The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-30
THAT MARKET BILL.
II 10 Should BECOME q Law the People
OF wilmington VIII BE Mt the Mercy
OF Faw Spectators.


OF wilmington VIII he Mt the Mercy
OF n Few Spectators.
Any act, whose object is the Increase
of the price OF the necessaries oil LIE,
affects all classes, and conseq uently ID
an exceedingly dangerous matter Tor
Legislators to tamper with. as II they
should do contrary to the wishes OF
the people, who, for brief season
have invested them with power, they
are apt to learn. whom IL ls too late,
the truth Of the saying; "Nox populi,
vox DEL" There Is considerable In
dignatiou In this city already In refer
ence to the bill. with the Innocent Il.
tie: IAN act to regulate the sale OF
country produce In the city or VII.
mington," wnose-object is to restrict
the supply OF fruits, vegetables and all
other produce Of this city, and conse-
uuently increase the price. Tho priil-
cipal sections of this bill are as foi-
lows:
Section 1. That no pereons, not
being citizens of this state, firm, com
pany or CORPORATION, without having
first obtained proper license therefore,
as hereinafter provided, shall, within
the limits of tho city OF Wilmington,
prosecute, follow or carry on the busl-
ness Of selling country produce Oh a
perishable character.
Section2. That every such person.
or person, firm, company or corpora
ton desiring to be engaged In, prose-
cute, follow or carry on the trade ana
business pursuit or occupation named
In the foregoing section OF this act,
may apply TO the clerk OF the peace oil
New Castle county for a proper license
authorizing or empowering HIN. her
or them TO engage in, prosecute. FOL
low or carry on such trade, business
pursuit. or occupation, and upon MS,
her or their paying for the use OF the
stats to the said clerk OF the peace the
fee of 800. also the fee to the clerk Tor
issuing the game 1t shall be the duty
of such clerk of the peace to issue
him. her or them. proper license
therefore.
Section 3. That 1t shall not be law
full for any person or persons, hrin,
conf any or corporation so licensed To
expose their products for sale on any
of tile phyements, sidewalks or curDs
In the said city OF Wilmington.
1t Is II well-lsnown fact that some OF
tho best POTATOES, watermelons anu
.cantaloupes consumed in this city are
! brought here by the producers from
u New Jersey, and that much of the gilt
edge butler is from the diaries OF Ches-
ter county. Pa, farmers while some
of the finest pesche5 sold on Fourth
street, are he product oil Maryland
soil. The first and second sections OF
this act are designed to prevent these
producers from coming to this city
land exposing their products Tor sale.
hut it will be noticed that it does not
prevent tine com mission men and large
dealers going to them, aud by pur.
chasing their produets control the
supply of produce in this city.
I Fol fear that some few OF the produ-
GERS should be alheto pay the SloO IL
lccnse fee exactod in the second section.
,Itln third section Is tackled on WHICH pro-
finiitits their products from being en-
posed for sale on any OF Inc pave
|inents, sidewalks or curbs IN the SAID
city OF Wilmington" This bill Is some
thing IN which not only every mousse
keeper. but also all merchants, except
commission merchants, are deeply in
'iterested. as it. will not only increase
1.-THE cost of living, but will as!o Keep
away from this city u vast amount OF
trade. which is now distributed among
tho merchants.
The fourth section is not objection.
al as IL provides limo ana llnprlson-
lment fer any commission merchant
'Iwho shall fail to make proper returns
of money for produce sold upon com,
) mission for other persons. but beyond
this section. which should be passed,
the remainder OF the bill is one OF the
, most objectionul ever presented III lle
II legislature. If 1t is passed 1T Will
Ivil tually abolish the curb stone mar
kets, which for years have boon the
pride of this city rs they bring the
producer and consumer in direct con.
IiaGt, without the interpretation and
profit OF middle man.
IL the bill should become a law there
lis no doubt but its eonstitutionallty
will be tested in the States courts.
while the iirst two sections may be-
come matter OF consideration Tor
THE United States Court, as being III
conflict with the provisions Of the In
ter State Commeic e Act. IL will, how
lever, be much better for the people to
act themselves In this matter, and that
at once. For this purpose the
following petition has been
prepared, and all who wish can sign 1t
by calling at the REPUBLICAN Office.
) To the Honorable monitors Of the
/ Legislature of Delaware, in General
) Assembly met:
/, GENrLEMLN: We, tho undersigned
citizens OF Wilmington, would most
respectfully protest against the pas
80 ge of bill entitled an Act to reSu-
late the sale OF country produce in the
City OF Wilmington, ms we believe and
know that it will not only prove de
trimental to the interests oil the
! working class of this city, but also to
] all others.
, For years the curb stone markets
of this city, with the unrestricted com
petition oil the farmers and producers
ilo ON New Jersey, Pennsylvania ana
Maryland. have teen OF the greatest
benefit to our citizens. not only by
keeping ut reasonable rate the prices
of the necessarics of life, but has also
brought vast deaS of trade to our
merchants. We therefore do most re-
, spectlully and earnestly petition your
Honorable body not to enact this bill,
as 1t will certainly result in placing
the CONSUMERS OF this city at the
, mercy OF few spectators, who would
make them pay whatever price they
, might choose to charge for the neces'
. sarips of life.
, And we will ever pray, &c.