citizens to support item.
These auctioreers are undoubtedly
carrying away ficn our place quite q
sum Of money, and much Of il
probably, should be paid to our local
merchants for goods sold on credit b,
them to those who are buying at the
auction. This is wrong and migrate
ful, yet it cannot be helped; but it is
no worse, go far as the circula-
ton Of currency is concerned,
for them to carry it away than it is
for the easter merchants to get it ALL
The worst feature about it is that it
makes business unsettled aud dull, and
and has tendency to embarrass our
best merchants.
We have given this subject much
more attention than We intended to
when we began, and more than it is
really entitled to, just as the merchants
attached more importance to the auc-
tioneers than they deserved. All in
all, we have never seen so great an
exhibition Of selfshuess, bungling and
laundering as has been shown by ell
parties interested in this matter. The
Whole thing is TO eud In a law suit at
the next term % court, involving the
sum of not much less than 81 900. 1t
is TO be hoped that BY the time this
case shall have been decided, the peo-
PIE Of this corporation will know wneth-
er they have. a license law or not.
Should the excitement continue for
more than "niue days" as achronicler
of passing events, We will keep our
readers posted as TO tao most interesting
features In the case.