The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1910-01-27
ware association and handled his SUBJ
ject in very able and concise man

ware association and handled his sub
ject In very able and concise man
ner.
The address by Attorney Tracy r.
Bangs of Grand Forks upon "The
Legal Phases of Association Work"
was very good, and in part, follows:
"Mr. President and Gentlemen:
"A brief retrospection takes us to
the period when the legal phases of
association work, such as are involved
in the carrying out of the purposes
Of %.tlsr!. the North ST. Retail @ Hardwase HI DWARF
stated and explain Msh..
But in this day and'a> Scal the
tendency of all legislation Bckt..
paternalism. and the courts in,.
terpreting the laws seem even more
paternal than the law makers, a state
ment and explanation of the legal
phases of association work is far
from a simple undertaking.
From the beginning of the world,
reforms have been brought about, not
by easy gradation but by violent up
heavels and drastic measures; and SO,
when the popular outcry against un-
restricted combinations, pools and
trusts finally impressed itself upon
the law makers, it had become so pro-
nounced that the injury complained
of was seen through the powerful
magniffer of popular animosity, and
the measures adopted were not such
as deliberate Judgment or calm con-
sideration of the rights of all inter-
ested parties would dictate, but rather
fhn 4f k1,n ,lnk
frenzied mind of frightened and over
jealous politicians anxious to ap-
pease their angry constituents.
And SO. we have not only statutes
of different states, but federal enact
ments as we'll. intended no doubt to
protect the consumer, but which, in
their operation. at times place the
unfortunate middleman between the
upper and neither mill stones of shark
dealers. and an unfair public.
In true legislation, one of the Or
binary legislative rules has been vio-
lated: for. except in cases of this
character where the law makers have
been controlled by their political fears
rather than by their governmental
Judgment, moral. pre-supposes a
legal, right. Yet we find that by leg
islative enactment. acts morally right
are declared criminal, and an honest
effort to build up legitimate busi-
ness may brand one as law breaker.
LET us consider for time the
moral rights of your association. You
are organized for the purpose of pro-
noting the welfare of your members
improving your business methods
and maintaining a standard of excel
lence commensurate with, If not be-
yond the demands of the community
which requires that prices must be
maintained sufficiently high to yield
fair. living profit on the business
transacted.
1.-THE retailer is necessity, and
must necessarily make living profit
or he cannot exist. Factories are
comparatively few in number, and
generally placed at points where the
raW@lnaterial and power can be OBJ
tanned with least expense, and hence
are not only limited in number but
likewise in the territory they cover.
1t is self evident from glance at
the map and the most casual cOnsid-
GRAFTON of the disnosition of the popu-
lation of the country that the con-
sumer cannot be supplied direct from
the factory.
"The retailer who opens his store
and displays his goods, in cities,
towns, villages and hamlets, and often
at cross roads, Is the man to whom
the consumer must look, and long
years of experience has demonstrated
that it is impracticable for even the
retailer to deal directly with the man
ufacturer. hence we have. between the
manufacturer and retailer. the whole
saler or jobber. We're this not true,
the public would suffer inconvenience,
because wholesale establishments are
vastly more numerous than .-.anu-
factories and are distributed through
out the country generally with rela-
tion to the density of population and
the demands Of trade, thus enabling
the retailer, by reason of closer prox-
unity to storage depots, to supply his
customers promptly, and with large
assortment.