The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-20
fFor the Irspaseh.I U
Ordinances Relating 10 rHuying and
Selling iR the Markets.

Ordinances Relating 20 rBuying and
Selling iH the Markets.
To the Common Council. city Of Richmond
y Is,the ordinance forbidding, hucksters to
buy in less than two hundred yards OF the
market, and forbiddiag them to sell on COM
mission, q just ono 2, HI carry an article
to the city to be sold as the market Ia cali
or barrel of apples, for instanee-if un-
derstand the ordinance, my driver must
stop two hundred yards from the market
unless have q stall there, leave his horse
in the street, and go to the market to seek
purchasers. In the bury of buying and
selling perhaps only one or two hucksters
can leave their stalls to seek my wagon.
Thus competition is prevented, and proba-
bly, I! do not get q full and fair price for my
commodity. Is it just TO the farmer to pre-
vent this competition that the consumer
may get his supplies o little cheaper for the
timer For by this the farmer may fail to
make any profit, and ultimately the "goose
that lays the golden egg will be killed."
productions will be diminished, and the
price to the consumer will be increased.
There are many farmers who have only
occasiopally articles 10 sell at nlarifets and
cannot afford TO rent stall and hire . man
to sell something for them perhaps once a
week. 1t has been said that the hucksters
OCCUPY all the stalls and exclude the farmer
and producer. This is not so; for at this
time, we are credibly: informed, there are
eight stalls which may be rented in the
upper market. II this were SO, then the
market facilities should be increased. More
stalls and new markets, II necessary, should
be erected; for the more sellers there are
the more the competition, and greater the
supplies and less the price. And why should
not narketmen be permitted to sell on
commission for the farmer? Docs the city
forbid merchants in their stores to do so 7
It is simply impossible for the producer to
sell all his products himself In many cases
he cannot do so.
Frequently the farmer hesitates whether
to send his vegetables and fruits or his
lambs to northern market or to the Rich
mond market, or whether to send them to
market or consume them, or permit them to
waste on his farm. These restrictions, if
enforced, will decide him in 1iany cases to
avoid the Richmond market and to send to
another market, or not to send to any. 1t
is surely narrow view the Police Justice
takes OF the matter, il he Is correctly re-
ported, when he says the markets Of the
city were made for the convenience and
profit OF the people Of the city. The city,
then, is not dependent on the country, and
their interests are diverse and conflicting.
We hoped we had heard the last OF this
absurdity and ignorance. Any child should
know that the cities cannot be independent
OF the country or the country OF the city,
and that they are mutually dependent.
The fact is, all restrictions on trade, un-
less absolutely necessary, are unWise, and
evidences of bad political economy. Eng
land, the most enlightened nation in the
world, taxes fourteen imported articles; the
United States almost everything-perhaps
thousands of articles. This has made one
section of the Union "howers OF wood and
drawers Of water for the other" New
England has never consented that we should
"sell where we can sell dearest and buy
where we can buy cheapest" and never
will if she can help it, and this has cost the
South millions on millions.
A large hardware merchant OF Richmond
few days since pointed out to ME an ex-
tensive supply Of American hardware,
which, he said, had driven out foreign hard
ware. Not to be wondered at, when we know
that the better class OF imported hardware,
and perhaps all, is taxed As per cent. by the
United States Government, and remarked
that this policy of restriction and taxation
had built up great national wealth. re-
piled to him that poor old Virginia, almost
without manufactures, paid more taxes tt
the General Government than the whole o.
New England.
The ordinance in question should be re-
pealed, and trade suffered by its natura
laws to regulate itself, as it will do in thi
case, to the ultimate and mutual advantag'
OF both city and country.
4 FARMER OF HENRIC0.