It is the purpose of this chapter to protect the people against the unlawful activities or operations of dissolute persons of criminal habits or tendencies who represent themselves as solicitors, canvassers, or handbill distributors, by requiring the registration of all such solicitors, canvassers, or handbill distributors, together with the name of their employers, and by regulating the business of handbill and advertising distribution through the imposition of reasonable license fees.
('61 Code, § 46.1)