Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-10-02
SUPREME COURT
UPHOLDS AGENTS
Case Lost by Wausau Also Ef-
fects Grand Rapids,
Wisconsin.
LETTER FROM MAYOR
MARCHETTI TO REPORTER
Agents Not Liable il the Goods
are Sent Directly from
Factories.

Chief of Police Garrihee has had
great deal of trouble lately in track
ing agents Of wholesale houses to
various residences in this city. Thus
far he has arrested five while in the
act of taking orders. 1t was believed
that the offenders came under the
transient merchant ordinance which
requires license from S. to S25 per
day.
Justice Cooper wrote to Madison
explaining the cases fully. In reply
he received the following letter:
"Mr. T. J. Cooper,
Grand Rapids, Wis.
Dear sir:-In reply to your letter
will state that the case you outline
does not come under the Wisconsin
laws. AS long as the goods are sent
directly to the parties ordering the
same releases the agent from liability
as peddler.
ELI Peterson, Treasury agent"
From this it would seem that the
merchants of Grand Rapids are with
out protection. Mayor Louis Mar
chetti of WauSau writes as follows:
editor WOOD COUNTY REPORTER,
Grand Rapids, Wis.
Dear sir--In response to your letter
which | find on my table, vii say
that we have an ordinance here,
drawn with care under the last law
relating to transient merchants, by
which we require these statesmen to
pay license of S25 per day for the
privilege of doing business here.
Under this ordinance we have kept
them out, because that is more than
they are willing to pay. OF course
the ordinance vas attacked by them
as unwarranted, and unconstitutional,
but we got a decision Of the circuit
in favor of the validity, and the case
is now pending before the supreme
court for final decision, which will be
rendered in few days, as the case
has already been argued and sub
mitted more than week ago. If
the ordinance should be held to be
invalid, we will try and amend it, SO
as to conform to the decision of the
supreme court il it is possible. The
case is entitled: The city of Wansau
VS.. HIS Mack, speaking from'memory.
Let your city attorney watch the next
batch of decisions Of the supreme
court and he will find it among them.
If not, then the Supreme court holds
it back for some purpose. .-.
Even should we lose the case, we
have had much benefit from the ordi-
nance, as under it we have kept out
all the fake shows and fake business
men. Respectfully yours,
LOUIS MARCHETTI,"
Since the writing of the above
letter the supreme court has rendered
it's decision against WauSau.
The Wausau Record says: "Mr.
Rosenberg, the city attorney, is Of
the.opinion that the language con-
strued by the court, being as well
language of the statute as Of the
ordinance that it will be impossible
by an amendment to make the terms
OF the ordinance broad enough to in-
clude within it the class of persons it
is most desired to reach, tOwit:
Those who canvas about the city with
samples, taking orders for goods to be
delivered by the principals of the
agents who reside in other cities.
The ordinance, however, will remain
effective to prevent persons bringing
into the city, stocks of goods and
their attempting to dispose OF the
same by auction or by canvassing
about the.city, the constitutionality OF
the statute having been left undeter-
mined"