Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-12-04
WHY DISCRIMINATE?
the Editor of the Daily EAGLE

To the Editor OF the Daily EAGLE
In passing the corner of Douglass avenue
and Market streets last Saturday afternoon,
| stepped up to the little dog cart and glanc-
ed over the contents of the two small cases
containing the stock in trade Of the crippled
soldier who has been selling on the street
here for few days past, and whose dog has
excited so much admiration and comment
from the people aud press of the place.
While standing there wondering how he
could make a living from so small stock,
the following conversation took place be-
tween another bystander and the owner of
the dog and cart;
Citizen-This is rather cool day for your
business; is il mott
Soldier-Yes sir, too cool entirely; no one
will stand here five minutes.
Glow much license do you have to
pay?
S-Two dollars per day.
C-Two dollars per day for that stock Of
goods Impossible. Why, that is fifty-two
dollars per month, amounting to six hundred
and twenty-four dollars per year. 1t seems
to me that it would take much larger
stock than yours to stand such tax.
S-Larger stocks pay far less in proper
ton. even counting in rent, taxes and clerk
hire: but have to stand even though it eats
up the best part of my profit.
C-Do all the towns charge to the same
extent?
S-Not all, but the most Of them do.
Chanute, Chetopa, kingnan and Winfield
were patriotic enough to give me free Ii
cense.
Glow long have you been in the bus
| iness,
S-Nearly ever since / came out of the
army in '65.
Glow much do you suppose you have
paid for license during that time?
Sit is impossible to tell exactly, but L
have often figured that, i'll had only to pay
| license in proportion TO the amount of goods
L carry AS against the stocks usually carried
in stores, | could have built myself nice
little store, stocked ii with goods, and now
been settled down at home with my family;
while on the contrary, am now lucky if
see my family once a year, as it keeps me on
the road all the time to support them.
At this point in the conversation | turned
away, wondering in my own mind why pa
trotic Kansas could not do as well by the
disabled union soldiers as some other states,
and give them the privilege, in justice due
them, of making an honest living by ped
ding a few goods on the streets, without
charging them for the poor privilege.
| 1t does seem to me, and so all men who
have the least spark of love for their country
and respect for the men who stood by her IN
time of need. that those of them especially
who were crippled in her service should have
nj least the privilege ofmaking living hon
estly without being taxed for that privilege
far more than those who were traitors and
! copperheads. Why, it is outrageous, for
here is this man, for instance, who is to-day
in this town being taxed for legally and hon
estly dealing in notions, more than those
men are taxed who every day sell liquor in
| violation of law, and do their utmost to
make so,s and despicable beings of those
brothers and sons whom we love. BY CIV
ing this to the public for what it is worth
YOU will greatly obligc one who, though not
a prohibitionist. is still PATRIOT.
am totally uninterested except as man,
being in an entirely different line of busi-
ness. but I am travelling man who knows
the lack of home comforts, and also a
| PATRIOT.