The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1914-03-27
CLOTHING PEDDlERS
AROUSE WRATH AND
IRE Of MERCHANTS
COLUMBIA BUSINESS MEN UP IN
ARMS AGAINST REPRESENTA-.
TIVES OF NORTHERN HOUSES
BANNER EDITORIAL QUOTED
Mail Order Houses Have Agents In
the County Who Sell Thousands Of
Dollars Of Goods Locally Per Year.
Crying Evil Needing Remedy.

Says the Banner editorially in the
Thursday evening issue:
Large dry goods and notions hous-
es located in Northern cities have a
practice of sending out representa-
tives with samples to take orders
from the retail trade of the South.
''The plan Of procedure is to food a
city with circular letters mailed to in
dividuals in the city to be visited an
nouncing the coming of the agent and
asking that those to whom the letters
are addressed call ON him during his
stay of several days at a leading ho-
tel. Goods Of extra quality at bar
gain are promised.
! This might be legitimate business
if the vendors paid licenses, but as
they do not it isn't fair to the local
merchants who do. These agents
claim to be exempt from license be-
cause they only take orders, but that
is only an evasion. The agents are
as much in competition with the local
trade as if they opened houses and
kept stocks in the city.
This practice interferes material
ly with the welfare of the city by di-
minishing the trade of the local mer-
chants, and is an evil likely to grow
if not corrected.
THE local merchants pay not only
the regular merchants, license, but
other taxes, and also rents. They are
part of the community, contributing
to it's welfare and prosperity, and they
are entitled to protection against I'm
fair competition from the outside.
eff it is not practicable under the
present law to collect licenses from
these outside houses that send theil
agents here to take orders, then the
law should be so amended as to make
it practicable. 1t is matter which
should be promptly corrected by the
city commission and if necessary
brought before the next Legislature
in case state legislation is needed"
The above sentiments will be ech
oed by the merchants and bushes!
men of this city. Columbia had re
cent instance of this custom of north
civ UanlzI
or two months several of their agent
have been plying their trade in thi
/ county. By concerted action Of tn
| merchants, one of these clothing vend
! ors, who was delivering his goods
| was arrested, carried before the cit.
/ Judge and fined, and made to pay
| license. At Pulaski, the merchant
| caught one of the peddlers, and in
stead of arresting him, served motto,
on the gentleman that he had only 81
many hours to stay in the city.
| It is not fair, it is not right tina
! these mail order clothing peddler
should be allowed to ply their tdae il
these parts. So far they have beef
| paying no license. The home mer
chant, on the other hand, has to Pa,
this tax, he helps to maintain the in
situations of the city and county, h
| pays rents to the property owners
! and he should be protected from thes'
foreign merchants, who do nothing
but take money out Of the county
They hurt every avenue and line o
business. The banks are affected n
less than the merchants.
If there is no way practicable TO
7, collecting a tax from these mail orde
houses from distance, then Law
should be passed which would strik
at this evil. 1t should be done an
done at once. 1t is an issue upol
which there should be no temporizine
There is no way to forbid them selin
here, but they can be made to pay
tax equal to the home merchant.