The San Francisco call., 1897-03-11
PRIVILEGE OF
SELLING AT HOME
Manufacturers Make a Re-
quest That a Hardship
Be Abolished.
Cannot Compete in Their Own
State With Merchants From
the East.
Existing Laws Compel a Condition
That Seems Ike CONNER
cial Suicide.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO GALL,
90S Broadway, March 1U.
The Board OF Trade received word to-
day that the Manufacturers and Pro-
ducers' Association has indorsed the ef-
forts of Oakland manufacturers to secure
the passage of the legislative bill pro-
hibiting the imposing of license upon
any person soliciting orders or selling
articles manufactured or prod duced in this
State.
On this bill hangs the foundation of the
municipal license system of every city in
the State. During the pas, year Oakland
has been particularly active in regard to
licenses, and in some instances the effect
has been the reverse of what was antici-
pated.
The manufacturers and producers have
now concluded that it Is folly to permit
any municipality to impose a license on
the sale of homemade goods, no matter
in what part of the State they may be
manufactured.
very emphatic letter has been sent to
every merchant in the State and to every
member of the Legislature, which sets
forth some facts of which the average
citizen is certainly in ignorance. In one
section it says that the act is simply in
tended to promote the development and
manufacture of products of this State. 1t
is intended to put the sale of California
produce goods on the same footing as
goods produced in other States when sold
by travellers in California. The letter
says:
II seems absurd to think that California
law discriminates against Its own people, but
such is really the fact at present and this law
ID in tended 10 correct just that evil. The in
| tention is not to take away from the towns,
cities or counties III this State the power to
pass and enforce the usual license ordinances.
1t is intended only TO prevent the imposition
of q license on the home manufacturer when
he Offers goods for sale through travellers, and
in the same manner as the same goods are sold
by the travellers OF other States. 1t seems ike
suicide to nut a prohibitory tax on the sale of
the products of this State, when they are in
just such competition with goods from other
States. This is occurring every day in Cali
fornia. so that millions of dollars worth of
foreign goods are sold here without let or
hindra ce and the California manufacturer
or producer is crushed out of existence If he
tries to sell in the same way.
1t is true that the license is no: always
forced; in fact is rarely framed with view to
preventing the sale Of such articles to the
dealers Bat, inasmuch as this State is
young in the matter of home products, and
inasmuch it is necessary to encourage the
small manufacturer and producer if we ever
expect large institutions to grow from them,
we surely onght not to allow statutes 10
II ein in existence which tend TO crush the life
out of these embryo enterprises. If we do
allow such statutes TO remain how can
ever have prosperity for home products?
How can home products grow and prosper?
1t is true that the large manufacturers and
producers can sometimes find ways to market
their goods other than by sale TO the con-
sumner, but We claim that every beginning
is of disadvantage in the matter of market
ing produces and otherwise creating a de-
mand that will lead to ultimate success and
growth
The contemplated law, as you will notice, is
intended to apply only where compe lion re-
quires il to be applied, and surely the State OF
California can afford or its own sake to allow
this right to its own products.
Outside the boundaries of this State the Cali
fornia manufacturer is free TO sell his Aoods to
whom he pleases-in fact, is then free man
and on equal footing with the manufac-
turers of other States. Within the State as
matters are a. present, he is crushed out of ex-
istence. For these reasons and many others
that could pe given this ect should become
law at The present session of the Legislature.
The State Board of Trade has also as
sured the local commercial organizations
that the prosecution of the bill has their
heartiest Endorsement and will be sup
ported by that body.