The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-06
Senator Ward Proposes to Use
1t in the Senate.
Is After the PeddIers and Fakirs
of All Classes
MUST PAY A LICENSE.
Believes They Should Be Made
to Put Up.
Right to Plumber People is
Worth Something.

r. 3. Ward OF Republic county, re-
elected state senator by the Republic
cans. is preparing a peddler's license
law. which ne will present for adoption
at the session Of the Legislature Mr..
Ward is one Of the two Republicans, old
members of the senate. returned J. G.
Morrow OF Washington county Is the
other.
Mr.. Wards proposed law Is to operate
against all classes Of canvassers and
peddlers, book agents, and every other
class of statesmen which, by personal
solicitation effects a disposition Of uler-
chandise of any kind
1.-The measure which propose to pre-
SENT said Senator Ward in converse
ton with a State Journal reporter. 7
regard as a necessary and equitable
law. It is designed to protect all classes
of people. but the man who is most con-
cerned IN this law IS the farmer. The
Kansas farmer needs protection from
these travelling traders I know what
I am talking about said Mr.. Ward,
because have had the experience from
which I draw my conclusions
The more important OF the classes
which Mr.. Ward hopes to see the pro-
visions of his law reach are as follows
The statesmen of the patent piow.
The inferior cUltivator sold by photo
graphs
The steel range vender-
The sewing machine peddler-
The lamp and washing machine shark
Lightning rod agents.
The statesmen of inferior buggies-
The piano and organ player who car
ries a sample in his wagon
Nonresident fruit tree agents.
The nonnadic book agent
The clothes 1o-order dude.
The pay-on-t he-instaIlment harness
salesman
knife and scissor peddler.
The Italian, Greek or Caucasian who
peddles statuary plaster casts Or am
mails heads.
Paint and varnish hawkerS
Patent fence schemes.
Spectacle filters who carry their wares
in a box as they walk
These are some of the fakes which Mr.
Ward wants to regulate
7 do not propose" he said. discussing
the subject, to prohibit any business
enterprise sending representatives into
the various counties of the state but it
Is my opinion that there should be some
regulation fixed for the conduct of the
business which they carry on
In the class OF enterprises which
send statesmen into the country in bug
gies there are many frauds Only a few
days ago q man who lives near me at
home was talked into buying a sewing
machine for which he is to pay $50 The
deal was rank. The machine can be
duplicated anywhere for SIS This is
also true Of many other things which
Many OF these statesmen are vendors
of cheap and inferior products and the
personal solicitation takes the place OF
merit.
The legitimate dealer who pays taxes
and keeps up his share Of the burdens
of expenses in community deserves
protection from these travelling indus
tries which take to the country roads in
buggieS or on foot Steel range men,
patent pIow, washing machine, fruit
tree in fact any and all classes which
one might name in an hour fleece the
people and leave the state Their con-
tracts are promissoIy notes, sold to in
nocent purchasers and The victim can
not escape
This sort of business enterprise can
not be prohibited but it can be regu-
lated These enterprises pay no taxes
ard have no responsibility. They are
smooth enough to manage their business
SO detection is next to impossible
What I hope to see the legislature
do with this bill 7 am working on is
to pass it I want it so framed that ev
cry canyasser or solicitor Of any kind
shall be compelled to pay a license fee
or tax to the county treasurer
Il think the tax can be based on the
price Of tHe article offered for sale. For
example. take the sewing machine in
cident of which I have told you That
was S65 Base the amount of tax or
license fee to be paid of the selling price
Of the machine and charge a man $3.50
for license to work in a county These
fakirs should be made responsible and
amenable to law. They are in neither