Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-04

to the Federal government and not 4
the States; that while the State has tht
right TO tax its own citizens, it hal
no right to exercise that prerogativ,
over citizens of another State.
During the last Congress John H
Brewer, Of New jersey, introduced 4
bill to remedy the evil, but it was
buried under the tariff and other more
important matters. In the next Con.
gress hlr. Brewer will have an assist.
ant in Darwin r. James, who will
represent the third district of New
York. Mr.. James said to a reporter
of the World that be had been paving
especial attention to this subject. and
asscon as be met Mr.. Brewer would
60 carefully over the whole matter
with him to see what could be done To-
remedy the evil, but be had his doubts
as to whether Congress had the power
to interfere. He was afraid that II
could not interfere with the right Of
States to impose taxes within their
several jurisdictions. He should.
however, before Congress assembled
take sound legal advice for the Dur.
pose. of obtaining the constitutional
bearings of the question. If Congress
can act In the matter he should do all
In his power to have an efficient bill
passed remedying the evil.
If Congress cannot act" said Mr.
james, then public opinion should
be aroused to compel the several
States to repeal these taxes. This
question is not simply legal one; it
has important sentimental aspects
These taxes are imposed on the in
ternal commerce of the country, which
the Constitution has forever declared
shall be free. They are opposed to
the spirit Of the age 10 which we live.
They are of the same nature as the
old feudal taxation in Germany, when
merchants were considered a legiti-
mate prey to every petty Baron. "
EXPERIENCE GAINED FROM pRAc-
TICE.
Mr.. James firm employs a number
OF travelling statesmen. He says that
these have experienced much hard
ship In the States where these laws are
imposed. Several of them narrowly
escaped Imprisonment. One of the
chief difficulties about these laws is
that there are so many of them that
statesmen are often ignorant of their
nature'and often deal in city or town
without suspecting that BY so doing
without a license they are violating a
law OF the State. Another hardship
IS that these taxes are rarely, if ever,
Imposed on the local merchants, though
nominally subject to them, but they
are vigorously enforced on every sales
man from another State.
A commercial traveller who entered |
Mr.. James Office at this point of the
conversation said;
These taxes have given rise to a
system Of blackmail on travelling sales
men. 1t is very hard for man
engaged in legitimate business in
his own country to BE Obliged to
slide through town as if he were
an escaping criminal liable at
any moment to have an officer tap him
on the shoulder and say: You are
wanted, which means Pay me the
license fee or | will run you ill., II
remember when | was in Memphis not
long ago, | had sold bill of goods and
was about to take the cars when a de-
tective stepped up and demanded $40, |
which ne said was the license fee had
neglected to pay. | knew nothing
about the tax. and it was too late to
90 to the clerks Office. 1t was cues.
lion of missing the train or paying the
money. | paid the $40. The man
Docketed it and probably gave a dollar
% the bell boy in the hotel who acted
IS iniormer. don't believe the city
got a cent Of it. At another place
where there is license law | had
Iold some goods and was sitting on the
hotel steps when an officer stepped up
md asked ifthere was a drummer
here who was selling linen goods. He
evelled his inquiry at me. 1t flashed
lcrOss my mind what he wanted. III
quietly, No, there has been
10 such person at the house to. day,
md he went away and ! had hair
breadth escape,
Aside from the manner in which
hey are enforced these laws are very
Unjust. Commercial travellers spend
great deal OF money in the towns
hey visit. They support most OF the
hotels OF the country. No large bus
ness can be carried on without them.
They save the local merchants the
rouble and expense Of visiting the
arge cities to make purchases. Every
any standing now employs
raYellug salesmen. Some OF the large
roeery, drug and dry goods firms have
s many as thirty or forty out on the
Dad. 1t will thus be seen that these
axes accumulate and become q very
erious item of expense TO large
louise. In the several States the chief
.dvocates Of the taxes are the retail i
merchants and others whose CONNER.
ial intelligence is not large, or who
hink that these taxes operate to per-
et local trade ~