Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-08-04
Commercial Tourists Protest
Against the Taxation Levied
BY Various Cities.
They Propose to Bring the Matter
Before COngress-MOvement to
Form An Association.
One OF "The Gang" Relates ais
Experience In Thts Iaty--.A
system Of RIaokznall.


va eboAhot ZIG wv ubL taA1llO
with which they are met in man
parts of the continent. A travele
leaving New York for business tou
through Philadelphia, Baltimore
Washington, Virginia and the Soutl
generally to Texas is subject in almos
every place he stops to exhibit hi
samples and take orders to heav
tax or license fee. so that at the EN-
OF his trip he will find that larg
slice of his profits have disappeared
Most commercial travellers try I,
Jump the business. but in doing 8,
render themselves liable to heavl
penalties, one form of which is i'm
prisonment. To be a traveller through
many of the States is thus rendered
hazardous, aud almost any Commercial
man whose field of operations is ex
tensive has many tale to tell ofhair
breadth escapes from the tax officer o.
his detective. and more often still
from some informer who makes liv,
ing by levying blackmail on business
from other States.
The Travellers have resolved, ifpos,
sible, to break up this system Of
highway robbery" as it is called. Ell
lorts are making to have Congress take
the matter in charge and pass a Law
forbidding any of the States to lew
taxes on merchants from other States
Ii this cannot be done then it is pro,
pose to create public opinion that
shall compel the several States Ia
repeal the laws levying these taxes
Already many Of the Western States
have done this.
One Of ths objects Of the CONNER
.cial Travellers Convention held at
Cleveland recently, was to form a
national association of commercial
travellers for the purpose of dealing
With this question and in other WAYS
to protect the interests OF this large
and important branch Of the mercan-
tile community. There are a number
OF State associations, but they are for
the most part mutual insurance socie-
ties. The national association will
have broader aims and it is believed
will accomplish much for the benefit
OF the commercial travellers.
About one-half the States tax com
mercial travellers. Those which re.
quire no license are as follows: New
York, Colorado, Connecticut, Dakota,
Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kan
sas, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts,.
Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Ne
braska, New Hampshire, New jersey.
Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, Yer.
mont, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
WHERE TAXES ARE LEVIED.
Alabama has no State tax, but Mo-
bile charges So a day or sl8 70 a year
tcFS}icense. Arkansaw also has no
State tax, but Little Rock levies one
of s. week.
California, though exacting no gen
eial license law, allows her cities 70
tax commercial travellers. San Fran
cisco taxes those doing a business Of
S9O, 900 as much as 800 quarter, and
pro rata tor less amounts, those doing
a business Of $4,000 and less being
taxed s25 quarter.
In Delaware the State tax is $25 80
year; the District Of Columbia
charges 800 IA year, and Florida $25 %
a year.
Georgis has no State tax, but her
cities do not follow her example.
Atlsnta's tax is 500 year, and Au.
gusta's 50 a day.
Louisiana has a State tax Of VS. per
month, to which Baton Rouge adds
so per aunum and New Orleans $50
per annum.
Maryland levies a tax Of s1275 per
annum on those doing q business OF
800 or lees, and pro rata upward,
those doing q business of SIG, 900 and
over being taxed $50.
Michlgan leVies q tax Of $50 per
annum, Montana one Of s25 quarter,
New Mexico one Of $50 per annum,
and Nevada one Of go a month for
each eognty. North CaroIins, 500 q
year, except those dealing 10 liquors.
who mus: pay 800 year. Several Of
her cities levy an additional tax. 10
Wilmington it Is g per day.
PennsylvaRia has no State tax, but
10 most Of her counties there are local
taxes. Philadelphia has the credit, or
9Issre9lt, Of leYying the heaviest tax
10 Che cO1ntry-t31D. An evasion OF
tax is n5isdemeahor, punishable with
= fns Of tSOg snd imprisonment for
thJty days
In'ssg.k CsFaIina there Is No State
tax, but Charleston taxes drumfners
tl0 . week, Beaufort $40 year, Col
gnbus 81 = day and Georgetown 81 a
day.
Tennessee does not levy a State tax,
but 10 Nashville there is a license fee
Of siU Z yesrsnd an evasion ID punish
able with 20 sad coat. 10 MemBhis
the fee IL 30 4 week.
Texas has recently changed lie
lieense l4g u nov imposes > TAX Of
W % eYeTY salesman, WITH penalties
~ e7eTg egsabpn Of iFen N 70 poo
foe.
n Utah there IL 10 eeaeneral Law,
bat OgleH Gig charges go quarter
ioF = license. Virginia imposes 4 tax
Of glS0 a year. For violation Of the
law the penalty IL hne 81 pzO0 for the
Gras oaenss and ESQ thereafter
NsleheT produces Of Ontario or
41sbee tax tgagel,ng esleemep, bBt
several 81 he CaBadian eltieS DO Ia
sofel the tax IL 80 yer year, 10 Que
bee, 900 IN ". johns. -, Ia Three
kiges, 30, and 10 Halifax, 800.
gon nEsDEaTe AID sOH.EEsfDEETg.
IN n these taxes are imposed Of.
CeBnbl9 N mefg84atg real iing inside
a. veil A. thoss from Other hccdops
fsmD0Yanlt tfaVeliGg through the
3lat6. Practically, however, the tax
Z IN lka lattsr Glass alone, Maryland
49, tt1 Ele1f 1fa1fifaioefio0 hotueeu