The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-29
BURDEN OF THE FARMER.
Probably UnIavfuI-The Supreme
Court of Pennsylvania sCited.


To the Editor Of the Globe:
To the wrongful conversion of the
valuable fee once possessed by the peo-
pie in the old market house property,
valued at 100000, followed with the at
tempt to purchase with the peoples
money a site wholly unsuited to the
uses to which people usually put a pub
lie market, Is added the license fee of
SAG per annum charged the farmer under
the preteXt that he is ''peddler." The
farmer, selling the products of his farm
is welcome caller at the homes of
many in a city like st. Paul. Especially
is this true in the absence of public
| market. The hOusekeeper considers it a
privilege to deal with the grower for
reasons well known Most cities make
distinction between these and peddlers
If it is found that some do not 1t is no
defense for ST. Paul. A rule of action
in cases Of this kind should be based
upon justice and good sense. In order
to shut out the farmers around St.
Paul from selling the stuff that their
honest toll has produced, that the com
mission men may be ''fostered," this
yearly license IS required
This is helping the commission men to
sell that shipped-in stuff through a sure
enough peddler. Why is a farmer re-
quired to take out this yearly license
when he can not use it but for a short
period of time? 1t is this. 1t is very
well knoWn- that farmer can not afford
to pay this SAG for the short time he
would be using it, and that his small
crop will not Justify him In the outlay
SO to him it is Prohibitory. This is just
why it is exacted.
With tho
easy enough to pay this, as he is selling
under his license every business day of
the year. TT is protection to him, as it
shuts out the farmer Whatever bene-
fits him helps the man from whom he
buys This license fee in the absence
of central market place is monstrous
1 haven't much before me to refer r.
but L think 1t is generally conceded that
a farmer selling the products of his farm
from door-to-door is not peddIer. There
are number of supreme court decisions
In other states to this effect.
Inc supreme court Of Pennsv1vanIa
rendered decision in the early nfnetfes
winch have before me- You will oh
serve that In this case the court makes
the distinction
In ampltfieation of its recent dAcisio,
in relation to hucksters and pedd1ers the
supreme court Of PENNSYLVANIA. on March
H. through Justice Williams. delivered
5nother opinion which discusses the
declaration of rights, accura felv r,ic+,,,oc
the characteristics Of the peddIer an
nounces the right Of a farmer n col,
MS own produce from door to door and
oeIlhes the scope Of the Interstate com
merce law. Oo1ii-
agents under salary selling a product
I lis'lIuI dcluted oy Rhode Island firm
cd IN
peddling" and were fined The s,,nSo, ~
court decided that the SchuyIkill county
court was right in enforcing the Iow
against these peddlers. In passing mon
Lne points raised on behalf of the ned
9iers' justice Williams said 1.-THE ned
uteT Is d transient with no fixed place
OF business, who seeks customers b1, In
vading their homes and makes so1o. ~ -.
persuadlng people to buy what thew do
not need and who by the time he 10
wanted TO answer for his Representations
ana engagements. is out Of sight. # is
TINS matter of tracking a Iaboring man ar
woman into ne house and laying siege
~ nm I'M OF ner by an INSCRIPTIONS and
se11-posSessed stranger who is after
money and, has no delicate scruples about
the manner in which he gets it. that has
MADE the peddler a dread in the country
and In the villages.
1 do not regard the sale Of the natural
piouuclS oI the SOIL by the farmer or
gardener by whom they are raised ae of
| fected by the laws relating to ped6Iers
Farmers are not within the mischief
which these laws are intended to remedy,
except as they are the victims of that
mischief The carriage of the surplus
products Of the farm or garden to mar
heL town or from house to house Is not
peddllng, but is incidental to their bust
ness as farmers. Peddlers are forbidden
10 sell goods, wares and merchandise /"
Ihese words were never intended to in
Guide farm products in the hands of the
farmer; nor is the transportation of such
| products to a market for sale, or to regu-
lar customers who are supplied by the
grower, the sort of business at which the
laws relating to peddling are directed
The refusal of the city of St Paul to
furnish central market place where the
citizens will meet the producers is brine
ing these questions up with more to fol-
low %. B. Harris