Judge Strikes Down Peddler License Law
Judge Warren of the Lincoln county superior court has rendered a decision holding the peddlers' license law, enacted three years ago, unconstitutional. The case was that of George J. Dahl, an agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Co. The court held that to compel a company to take out a license in each county in the state would impose on them a tax of $7,400, and would practically bar them from business in this state, thus depriving them of their liberty as citizens of the republic.
“The court held that to compel a company or corporation to take out a license in each county in the state would... deprive them of their liberty as citizens of the republic.”
This 1905 court battle over licensing fees for traveling salespeople reflects long-standing American tensions between local business protectionism and the rights of corporations to operate across state lines. It remains a classic example of the courts interpreting 'liberty' through the lens of economic activity.
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