Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-17
ss5.4st'3s.&.3s.55-55..
) LOOKER.QN IN IOWA ]

+ AVVA60s4lV Nv INV "a \
| Plrkersburg, Feb. 16.-Some time
ago the writer had an interview with
one of 1owa's up-to-date grocery men
He outlined a plan which the county
association of retail dealers proposed to
put into operation as a check to the
present big dealings with the catalog
houses of Chicago. He said, I'VE are
preparing list of names of the farm
ers who make regular practice of
buying family supplies of the catalog
houses. In all of the towns of the
county each merchant will have such
la list. Then when a farmer comes in
with his produce, if he is a patron of
such houses we shall politely refuse
to take his produce, giving as a reason
that we have all we can sell" But
Won't this be biting off your nose to
spite your face?" asked the writer.
Don't you need daily supplies of farm
products for your retail town trade?'
by no MEANS" was the answer, I'VE
actually have to refuse such products
almost every day. OF course, such a
family as the Jones' who do all of their
trading with us, if they bring in but
ter, eggs or vegetables we take them
even if overstocked, and take our
chances of selling such produce. To-
day / refused to take a big jar of
butter from one of these catalog house
customers, because l knew the woman
bringing it in would trade it all out in
sugar and salt, which of course, there
better and gave her 20 cents pound
for it, because she stays with us the
year round How about eggs?" said
the scribe, don't you find a difficulty
in getting fresh eggs?" Fresh eggs?
Why, we go to the egg shippers and
buy a case of fresh eggs any time.
No sir, when this plan is adopted all
over the country these farmers will
have to ship their produce to these
catalog houses or some commission
house in Chicago, or take the price the
local butter and egg dealer will pay in
cash. 1t is a poor rule that won't work
both ways. If they don't want to buy
of us, we don't care to buy of them"
All of which shows there is something
doing"
While in Eldora the other day much
was heard concerning the action of the
county supervisors in cutting the price
for county printing. Not to offer an
opinion on the merits or dement's of
this particular case, it does give
chance to notice a most peculiar bus
mess 60 condition that has grown up
here in Iowa. possibly elsewhere, where
a dealer of any kind of goods sells
to the county. 1t is the prac-
tice of billing everything for more than
it is worth, expecting the board of SUI
pervisors to cut it down. Lumbermen
furnishing all kinds of supplies, unless
contract merchandise, have to put up
prices little for the certain sure cut
in the bill. An undertaken speaking
of this almost universal practice, said
to the writer: IF I should furnish
the county with $40 casket, bill it at
SIS, the supervisors would cut 1T to
$1O'' Before the present board of
control plan for the state institutions,
the universal plan was for each inst1-
tuition to go before the legislature,
showing the need of a hundred thou
sand dollar appropriation, and feeling
happy and satisfied if they got fifty
thousand.
Some criticisms have been made of the
contents of this column, when touch
ing on politics in certain localities,
that they gave aid and comfort to
the enemy" Probably when it is men
toned here, that this writer is forced
by meeting many prominent republi-
cans in this vicinity to the opinion
that Butler county in the coming state
contest for the governorship is in the
doubtful list, it will not be pleasant
reading for 1.-The Cummins' crowd" BY
a we'll posted republican here, the
writer was told today that many OF the
papers were against Cummlns,
that the county central committee was
of anti-Cummins men, but
that majority of the republican vot-
ers were really in sympathy with the
reforms proposed by Governor Cum
Minis" 1t is the old, old story of the
machine, the "ins" running things; OF
The few interested ones going to work
and fixing matters, While the many,
The day after the primaries, wonder
low it all happened. He said some
other things which the writer has
heard elsewhere and is probably true.
we have got in Butler county lot
IF ambitious men to hold public Of
ice. but they are so afraid OF the in
luence and supposed power of the old
crowd that have run political matters
1ere for years. that they are afraid to
say their souls their own. Smith
wants to be county attorney, Jones to
20 to the legislature, Brown to be
county supervisor and Thompson to
,e coroner. SO these men when the
I'D crowd comes around to show the
oath of duty, are good Lord or good
leyil. as the occasion demands" An
,ther young republican says this coun-
v has never yet lined up as Cummins
,r -Cummins, but he has positive
that the "antis" are at
work here today moulding CD public
sentiment thru the county weeklies. as
veil as thru other agencies familiar
o all political workers.
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