The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-29

The Texas Drummers' Tax LaW-Its
Effect Abroad - Complaints About
ExhOrbitant Express Charges in
TeXaS-The Associated Press Agent
in Galveston Punched in the Short
Ribs-New York News Compiled by
Tramp.
From Our Special Correspondent.
NEW YORK, March 10, 1882.
AS your legislature is still in session
it may be well that members should
beinformed of the great unpopularity
Of the drummers' tax law with east
ern manufacturers and wholesale
merchants. Many houses that used
to send several drummeTS through
Texas twice II year, have. since the
passage of the law which reqireC
them to plank down scooter each one,
cut the number down to one or
two and sent the others into other
states, while some have withdrawn all
their solicitors from Texas. Now, the
question Is, don't law of that kind
do moe harm than good to a state :?
An army of mercantile men passing
through a state continually leave Il
great deal of money wherever they go,
contributing largely to the support OF
hotels, stage lines, railroads and posi-
bly, the saloons Besides, they are a
convenience to the merchants in the
state, enabling them to buy by sample
without mourning the expense of a
trip east, in which event they would
take money out of the state and spend
it elsewhere. Your correspondent
merely mentions this matter in order
that some eloquent legislator who is
boiling over with free trade Senti-
ments, may think to immortaliZe him
self, by securing repeal of the drum
mers' tax. AS the last legislature
gave the railroads a heavy blow,
by cutting down the passenger fare,
from five to three cents mile, would
it not be a beautiful act of liberality,
good sense and magnanimity for the
present legislative body to repeal a
law which curtails travel in Texas,
and thus give the poor struggling
railroads a chance to regain their
loss? Now, while your legislators are
allowing their intellects to be Slapped
out of their systems for the trifing
sum of 50 day, they must certainly
be in a proper frame of mind to SYM
pathize with the railroads and eastern
merchants whose interests are blight
ed by the crushing weight and eA ist-
ence of the drummer tax law.
Publishers here have called the
attention of your correspondence to
| the
EXORBITANT EXPRESS CHARGES
in Texas, as compared to charges in
other states, and requested him to
bring the subject before the people of
Texas in some paper having gen.
eral circulation and the ear OF
the legislature. The STATESMAN
enjoys the general circulation" but
as to the ear part the writer is not
posted. If the people of Texas wish
| to get books and other merchandise
as cheaply as other people get them,
they had better do what is in their
power to supply the facilities. Some
| houses have refused to advertise in
Texas papers because they can't af-
| ford to pay the express charges, and
because their patrons in Texas COM
plain of exorbitant charges when the
goods are sent c. .. ID.
| 1t NAV be well Tor me to here men,
| tion that Texas seems to be sOrely III
need of associated press agents OF the
kind that will succeed in giving the
| world daily fair share Of Texas
news. 1t is surprising how little
| Texas news is seen in the Geographic
| columns of the New York papers
| A state as large as Texas should
certainly have at least half q
dozen associated press agents
] instead of one, where vision
seems to be confined to Galveston
island, and the blood and thunder
column of the News. He has hardly
deigned to tell the New York papers
that the Texas legislature was in ses
sion, or that Ireland is governor, OF
that new capitol, to cost S3,OOOOOO
is being built. He seems to think il
the duty of eastern papers to senC
correspondents down to Texas to gel
information for their readers wheI
they want it. Can't the STATESMAN
set Dan McGary and Nat Quick Hen
derson on the fellow and get hin
reused up? He is evidently asleel
and needs shaking.
NEW YORK NEWS.
1t is estimated that over one half o
the 100000 inhabitants of this cit.
have their homes in tenement houses
this including those who live in VIVA
are called FLATS" as also those VIII
live in hotels and boarding houses. 4
flat is floor suitably arranged TO
housekeeping for one family. Man
of these are very stylish, and posses
every modern convenience. They cos
from $40 to 500 month, according
to the number and the size of tn
rooms. Some OF the statistics O
metropolitan life are curious. Flo
| instance, the peopleof New York pa
annually 100000 for amusement:
and it is estimated that the city
: 10000 whiskey and beer saloons gathe
in three times that amount of none,
while but 100000 is paid out TO
education. The average of wages i
manufactures is S424 a year, or S1.371
day: but of course many of tn
operatives are women and children
Of the 270,496 children under the ag
of is, but 1885 attend Sunda
school, but large percentage of thes
are of foreign parentage; so 1t mus
J be admitted that there is wide feel