Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-05-14

THE ACTION OF THE HoUSE-wHAT SOME MERCHANTS
EXPECT IF UNTAxED DRUMMERs ARE PERMITTED
TO ROAM THROUGH THE DIsTRIcr-DANGER TO DIS
TRICr TRADE-rHE VIEWS OF Ex-LIcENsE OFFICER
RAFF, &C.
STAR reporter inquired Of the District Com
Elssoners the section OF the police bill repeating
the law imposing license tax .Of 500 each upon
the commercial brokers, agents, manufacturers,
&C.. which passed in the House OF Representatives
Monday, was likely to become a Jaw. They said
they could not TELL but the bill seems to have been
well considered, and there seems to be a determi-
nation on the part Of Representatives TO pass it,
The outside pressure Of these brokers' mostly from
the larger cities north, Is more powerful than the
protests District merchants and their repre-
sentatveS-the Commissioners. The constituents
OF these members demand OF them to repeal the
District license law, making the merchants here.
VINO pay heavy license, on a business equality
with the sample men and peddlers
WHAT Is SAID AT THE ASSESSORS OFFICE.
In the Office Of Assessor Dodge, who issues the
licenses 1t was stated that this clause, If sustained
by the Senate would throw the District open to all
kinds of wholesale men, manufacturers, agents,
saInple men, and others, to come here and sell ali
articles i'll competition with the licensed merchant
How many OF these men have license for the
current Year, asked the reporter.
officials
'.How many are there who visit this city for the
About twelve hundred or more. The largest
number come from Baltimore. They are here every
day, many OF them, and some do not miss good
day for trade during the entire year. New York
sends the next largest number, then Philadelphia
and Boston, and then scores OF manufacturers Of
New England"
Then the present law does not restrain them from
coming here with no licenSe?"
"ln very many cases 1t does not,' said the OIL
cal "they Will take the chances OF getting caught
ana prosecuted; the lawyers have the ability OF
delaying the hearing In the courts SO long that 1t
Is seldom the law is promptly executed Many OF
them work so quietly as 10 escape detection, and
many Of our small merchants, it is said, con-
niye with them, and they thus get of entirely"
AN OUTRAGE ON OUR MERCHANTS.
Mr.. Peter Fegan, rectif1er and wholesale liquor
dealer, when told OF the action of the House, said
'.It's an outrage on our merchants here Balt1-
more will eat Washington up 1t will certainly
not pass the Senate. This is a great wrong on
the merchants who have TO pay the heavy taxes"
A DEArH-BLOw TO WHOLESALE BUSINESS HERE.
Mr.. Browning, OF the firm Of Browning & Middle
ton, wholesale and retail grocers, said: "If that
repeal passes the Senate as il has the House, the
merchants and dealers in this District might as
well pull down their colOrS and give up business
He did not believe IL would pass the Senate and 1t
capital would put an end to wholesale merchan-
dHIng in the District"
SOMETHING MUST BE DONE.
Mr.. Hamilton, of the firm of Barbour & Hamilton,
wholesale grocers, when asked what he thought OF
the clause, said: 81 think it is all wrong, and
cense tax, and no discrimination against the Dis
trlct merchant II two hundred dollars is too
much, let them make 1t less-may be one hundred,
which think would be agreed to all round Some
thing must be done TO prevent this becoming a
law. There will be meeting OF the merchants to
take some action, and think one hundred dollars
should be fixed upon for the sample men as against
two hundred dollars for the District merchants"
A DISCRIMINATION AGAINST DISTRICT MERCHANTS.
Gen. Peter +. Bacon, Of the firm Of Sam1 Bacon
& Co. (grocers), said 1t was all wrong, and ought
not TO become law. 1t was a discrimination
against the merchants here, who would still have
TO pay the tax.
WHY SHOULD NOT ALL BE TREATED ALIKE?
MI. W. X. Riley dry goods wanted to know why
all should not be treated alike Why should man
III business here be required to pay a license when
others are allowed to come here and do business
Tor nothing. This project savorS somewhat. he
thought. or the insurance legislation which taxes
nome companies y per cent and outside compa-
nieS nominal sum.
VERY MUCH OPPOSED TO 1T.
MI. E. s. Hutchinson, OF Hayward Hutchinson,
plumbers, &C., said that he was very much opposed
TO the proposition striking out the tax for all out
sderS should pay license tax, as those who are
located here are required to pay.
MIXTURE OF GOOD AND EVIL
Mr.. Horace s. Johnston, saddlery and trunk man.
ufacturer, said to reporter OF THE STAR that If
these agents confined themselves to whOlesaling
the law would benefit trade here, but If they retail
1t would hurt the business men here. We have had
much benefit from the drummers, as they are
Called when they have acted strictly honestly, but
there have been some VINO would take an order at
wholesale rates and go right out and retail the
same article. He had no objection to permitting
those who acted square to transact business with
out license. 1t would, he thought, bring about a
wholesome competition and consequently benefit
the trade generally.
TOO MANY DRUMMERS NOW.
Joseph Bryan, Of Bryan Bro, grocers, favored
licensing the nonresident agents as well as those
he T0f fharn
III the doors are opened by the adjustment Of the
license tax, would not be able to get along for
the uru1ninerS are too plentiful how. We have had
no less than four whisky drummerS here to-day"
THE DANGER OF AN INVASION OF DRUMMERS.
MI W. o. Douglass, OF Douglass Bro, dealers
flaatt