The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1871-04-27
IDAHO MERCHANTS.


I'd, to the Sacramento Union, INDUCES IN
TRADE of abuse of the merchants, and, not con
tent with that, loundly abuses the late proprie
tor of the meat market in this city for selling
meat during the winter at 90, IS and 30 cents
per pound Being neither merchant nor
butcher we of course do not claim to be 1uliy
posted as to the profits they realize IN theii
respective trades, but that the correspondent
of the Union has drawn quite extensively on
his imagination in estimating the profits OF
those engaged in such pursuits in Idaho, there
can be no manner of doubt. We do not be-
leve the history of Boise Basin affords single
instance of merchant who has ever retired
from business with competency accumulated
through mercantile pursuits. The same can
be said of all the butchers who have ever done
business in the Basin while, upon the other
hand, the failures in both branches Of business
have been so frequent as to be anything but an
inducement for persons to embark with their
means in business where others have been un-
able to succeed. The rule that prices are to
a great extent regulated by the risks taken, we
presume, obtains as well in Idaho as elsewhere.
Business men have never been able to inaugu-
rate the leash system" here. The history OF
all mining communities evidence that the
credit system is inevitable; and when we con-
slider that in such communities there is more
transitory population than in any other, the
merchants aud butchers of course take greater
risks and lose more in bad debts than persons
engaged in similar pursuits in older settled
communities. The majority, and We might
say seven-tenths, of the people who come to u
mining country are without means. They must
have provisions and other supplies, and the
merchant and butcher must credit them. If
their claims pay, then they are enabled to pay
for such supplies; if their claim do not pay,
the merchant and butcher having parted with
their goods and provisions, receive nothing in
return. They have taken their chances not
only upon the honesty of their customers, but
also upon the character of the diggings. Then
there is the difference between gold dust aud
coin, and much of the former is too frequently
of very inferior quality, only such in name,
and the loss falls upon the business men who
receive it in exchange for their commodities,
and not upon the customer who pays it out.
"A Miner" while he grumbles about the
prices he is charged by the merchant and butch.
er, says nothing of the prices he charges for his
labor In no place in the United States does
n miner receive as high wages as he does in
Idaho Three dollars per day, we believe. is
the average in Nevada aud Colorado, while in
Montana, where supplies range at about the
same rates as in Idaho, seventy five dollars aud
board per month is the usual wages a miner
receives. In idaho, or at least in Boise Basin,
the lowest wages paid are FIVE dollars per day
aud from that up to six and seven dollars
While we do not advocate the cheap labor
system, still, We mention ii as fact that no
disparity exists between the prices charged BY
'ur merchants and the wages paid for labor in
he mines If extortion is practced by one
class, the other cannot plead not guilty" to a
similar charge. II both are fairly remuneratcd
hen there exists no ground for complaint