OCR Text |
Show IRREGULAR TRADERS. Editor Leader: -- While there are many agencies which taken together make up our temporal prosperity, there are some whose absence would be beneficial. Very prominent among the latter is the class of persons commonly known as peddlers. These are found in many occupations at times selling notions, jewelry, dry goods, pictures, musical instruments, frames, and other things. The selling of these may require a number of qualities and different kinds of men, but all as unnecessary. In any city as large as Logan there are enough business houses to supply all ordinary wants, and if something unusual is needed those houses would take pleasure in procuring it. There are a few people here who think that nothing is good, unless it comes from Salt Lake. Whenever good linen, dress goods, shoes & c., are needed, they immediately order them from the metropolis, often without going to see if our stores keep them. And not a few cases are known where these dissatisfied parties after examining goods here, will go away, ??? exactly the ???? and at a higher price. But it is so much nicer, when speaking of our apparel, & c., to say that, "it was bought in Salt Lake," as if this were mark of distinction, from their less fortunate neighbors. Not a few of our business men are guilty of the same offense in another form and are more excusable. Rubber stamps have been sold quite largely of late, to serve for printing bill ???, envelopes, wrapping paper, &c. And this in the face of the fact that we have a printing office, where such work ??? done well and reasonably. The merchants who are guilty of this practice would be very angry, if at any time the Leader should neglect to take their part, or use its influence for their advancement. In that way, if they will but consider it, those who complain will find that they are equally at fault. We firmly believe it is the duty of all to encourage the firms and industries found at home. This will be self evident to all who will take trouble to think of the subject long enough. Now it may be asked what all this has got to do with peddlers. This much, that we consider them as foreign dealers and not entitled to our support. And further, a majority of them will not scruple to take advantage of those with whom they deal. They do not come often, perhaps only once, and their object is to make that visit as profitable as possible. To accomplish this they are not above insulting defenceless [defenseless] women, or squeezing the last dime from some widowed mother. All who in any way deal with such persons, assist them to rob the poor and deprive them of a few comforts they might possess. Several very offensive peddlers have been in Logan lately, and have in many ways shown themselves lacking in the common courtesies of the world. They have intruded upon the privacy of dwellings, to force their wares upon those not wanting them. And beyond that have threatened some who refused ???? to their grasping desires. For some of these the most appropriate thing is a good horse-whipping. This trouble can be remedied however if all people will strictly observe one rule: Never deal with a peddler, and all will, in the end be better off. If this cannot be accomplished, some strong arm should do duty in chastising these insolent dealers a few times, when we ??????? dealings with us. Citizen. Logan, March 10, 1880. |