The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-15

LICENSE
DECISION.

The attention OF the state authorizes
has Recently been called to the matter
OF peddlers' licenses In the various towns
particularly I'm relation TO the custom OF
the town officers in charging vendors
with state licenses very high fees ana
I'm some cases subjecting them 10 arrest
and fines which In some cases amount
10 as much as the state license fee.
case OF this kind was recently
brought 10 the attention OF Gov. Garvin
through the following petition:
To His Excellency Governor Garvin'
The undersigned, Isaac Moses. feels as
II he had been imposed upon by the Of
aciais OF the state and respectfully asks
vour consideration OF the matters he
names in this paper. He states that on
Sent. 2sth 1908 he procured and paid TOT
a state license OF the state treasurer OK
this state at the expense OF sio i'e
further states that on Dec. lsth ne "as
peddnng I'm the town Of coventry anu
was arrested and taken 10 East oreen-
xich and brought before Clerk looms
and nned $500 He wishes TO know II
ha has not been imposed upon and RES
snact fully asks you 10 so inform him ana
airec, him as 10 his rights In the roat-
fer IL the town officials have srreu
| in their ideas OF law he wants TO Know
| A. N not he also wants 10 snow H.
p.,,a humble man In humble circum-
| stances he has been perhaps not quite
| conahle of asserting his rights ana ne
| Feels confident that you will put him on
| the right track. Respectfully suomltteo'
'"o ISAAC MOSES.
The governor ut once COMMUNICATE
with the attorney general and asked TOT
Information on the subject. receiving the
| following reply;
Governor OF Rhode Island,
| Providence. r. I.
Dear Sir: Replying TO yours OF Feb. llth,
| requesting my written opinion relative 70
tho lazy relating TO the licensing OF ped
aIers and more especially 20 tho interpTe-
tation OF Chapter 1865 OF the Public Laws
nassed December 18th. 1902, have tho
honor to advise that / am of the opinion
that "a person hiding state license 20
peddle cannt legally peddle I'm town ln
This state where the town council mas
passed an ordinance requiring town IL
censes under the authority OF said Chap-
ter without taking out such license az
may be reatiired by such town ordinance
and should he peddle IN such town with
out such town license he would be haple
10 any penalty imposed by such town or
dinance Notwithstanding that he held
state license issued under the provisions
OF Chapter l62 OF the General Laws
C.hapter 1865 OF the Public Laws. above
referred TO- distinctly provides. however
That no fees shall be charged for such
town lcense) where the license has beer
licensed under Chapter 162 Of the General
Laws" In short. I undeystand the law &c
be that pedder holding state license
must take out n town license In towr
where licenses are required, before h'
; can sell In such town, but that no fee
! should be required OF him by the town
) return herewith the state and town IL
censc issued TO one Isaac Moses and als'
: a communication TO you signed by Isaac
q Moses and NJ w. Dawley.
Yours respectfully,
VIM. Il. GREENOUGH,
Asst Attorney General
4 Mr. Moses who Is quite q young man
has been conducting business in seV
n ersl Of the states with what he terms
. | travelling general store. and did a whole
b sale and retail trade with the farsneri
Z and country storekeepers. He was
> the state house today and related his eN
h periences 10 the governor, telling or tn'
e time and expense he had been 10 10 ge
back his SIG from East Greenwich and Q
h his lack Of success He said he was toll
e by a lawyer that II would take some s2V
i 10 sue the town with any hope OF succos
e and intimated that a poor man had YER
= little chance in this world for redress
" When he went away he was armed wit
l. his papers. a copy OF the decision or IN
N | attorney general and a very poor oplnlo
Z of a state peddler's license that viii CIV
4, no more protection than the one he mad