The Cordova daily times., 1915-07-16
CORDOVA W III 1
 TAX|T|NERANT MERCHANTS

The last legislature passed 8 law providing that municipalities might tax itinerant merchants. This was done as the present law on the subject was entirely inadequate, city ordi- nances providing for such taxes being void as not within the powers of the cities in Alaska under the Code. The matter was brought to the attention of the legislature, and it needed no urg- ing to make the members see the necessity of remedying the situation. Accordingly H. B. S4 was introduced and passed, being signed by Governor Strong April 28 The law is as fol- lows:
 Section l. That the Common Coun- cil of any incorporated town within the Territory of Alaska, in addition to the powers to impose taxes now granted by law for the purpose of pro viding revenue for municipal purposes, is hereby granted the power to pro vide, by ordinance, that any itinerant merchant before doing business with in such incorporated town, must first procure a license in the manner pro vided by the city ordinance, and pay for such license such sum as the Coun- ell, by ordinance, may prescribe for each month that such itinerant mer- chant does business within such in- corporated town.
 Sec. 2. The Common Council of any incorporated town requiring, by ordinance, that the license mentioned in Section 1 of this act, must first be procured beofre any itinerant mer- chant is permitted to do business within such incorporated town, may also provide, by ordinance, that any person violating any of the provisions of this act, upon conviction, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and the Common Council may provide punishment for such misdemeanor by fine or imprisonment or both.
 Sec. 8. An itinerant merchant, in the meaning of this act, is a person who has no fixed place of business and brings into incorporated towns Of Alaska, commodities, merchandise, or agricultural products not maunfac- tured or produced by himself, or bankrupt stock of goods, for the pur- pose of selling any of the above men toned articles, commodities. or prod ucts, in competition with merchants proper, engaged permanently in busi- ness and residents and taxpayers in the town where their business is car ried on.
 The law becomes effective on July 29, and already the Common Council of Cordova have had the matter under consideration. There can be no doubt about the passage of an ordinance by the local council which will tax itiner- ant merchants, for all the members are in favor of it. The present ordi- nance Is void, but as soon as the law becomes effective new ordinance will be introduced. The only delay will be due to the fact that 1t takes five coun- cilmen to pass an ordinance. and there are only three in town now. Bartley Howard will return on the next boat from the south, and Edgar Davis will also return within short time from the Hot Springs at Sitka When he returns. the matter will with out question be put into law and placed upon the city ordinance book. The Juneau City Council is contem- plating a similar action, and like Cor dova they are only waiting for July 29 to come round before introducing the ordinance. It Is more than likely that all the other cities in Alaska will take similar actions.