The times., 1900-12-19

The itinerant merchant is fitting into
the city with the approach Of the busy
holiday season, and taking up his tenn
porary location in the vacant buildings in
the big business thoroughfares. He has
the usual characteristics of his kind, and
his business is conducted on the usual
lines. His fixtures are of the most fimsy
and inexpensive. His stock in trade is,
for the most part, of the cheapest and
shoddiest. made. like the fakirs' razors, Ito
SELL" He faunts great canvas signs all
over his store front that serve the double
purpose of attracting the unwary public
and excluding the light from his dubious
line of goods. AS usual, too, he Is selling
his wares with some success.
Along with the itinerant merchant of
this class is the concern that ships shoddy
goods of various kinds to the auctioneers
during the holiday season. Nobody knows
where these goods come from, but as sure
as December arrives, with its eager and
usually uncritical buyers. the consignmeEts
of Oriental rugs and antique" furni-
ture and plated ',jeweiry' and silver fill
the regular auction rooms and many places
fitted up especially for their reception,
There is widespread Indignation among
the legitimate merchants of the city
against these classes of nights :"
During recent years their visits to the
city have attracted more and more unfayor-
able attention, until now 1t seems probable
that a storm Of violent protest will break
forth
Business Men Bitterly Opposed.
Business men in every line are open in
their complaints and unsparing in their
denunciatiors.
1t is felt that some quick and radical
step should be taken TO keep them out of
the city or compel them to pay handsomely
for the privilege OF doing business. The
attitude Of The Times in an editorial yes
terday afternoon, was the subject of much
favorable comment. A large number Of
merchants were seen by reporters last
night. and their ideas are given in the in
terviews below
The Board of Trade has special COM
mittee on the subject, which last year at
tempted TO secure corrective legislation.
and is this year again urging Congress to
take some step il the matter. The Busi-
ness Mems Association has also taken the
matter up. and viii work for some method
Of relief. So far, however, neither of these
bodies has accomplished anything tangible
aQO Aale nIeStHl BELsoOA mat lltTG Will
be no abatement Of the nuisance during
the present holiday season.
Evils of the Fake Stores.
One effective method of crr:aiIing the
mischief lies in stringent refusal by
the newspapers to advertise these con-
Germs. This prevents them from drawing
patrons to their places and leaves them
only the stragglers from the street
throngs that are attracted by the glare
of their Fire Sale and Damage Sale
signs But this plan loses much of its
effectiveness if any one paper takes their
advertisements. The Times has been care
full to exclude from its columns every
thing of dubious nature in this line but
the rule has not been so carefully fol-
lowed elsewhere.
The evils of the fake stores are num-
erous and they injure both the public and
the merchants, the one quite as much as
the other. These concerns do business
for few days or weeks only in the best
season of the year. pay no taxes and only
a small license. contribute nothing to the
wealth of the community. and then de-
camp after the holidays with their profits.
II is pointed out that my of these peo-
pie do a dishonest business, misrepre-
senting their goods and employing ques-
tionable methods to work them of on
the people.
The District authorities at present COM
pei the itinerants to pay the regular small
license for doing business. They do not
attempt to collect the personally tax,
however, and as yet they have not made
any attempt to impose a heavier license
fec upon them than upon other merchants
in the same line of business.
Views of Prominent People.
Richard Sylvester, Major and Superin-
tendent of Police. in speaking of the mat
ter last night, said that the license in
spectors employed by the District kept
close watch upon all itinerant traders
They are required to pay license in every
case he said. Il cannot recall any in
stance in which the license has not been
paid The license eXacted by law in the
case of these traders is not large one
in most cases, but l believe they invaria-
bly, have complied with the law
Commissioner Macfarland said: Il
have read with interest the editorial in
this evenings Times headed Justice to
Washington Merchants l am very sure
that the Commissioners have no disposi-
tion 10 ignore any of the rights Of Wash
ington merchants, but, on the contrary,
have every desire to protect them |
believe that the Commissioners will do
whatever can be done in this regard
The fact is traders opening places for
the sale of goods, even temporarily, are
required to pay a license under the law,
and to that extent the local merchants
are protected. The Commissioners, OF
course. cannot go beyond the law in the
matter. agree that the itinerants
should have no advantage over the resi-
dent merchants, who are among our best
citizens"
Among the merchants interviewed yes
terday by Times reporters were the fol-
lowing:
S. w. Woodward: Firms of this char
aster should be compelled to pay taxes
that would put them on an equal footing
with the legitimate merchant who does
business from years end to years end
through good times and bad. Their com
petition is an injustice to the business
men and an imposition on the people"
A. Lssner, Of the Palais Royal: III
there Is any way to keep the itinerant
merchant out of the city, l believe IT
should be done. The problem is a diff
cult one, however, and 1 do not see the
remedy. In my opinion the merchants
who handle frst-class goods suffer little
from this imposition. because the people
who are deluded into patronizing the
fake stores want cheap rather than hon
est goods, and are not a desirable class
TO do business with under any circum-
stances. But the people suffer. and the
business is not legitimate
Fake Concerns Contribute Nothing
Mertz 6 Mertz: THE legitimate mer-
chants OF this city pay personally tax
each year on the amount Of their stock
in trade. They contribute from time to
time to the many celebrations, patriotic,
and otherwise that the city and the peo-