Evening star., 1921-04-23
.TAKESSTEP TOCURB
BADCHECKPASS|NC
Merchants Association Pro-
poses Legislation. With Stiff
Penalty for VioIators.

In anAeffort.to curb the passing OF
bad checks in this city and to re-
strict the.actiyities-o itinerant mer-
chants. the-law and Legislation COM
mittee OF the Merchants and Manu-
facturers- Association has drawn up
two bills to be- introduced in Con-
gress. Drafts of these bills have
been sent to the. entire membership
of the association for approval. Con-
sress is urged 10 take early action by
the association because OF the ex-
treme importance of the matters in
SolVed.
"Itinernnt Vendor Bill.
Provisions OF the itinerant vendor
bill are as follows:
That every itinerant vendor, be-
fore making any sale of goods. wares
or merchandise in the District OF CO.
tumbia, shall make application for a
license to the Commissioners Of the
District OF Columbia and Herewith
shall make deposit of $500 with said
Commissioners which may be drawn
on by the Commissioners for fees and
such other charges as hereinafter set
forth and shall file true statement.
under oath, of the average quantity
and value of thestock of goods. wares
or merchandise to be kept for sale.
The District Commissioners shall sub
NIT the said statement to the assessor
of the District of Columbia. who shall
forthwith, after examination and an
praisement Of such goods. wares and
merchandise, transmit a certified copy
thereof to the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia. or such board
or officer as they may designate, and
the Commissioners of the District of
Columbia may then, in their discre-
tion, issue a license to the said itin-
Grant vendor to do business in the
| T A.-.- II.
ment of 1I2 per cent OF the value OF
the stock brought into the District
OF Columbia. together with fee OF
$500 for each and every day that the
sale or sales are held in the District
Of Columbia.
Penalty for Violation.
THAT whoever. being an itinerant
vendor, fails to comply with the con-
ditions of this act. or who makes
false or fraudulent representation in
said statement, shall be punished by
fine Of not less than $500 for each
day during which said goods. wares
or merchandise are offered for sale"
An itinerant vendor is characterized
in the bill in the following manner:
THE term itinerant vendor for the
purposes of this act shall mean and
include any person, either principal or
agent, who engages in temporary
or transient business in the District
merchandise. and who, for the purpose
Of carrying on such business. occu-
pies any space whatever for the sale
at retail Of any goods. wares or mer-
chandise.
THAT the provisions of this act
shall not apply to sales made at whole
sale by commercial statesmen nor to
the sale of food by farmers, nor to
hawkers on the streets or peddlers
from vehicles.
Provides Fine Of $1,000.
The bad-check bill proposes a fine
OF 81 600 and not more than one year
in prison for any person convicted Of
giving a check with insufficient funds
in the bank to meet it, or il he has no
account at the bank. 1t is declared
that it shall be prima facie evidence
of intent to defraud on the part OF the
maker Of the check il the bank re-
fuses TO cash it, unless the maker or
drawer shall pay upon demand the
amount of the check.
The personnel Of the committee fol-
lows: NJ A. Leese. chairman: Philip
King. NJ. ID. Rosenberg, +. c. Graham.
r. p. Andrews. John l.. Newbold and
William John Eynon.