The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-06-27
MR. oILLINGsLEY's GRIEVANCE.


The Tallahasseean has no desire IN
take issue with 1r. BiIIineslev whose
communication appears in this issue.
further than is necessary to defend the
city government against an unwar-
ranted attack His letter has the tone
OF fairness, and had ne taken the pre-
caution to investigate the other side
OF the qestion (all questions have two
sldes), we do not believe Mr.. Billings
ley would have written this letter.
City government, is just, as essential
as national, State or county govern
ment, and one of the most important
branches of the municipal govern
ment is the protection pf it's sSitizens
in the matter of food products: It is
impossible for the city ito station in
spectors throughout the corporate linn
its to run down and inspect every
wagon or other vehicle bringing fresh
meats into the city for sale, hence
there must be a regulari market place,
and all vendors of such meats must be
compelled to go there o!offer them for
sale.
The city government of Tallahassee
does not attempt to force these people
to sell their meats to the market men
whom Mr.. Billingsley declares want
"the lions share" of profits On the
contrary, Section of the market Or
dinance provides:
E'That suitable stalls or tables shall
be provided in said market for the use
of persons bringing meat as do
not hire stalls by the month
Only reasonable compensation is
required for these stalls or tables, such
:as is necessary for keeping them up,
and only such instructions and safe
guards are thrown around them as the
regular market men have to comply
with.
Mr.. Billingsley says he brought a
load OF country hams to town this
week and sold them 1nn0i 1Sted. lie
wants to know why he shcUid he al
lowed to sell one kind of meats on the
street and not the other. The answer is
simple. All honorable men, have to
bear their proportion of taxation and
~hardships for the protection of the
community against the INSCRIPTIONS
and dishonorable.
It is not probable that any person
will attempt to sell cured meats thai
are unsound and unwholesome. II
they did the meats themselves would
give them away. But in the case OF
fresh" meat, it is possible 70 put it OFF
aon unframed and unsuspecting city
people after it becomes almost rotten.
Those who sell fresh meats, therefore,
must contribute to the expense of DrC.
Yiding an inspector, and it would De
class legislation" denounced by all
people in all communities as unjust. to
discriminate against the market men
in favor of those who raise AID bring
ito town fresh meats.
Hence, the best thing the city can
do is to provide stalls for the use of
those who do not care to sell to the
market men. At these stalls they
have every facility for cutting, every
opportunity for catching custom, are
allowed every privilege as to deliv-
,ery, etc., that the regular market men
enjoy. That is all the city can do
without throwing to the four winds
every safeguard that has been taken
for our protection against people who
would sell us meat that is impure, and
for the few paltry pennies it would
bring them, impart to fellow-beings
DOisons and diseases which are known
to be component parts of such meats.
Justice and reason cannot ask that of
us.
In conclusion we desire to say that
every person III IdIIdUoOoSC uSSIICS
the friendliest relations with our coun-
try brethren. They are, perhaps, a
great deal more necessary. to our wei
fare than we are to theirs; because
they are the most Independent class
in the world. We are willing to meet
them half way on any proposition mat
is for our mutual benefit. But they
should not ask us for the sake of few
minutes freedom, to do as they please
when they bring fresh meats to town
to ignore those things which the exper,
ience of generations teach us are neces'
.sary for the protection Of our health, il
not our lives.
PISTOL TOTING LAW.