The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-04-09
The DrummerS.

A strange blunder Of the Legislature at Its
recent session WAS the failure to correct the
law imposing license tax upon persons
known ms " drlimmers," who travel through
the State and sell goods by sample. The En-
ror in the old law was that it did not make
the tax applicable 10 citizens OF Virginia as
well as those of other States. The Lesisla-
furc should have known that the United
States Court had decided that similar laws
were in conflict with the United States Con-
stitution, wherein citizens of each State are
declared to be entitled to the immunticS OF
citizens of the several States. We do not
suppose that the trainers of the Constitution
ever dreamed that selling goods by sample
WAS one of the immortal immunitics they
were securing in this clause; and they as lit
fle dreamed that we should have some such
Judges as now construe law in the United
States courts.
But how easy was it to have changed the
phrascology of the law SO rs to make it alike
applicable to any and everybody selling
goods by sample? And the Legislature per-
mitted the tax bill to go on to maturity, and
to be finally passed with the questionable
clause in 1t. At late hour, the very day OF
adjournment, there was an effort made to
direct the Auditor to exact the tax OF oil per
SONS attempting to sell by sample, and it
failed for the want of a two-thirds vote, q rule
of the House providing that no bill shall be
read three times the same day save by a
vote of two-thirdS of the whole House.
Twenty members voted against 1t, and there.
fore it was defeated. But why these twenty
members voted against it, it is hard to say
We suppose it grew out of the general
cussedness which was engendered in the
Legislature during the session.
With regard to the tax itself we think it is
too high. 1t is never wise TO make taxes
excessive, especially those imposed upon
classes. 1t produces discomfort and makes
the taxes hard to collect; but that some re;,-
sonable tax should be paid by persons who
sell by sample we think entirely proper
Merchants who pay large taxes to the State
would be much wronged if competitors
could sell, withsut paying tax, right under
their noses the very articles they trade in.
We say this much because some very re.
spectacle papers at the North have ridicued
Virginia not little for taxing drlunnners,'
pronouncing it "barbarous," and all that.
These respectable Journals inyeighed against
the suggestions of reputation by our Legis.
lof,1 nd ok iY,f ,x,nr RI
paying up, and her people standing up to
taxes; but when it comes to exacting some
little tax from their "drummcrs," who dc
such thriving business in competition with
our own merchants grooming under taxes to
maintain the public honor, why, that is
"barbarous ~ Very. We cannot see it in any
such light. Taxes are disagreeable-nay
painful. But when they have to be paid we
cannot see that " drummers," or 'bumlners,'
Gor either term, in many cases, is quite ap
propriate,) should have an immunity from
them any more than other people. The!
belong to the class of strollers making none,
out of the people who pay taxes, as they pass
and may be as justly charged tax as any o
the travellers, from the circus upward o.
downward, as you please.
We trust that when the Legislature meets
again it will be a little more mindful of wha
has happened, and construct its laws accord
ingly. But as for the indignation at taxing
these drummers, it is absurd, and comes will
an i'll grace from those who want to see Nir
ginia pay the uttermost farthing, and from
section of the Union which controls TIN
Government and leyies upon us special tn,
which takes from this city alone more thar
two millions Of dollars per annum.