The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1878-09-27
4 rERNrcioss uILE.

10Y. mayer Al us AhhuB ulaA NaNtoe9
emphatically endorses the principle that
tho legisla ture Of State 'shas no right
under any pretext, to favor particular
individuals or localities at the expense
Of the public at large" and we feel
sure that this endorsement met with the
most hearty approval of tho majority Of
Of the senators and representatives,
irrespective of political party. It is
with this feeling that we call the attcn-
ton Of members to s. D. No. Gs, in-
troduoed by Hirsch, of Multnomah, and
read a first timo Sep. IS, 1878 Thurs
day, and entitled n bin to license sell
ing by sample.
This is precisely the same measure
introduced by Mr.. Davis of Multno.
NAH during tho session Of 1876, and
which then, as il should do now, failed
to become a law.
The bill provides for licOnso 70 be
levied on all commercial travellers sell
ing from samples Of goods in store out
side Of tho State, Of $3.50 per annum
in each county, or each Of such travel
ers who may be doing business Of
$4,000 or under, and an additional
tax of q per cent. upon each addi,
,ional thousand over and above Sl0,-
600. Tho bill further provides that
there shall be no abatment upon any
such license for anyi shorter period Of
time than ono year; that it shall be
the duty Of tho assessor Of each county
to levy this tax and givo notice to tho
Sheriff Of the county to collect the
samo; that any violation Of tho act
shall be punishable for each ohense by
a fine Of not less than 500 nor more
than $500, or imprisonment for not less
than one nor moro than six months, or
by both, such fine and imprisonment;
and that half Of such fne shall 60 to
the county as SCISSOR, and half to the
county in which the oiFense is commit
ted the bill to take effect after It's pas,
sage and approval by thcGOvornor.
Now, were this bill 70 become a law
it would keep every commercial traveller
out Of the oountryoxcept such as might
be employed by Portland houses, and
wouldcompelour retail merchants eithei
in all parts of the State to buy Of Port
land houses; 60 themselves to San Fran
cisco, or send their orders for goods
} without seeing any samples and there
fore without knowing what they an
, purchasing. All the money that Is nor
distributed by these gentlemen Of tho
road" among our people, would be sPeni
elsewhere; and much money that Is nov
spent at home by our merchants woule
/. necessarily be spent by them abroad
/ and on their journeys to purchase good
+ in San Francisco.
It Is evident that under such stat
, Of things our merchants would be com
pelled to increase the price Of their sev
t eral wares; and thus every eitizel
would be able to purchase less for bi
( money than he can now procure.
The only Individuals benefited b.
2 such n law would be the few wholcsal
? dealers living in the City Of Portland
c Under these circumstances W
n feel assured that all that is, necessary L
a secure the defeat Of such a monstrou
G piece Of attempted local legislation,
to draw tho attention Of members I
: the proposed measure.
, 1t may possibly be urged that tn
Q license thus levied would enable III
c counties to reduce the rate Of taxation
y But such assigned reason can have n
l. possible weight when We remember tbs
c no commercial traveller will be foun
4 able to pay such a tax as the one pr
s posed.
Il We trust that no member outside
r the delegation from MultnOmah win /
2 found 50 false to his constituents as
vote for the passage Of this bill.