The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-25
MERCHANTS AFTER
MONEY LENDERS
WANT LEGISLATIVE ACT
TO REGULATE RATES CHARGED BY
LOAN OFFICES AND PAWN SHOPS.

Chamber of Commerce to Be Asked
to Use Efforts for Such Legisla-
1iOn-RcpOrted That Such "A Meas
ure Is Now Being Framed to BE
introduced in northumberland
TO BE Asked What Measures Have
Been Taken TO Prevent Pawn
shops Buying and Selling Goods.
AT a meeting OF the Retail Mer-
chants Association held yesterday, it
was decided TO ask Mayor Myers and
Council what steps have been taken
against the custom of the pawnbrokers
in buying and selling goods, complaint
against which was made to Council
by the Merchants Association in body
some time ago.
Upon the answer received will de-
pend the further actions of the asso-
citation in the fight it has begun to
protect the interests of its members
from what they consider unfair COM
petition.
1t was also decided to wage a fight
against all pawn shops and loan Of
fees that charge an Illegal rate of
interest. This, in the opinion of the
members, is something that is very
badly needed in protection of the poor
persons whose necessities drive them
20 secure little loans, and of the ig-
norant part of the city's population,
who are unable to realize, until they
have become debtors, what sort OF an
arrangement they have made.
Lawyers Frank Admission.
1t was stated by one of the members
of the association that he had been
told by a lawyer that only the legal
rate of interest could be collected on
these loans. if the people interested
choose to fight the cases in court; that
he had successfully conducted num-
Der of these cases and won so many of
them that the loan people had after
ward retained him to take care of
their interest in such suits.
The members of the association de-
cided that the best way to remedy
these evils would be by legislation
and so will ask that the Chamber of
Commerce look into the matter, and
that it use its efforts to secure an act
by the Legislature that will regulate
present abuses. 1t was stated at the
meeting that the acts of the loan COM
panies have been such that a measure
such as is proposed would meet with
the hearty support of representatives
from every city in the state.
Bill Is Being Prepared.
From an outside source it was learn
ed that bill having for it's object the
same measures desired by the Mer-
chants Association has been in the
course of preparation for some weeks.
and that it win be introduced at the
next session of the Legislature.
The merchants also propose to take
steps looking to a revision of the rates
now charged by water freight and by
the express companies. 1t is claimed
that recently a change in the rates
have been made by which the car-car-
Tiers refuse to accept package, no
matter how small. on which they cam
not collect the same amount of freight
as if the package weighed 100 pounds,
which means that a package that was
formerly delivered for 25 cents now
costs SIS cents.
The express companies, too, it is
charged, have made a corresponding
increase in rates. These matters will
be brought to the attention of the
Chamber of Commerce, with a request
10 use its good offices in having them
remedied.