The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-01-10
CHARLESTON, November 10, 1872.

CHARLESTON, November 10, 1872.
To the Honorable the Oity Council OF Charles
ton:
Tne peCIIlon Of tho undorsignod respectful
ly showeth:
That your petitioners are citizens of the City
OF Charleston deeply interested In It's prosperi-
ty and welfare.
That by an ordinance ratified In the City
Council on the 26th of November, 1871, en-
titled IAN ordinance to regulate licenses for
the year 1872" 1t is ordained that local deal
ers, comprising every person, hrm, company
or corporation engaged in any trade, business
or profession Hereinafter mentioned, shall ob-
tain, on or before the 10th January, 1872, q
license therefor In the manner hereinafter
prescribed, and that itinerant dealers shall OBJ
tain license before soliciting custom, or
selling or Offering to sell by sample or other
wise; and also that ltinerants may be granted
quarterly licenses, dating on the first day Of
the month In which application 10 made; and
also that In fixing The amount to be paid by
them for such licenses, sellers by sample
shall be rated as local dealers.
That your petitioners fully appreciate the
motives which induced the provisions OF the
ordinance above referred to.
That 1t Is evident that all such legislation is
calculated, to q certain extent, to trammel
business and obslruct the freedom OF trade,
aud should not be carried any further than is
absolutely necessary.
That the selling by sample, by the travel.
ling agents of manufacturers, importers and
commission merchants who do not sell except
by the package, does not seriously interfere
with any local business In the City OF Charles
ton, and would be highly advantageous to
many resident dealers.
That the provisions of the said ordinance
above reclted unnecessarily subjects the class
OF travelling agents above specified to an
espionage and liability to be arrested on
suspicion, which has been harassing, and
sometimes oppressive, without any compen.
sailing benefit TO the trade OF the city.
That such legislation Is, moreover, calcu-
lated 10 exotic lhe Ill will Of large class OF
persons who have 1t 10 their power TO iDjure
the commercial reputation Of the City OF
Charleston, and provokes retaliatory leglsla-
ton on the part Of other cities and sections
Injurious TO the legitimate trade OF Charleston.
That it has had the effect of driving away
from the city large number Of enterprlsing
who might otherwise have estab.
fished commercial relations with US, which
would have been profitable TO many classes OF
our ctlzens.
That the sweepiug and unqualified proV-
sIons of the sald ordinance above recited have
operated to the great disadvantage Of many
departments of trade, has largely diminished
the travel upon our railroads, and has seriously
Injured the business OF our hotels, Us well as
ali the other branches OF business connected
with and dependent upon those specified.
Your petitioners therefore respectfully pray
that the said ordinance may be 30 amended as
to except Irem lis operation such sellers by
sample as may be the travelling agents OF I'm
porters, manufacturers, or commission mer-
chants, who sell by the package only.