East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1909-08-09

Pendleton, Ore, Aug. 7.-(Editor
East Oregonlan.) kindly permit me
to use space in briefly reviewing tt
few of the things which are combin-
ing to hurt the city of Pendleton. We
hear much complaint about 1t being
dull, about hard times, scarcity OF
business and general lack of prosper
ity especially in commercial lines.
There are reasons for this, and these
reasons can be overcome by Pendle-
ton business men, If they will awaken
and realize what they are doing.
Things That Hurt Pendleton.
First, let us review a few Of the
things" which are hurting business
! IN Pendleton one family which
moved here a month ago from La
Grande declares that it costs so per
cent more to live and keep a family
here than in La Grande. although
Pendleton is "A miles nearer Portland
and has a lower freight rate.
Another family living in Helix says
il costs from 20 to SO per cent moro
to buy supplies in Pendleton than in
Helix. a Milton fruit grower who
! brought a load of berries to Pendle-
ton last week was boycotted by PEN
dleton grocers because he insisted on
living price for his berries. He
went home dlsgusted. cursing Pen
dleton. a Weston mountain farmer
brought in a wagon load of fine new
potatoes last week and was forced
to take $1.65 cents per 100 In PEN
dleton while he was offered 81 per
100 before leaving Weston. for the
same potatoes. He went home curs>
ing Pendleton and will not bring In
any more produce. Pendleton gro,
GERS sell the same potatoes at cents
per pound, retail.
Names of Pendleton residents who
are sending cash to Portland for gro-
ceries can be furnished II necessary.
They can pay freight from Portland
to Pendleton and then save from 10
to - per cent on an ordinary bill OF
groceries. Why?
The following incident is told by
well-known farmer: A Holdman
farmer came in to buy a bill of barb
ed wire recently. one hardware store
quoted him a price which he thought
eXhorhitant He did not buy there
but went to another store and bought
at a much lower price, after being
sworn to secrecy Hardware man No
saw him a few days later and said:
You have not bought that wire yeti"
"Oh yes" replied the farmer. ~
beat your prices"
Not in Pendleton," declared the
hardware man.
yes, in Pendleton," said the farm
er.
"The price l quoted you is the price
agreed upon by the hardware men
in Pendeton and l will give you S5
If you will prove TO me that you
bought 1t cheaper than that price in
this city," said the harware man No. |.
The farmer had receipted bill
with a price of 40 cents per 100 less
than the first harware man had quot
ed him. The trust agreement had
been violated and harware man No.
was willing to pay SIS in cash to find
the guilty party.
These things can be verified and
they are only used to show what ia
hurting Pendleton
The complaint against high prices
IN Pendleton is not made by a few
agitators, only but by good substan-
tial people in every part of the coun-
ty. The complaint Is heard in Echo,
Hermiston, Umatilla, Athena, Helix,
Weston, Milton and in fact all over
the county, and they are being cir
culated far and wide and are actually
driving people away from the city and
county 1t is the most serious men,
ace to the growth of the city. The
accumulation of the land into q few
| hands is as nothing compared to these
trusts and iron clad trade organiza-
tions among Pendleton business men.
1t Is unfortunate that these facts
must be rected, but 1t seems that the
welfare Of Pendleton demands it, The
city is favorably situated, has a SUBJ
stantlal country around it and there
is no reason why the population and
wealth of the city should not be on
the increase. There should be no
bitter complaint against Pendleton
business methods as there is on every
hand, and for these reasons the facts
should be set forth and considered
Respectfully.
OBSERVER,