The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-11-14
COUNCIL PASSES THE
..P[[DDLERS ORDINANCE
MEAT PEDDLING TO BE FREE FOR
49,. ONE WEEK..

Council Will Pass Another License
Ordinance at Next Meeting. Rigid
Health Inspection to Be Made by
Department Of Health. Herald
Claims That Combine Will Attempt
to Enlist Support of Union Labor.
At the last meeting of the City Coun-
Gil the aldermen wrestled with the
peddlers ordinance for over an hour.
The Committee on Ordinances brought
in favorable report on the Haven or
dinance, which exempted peddlefs Of
meat from the license law. The ordi-
nance could not be amended in any
other way at the last meeting, but the
committee brought in new ordinance
which will be passed at the next meet
ing providing for a nominal license Of
$40 for peddlers of meat This is just
enough to place meat peddlers under
the control Of the city. The proposed
ordinance also provides for the regula-
ton of the Health Department.
For one week any old person will be
permitted to peddle meat about the city
without a license. Alderman Moore
wished to have the ordinance go over
for a week so that the new system OF
inspection and the new license law
could go into effect together, and AL
derman Moore was right, although he
was the only member of the Council
who had the moral courage to face a
strong public sentiment for immediate
action.
The truth of the matter is the people
are being charged such an enormous
price for meats that they are willing
to jump at any conclusion that will
tend to give them immediate relief
The people would no doubt be patient,
and would have full confidence In the
council were it not for the evening
papers Unsuitable desire to get even
with the butchers combine. The Herald
as a general proposition is a very con-
servative paper, but in this instance
it has departed from its usual custom
for the sole purpose : of satisfying a
grudge against the retail butchers who
do not advertise. Its agitation has set
the people on fire, and: has put some
of the aldermen in a false light.
The Herald, however, had too much
respect for it's editorial column to
criticise the delibiration of the council
committee -on the ordinance Such a
criticism would @'be inconsistent with
the ordinary matter that appears in
that column. <<'s:- ::.-..
81 Every member Of t1le:city council. is
-farnnnere sanxious#tps passSt the.necessar
ordinanesa. forss The peoples
Int eeessaTy safeskaiardss
thrown about the ordinance so that the
danger5.in, selling deceased and un-.
wholesome meats will be lessened. On,
this phase of the question the Herald
has said very little, and yet it is far
more important than the matter Of
cheaper meat.
John Cox, Of the firm of Cox BIOS,
retail butchers, appeared before the
council, Monday evening in opposition
to the passage of the peddling ordi-
nance. The butchers combine was
represented by Attorney r. S. Powell,
who put up as good an argument as
could be made for a weak case. Mr..
Cox, being more familiar with the
proposition, made a very good impress
sion. He claimed that the charge that
the retail butchers were charging ex-
orbitant prices was not founded on fact.
That the butchers are not making the
large profits credited to them. That
the opposition of the daily papers was
due .from the fact. that the butchers
had refused to advertise.
He was asked number of questions
by the aldermen and answered most
of them satisfactorily. He said that the
butchers had no fear of. the competi-
ton from peddlers, but he did not be-
lieve that it was right for the city to
permit people to peddle meat for moth
ing, when retail merchants We're OBJ
liged to pay enormous rents. The fact
that they escaped the payment OF rent
would alone enable them sell meat
! cheaper. T While this, was reasonable
argument, the fact that the people are
paying such high prices for meat
| prompted the council to- pay little at
tention to Mr. Cox's claims, and so the
radical course was taken. = - ~
The Herald claims that. the. butchers
combine is endeavoring to- enlist the
support of union labor against the in
dependent butchers. What the Herald's
motive is I'M making such a claim is not
| known, but union labor will be too
|; wise to fight the employers battle un-
| less their own cause Is in jeopardy.
| Union labor, tfcularl " the butchers
| union, will insist that all butcher Shops
| whether belonging to the trust or; in
| dependent, must hire union meat cut:
Eters and display the union shop card
II Mr.. Frink Is wise he. will not. hes:
!. |.itate one moment I'M doing this. He
viii get his greatest supp from the:
members Of organized labor il he treats,
organized labor fairly All Ia abor will
lever demand IS the regular wages aid
|the regular hours Of Dor. Mr. Frinkss
cannot consistently oppose any such
demand on the part Iof Slabor, nor can
i#union labor ford to- osopposesMr..Fr Frink
for any other reason Il han mentioned
herein.
81 ANs EnRS pE AcE. 3 ii Is1Ssssz=s