The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-09-09

The following communication, ad
dressed to the editor of the Daily Re.
publican, having been declined, and
believing that all questions may have
two sides, we give it a place in our
columns:
Editor Of the Daily Republican:
DEAR SIR:-NOticing in your issue
of yesterday statement concerning
the suit instituted by Mr.. Harding VS.
the City, and knowing that he will
have no opportunity to reply today
the writer, who has been one of Mr..
Harding's customers about twenty
years, asks space in your valuable pa
per to state some facts concerning the
case.
Mr.. Harding has sold meat ia this
city (where he formerly Iivedl for
more than twenty five years-more
than four times longer than the oldest
" corporation butcher" During that
period he purchased in Ravenna his
dry goods, groceries, mill feed and
general family and business supplies
Here his wagons have been construct.
ed and all his repairing is done. His
customers, who include numerous
electors of the city, have been faith
fully served with a variety of choice
an d fresh meats at their doors, at a
saving to them, when compared with
corporation prices, of l63 per cent
Ia HI Ii.,it tod hN-f ~
butchers lately to raise the price of
steaks to l5c. per pound, Mr.. Harding
replied that he had been succeeding
reasonably well for years in selling at
l23 cents that fat cattle were cheaper
now than at any time since he had
been in the business that it would
not be treating his customers fairly to
raise his prices at this time and that
he could not grant their request.
While rejoicing over the result of
the Spring elections one of these "cor-
poratiOn butchers" openly stated that
Mr.. Harding will now have to pay
such "A license fee as will compel him
to sell meat at our prices or quit ped
ding"
$4.54 is the average Corporation tax
paid upon all the personal property of
all the corporation meat peddlers, only
one of whom owns any realty in the
city. Mr.. Harding desired to pay that
amount into the city treasury, wheth.
er the license ordinance is legal or il
legal. He asks no advantage over his
ompetitOrs he would grant none
When asked if $25 would be u reason
able license fee he replied that he
would willingly pay that sum if the
corporation meat peddlers" would
pay the same amount. When we COLI
slider that these four would-be wards
of the city may keep open markets 365
days each year, and that they do ped
die meat in the city about 3l3 days in
the year, while this outside compet-
itor' visits the city only 1876 times each
year, was not Mr.. HarGing's PROPOSE
ton reasonable? For the tIi1ling tax
paid by them are the authorities will
ing to grant to said wards a complete
monopoly in the meat trade of the
city, at the expense of its $500 other
Inhabitants For, il one meat ped
dier may be legally taxed SO while
four other meat L'eddiers, travelling
over the same territory, remain an
taxed, then, by that same ordinance,
the one ped1ler may be taxed $3.50 (S5
per day. and thus driven out of the
business. 1t Is for the priu ciule in
voived, and not for the paltry $40, mat
MI. Harding is fighting.
Yours truly, FAIRNESS.
Ravenna, Sept. 4th, 1856.
THE effect of prohibition is thus
tersely set forth by an Atlanta ga }
paper, ill the light of experience
Less money in the city and State
treasury; less business houses occu-