The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1923-03-15
MAKE EN- PAY.


The city administration is to be congratu-
lated on the determined effort that is being
made to force the transient merchants to pay
license in Kenosha or keep their wares outside
the city limits.
One Of the real functions of an administra-
ton in any city is to protect the hand that
feeds it and the man who pays taxes or licens-
es in any city is entitled to every protection
that such city can give it.
Kenosha merchants have stocks on their
shelves and when the assessor comes around
they pay taxes on them Kenosha junk deal
ers who pay license to the city have right to
be protected from others coming in from 9TH
er cities and grabbing most of the business,
Kenosha merchants ask fair profits on their
goods and stay right here in Kenosha to back
up every transaction made. The transient
merchant who comes into the city takes all
the traffic will stand in the way of profit. He
is here today and gone tomorrow and no one
stands back of the transaction.
Kenosha may have to fight to uphold her
right to protect the men who pay taxes in the
city but Kenosha must fight. These fellows
who come from Indianapolis to sell stockings
or from Saginaw, Mich, to sell brushes are
well drilled in what they should say. They
have been told by some fellow down in the
home Office that they are working under the
Interstate commerce law They will back
this declaration up with some opinion issued
by the city attorney of Seattle or some other
place far enough away to make it hard to get
at him. They will show letters from their
bosses telling them to keep right on selling no
matter what any one in Kenosha may say.
An 10 1.;v, Of o,os,o
ions to an issud-in Wisconsin and not in In
diana or Westinghouse to let some of these
fellows cool their heels in the county jail until
the case is tested out.
This unfair and unjust competition with
men who pay taxes and give community spirit
in Kenosha should be wiped out If these men
came into Kenosha offering the people of the
city chance to save vast sums of money there
might be some reason to wink at their work
ing. In most cases it will be found that the
very article that these statesmen handle can be
bought in the stores of Kenosha lot cheaper
than it is sold on the front door steps of Keno
sha homes.
The license laws of Kenosha and of Wiscon-
sin are not burdensome on legitimate business
and men who want to come into Kenosha and
sell goods should be willing to give this much
for the support of the town.
People should ask every peddler who comes
to the door: LET me see your license? and
when the follow fails TO show such license
they should notify the police department and
fill the jail with these teaches.
These men are reaping rich harvests in Ke-
nosha every year just because the people are
willing to listen to their Something better
talk. The best products made in this country
are those which are sold through regular chan
nels. When a company refuses to sell it's prod
uct through the regular merchandising chan
nels the one best bet is that the company is
selling an inferior product or that it is seeking
to exact an unfair profit.
Kenosha can do real service to all Wiscon-
sin by fighting it out with these companies and
forcing them to either put up or get out and
stay out.
Szsr
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