The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-16
CITY REVENUES.
OUR MERCHANTS MANIFEST A DESIRE
THAT THEIR CASE SHALL he
ATTENDED TO.

The following interesting document was
handed to Col. Denis yesterday:
New ORLEANS, June 10, 1873.
Col. J. G. Denia, Administrator of Finance:
Dear Sir-0n Tuesday, June 4, O petition,
numerously signed by the merchants of this
city, was presented to the honorable Mayor
and Board of Administrators, which sllbse-
quently was referred to you.
We anxiously expected favorable report at
last Tuesdays meeting, but failed to see men,
| ton Of such action In the published reports
OF that days proceedings.
We feel convinced, judging from the able
and Just manner you have fulfilled your duties
In the past, that your action In the premises
will fully relieve us Of the evil complained Of
However, we believe 1t will do our cause no
harm to put the matter TO you In as forciDle
q light as possible Hence this Communica-
ton. In the busy and prosperous winter
season this unlicensed competition did not SO
seriously affect our commercial prosperity as
1t does now, that the season Is upon us when
trade Is naturally dull and depressed; cOnse-
quentiy we desire that prompt action be taken
as an important step necessary to our relief
You can rest assured that we do not exag-
gerate the evil complained Of In our petition.
Millions OF dollars worth of produce Is annu-
ally sold here by strangers who the more
easily compete with us for the reason that
they are not burdened with the many and
necessary expenses of merchant doing O
legitimate business.
For instance, about 1000, 900 slaves are sold
here annually, eght-tenths OF which are dis
posed OF Try parties who pay no license, and
who do not contribute one cent to the reye-
nues of the city either by taxes or otherwise
from q, 600 to 10000 cords Of wood; many mil
lions Of feet Of lumber; hundreds'of thousands
OF bricks; innumerable RATS Of logs; thou
sands OF barrels of lime ard cement; an i'm
mense amount Of grain In flatboets country
produce, and produce and goods of every de-
sGrption are in Like manner sold by unli-
eensed parties.
The sellers are, as general thing, resi-
dents OF other States, not voters or taxpayers
and have no interest whatever In the pros
perity Of the city or State they come here,
dispose OF their goods with perfect impunity,
com pete with us 10 our serious disadvantage,
pocket the proceeds OF their sales, and then
return home on the first steamer or train.
We do not wish to agitate vexed question.
but your own sense Ut right and justice must
convince you that merchants who contribute
over half million dollars in annual licenses
to the city and State should be- afforded some
protection from outsiders and nOn-resideuts
The law against selling without license is
totally inadequate, and IL was to remedy this,
by the enactment Of new ordinances, that we
petitioned the city authorities.
And we further agree that III our petition be
granted, and such an ordinance passed as we
have sugg rsted-say fine of 500, $50 of
which shall go to the infOrmer-to take such
legal measures as may be necessary to have
it properly enforced.
With the sincere hope that you will give
this matter your earliest consideration, and
will, as soon as possible, report an ordinance
necessary, for our. relief. we remain, very