Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1893-07-29
A VIGOROUS PROTEST.

Concert OF Action Among the Regular
Clothing Dealers Against Tran
silent Sellfng-APpeal to the Mayor
The Case to be Made Test Case.
A concerted movement of the clothiers
of this city has been started against the
opening of a clothing store here by an
itinerant dealer who advertises to sell at |
remarkably low prices for period of |
seven days. They propose to make test |
case in the matter. The proprietor of the |
proposed store Is a New Yorker and |
the regular dealers of this city object
to the store being allowed to be opened
in this city unless the city officials compel
him to pay license, which shall some
what equalize matters as to competition.
Yesterday morning number OF the
clothiers called upon Mayor Sargent and
desired that he either refuse to grant
license or else to put the price sufficiently
high 30 that it will bring the competition
to an equal basis. The mayor Was notified
that if he should refuse to grant license
the clothiers would make test case of the
new law paEed by the last legislature.
The new law authorizes transients to do
business either in q store or tent, etc.,
only upon the applicant paying to such
municipal corporation fee not less than
81 nor more than 500, as the authority is
suing such license may direct.
Infringement of the law Is punishable
with fine of not less than 81 nor more
than 5000, or imprisonment for not less
than thirty days nor more than six months,
or both. Any such person who shall,
while engaged in such business; fall or
refuse to produce or exhibit a license
granted under the provisions of this act,
when requested, shall be liable to arrest.
The mayor in response to the committee
| who visited him aaid that he had IS yet
| issued no license and if the proprietor of
the itinerant store opened and conducted
! the business the remedy lay in the hands
law. Upon the question as to whether he
would or would not grant license the
| mayor was non-commitsl, but as to the
! right of the city to impose tax he was In
| doubt. The mayor, after looking up the
law, said that in his opinion the city had
no right to impose tax upon a business
which it had not the power to prohibit en-
| tirely, and therefore he had said to the
proprietor of the new store that in his
opinion no license was necessary when that
gentleman had called on him to ascertain
l
one. He had not issued a license and the
remedy must lay in the hands of the cloth
iers if they desired to prosecute the mat
ter. This he was told would be done If b.
would refrain from granting license. If
on the other hand, he decided to grant
license, then all that WAS asked was tina
the price of the license be made the max
imum as provided by the law.
Colonel Post, the manager for Q. E
Lopgley & Co., one of the committee tina
called on the mayor, said: sit is not GU
purpose to put any obstacles in the way o
any legitimate dealer, nor are we oppose,
to competition. But here we are estab
lished clothiers Of the city, who are com
+ PEELED each year to pay our ratio of taxa
ton, and We therefore think that an out
, slider should be given no privileges tha
We do not enjoy, and we simply ask tina
) the city shall require from such dealer
! their just proportion of the taxes whic
we are compelled to pay. We do not as
: us, but if he will simply refuse to graz
the license then we will test the la
: or If he decides to grant license "
would like that the fee be sufficient
large to put the proprietor on plain wit
ourselves. In Hartford, New Britain an
: Bridgeport 1t Is impossible for these itine
: ant dealers to sell their goods simply b
cause the officials in those cities will n,
!, grant license and the dealers are not vii
y ing to stand the penalty. If these oiti
: consider their home stores of sufficient In
> portance to protect them in a measur
!; then we can see no reason why New Have
should not do the same. ALI we ask
!, fairness in this matter"
M. N. Meyers. manager of the Connect
. cut Clothing company ,swas also one of Il
. committee, and he uttered about the san
). sentiments. He said that the clothie
y would test the law If the mayor would 81
% them an opportunity by refusing to gra
,, | license