Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1912-02-15
ATTACKS TWIN
FALLS MERCHANTS
Montgomery Ward & Co. In Spirit
Of Revenge Attacks Twin Falls
Merchants-Large Number OF Cir
cuIars Received in Payette-State
Pure Food Inspector Wallis Brands
Statements As False.

Incensed because they were reused
advertising space in the premium
list Of the Twin Falls Poultry assoc
iation issued last fall Mon. .gomery
Ward & Co., in recent circulars have
attacked the merchants OF Twin Falls
and Southern Idaho in general in
circulars recently mailed broadcast
Throughout the state and a large
number of which were recci. ed in
Payette. The great mail order con-
Germ claims to have sent a represen-
tative to Twin Falls to investigate
conditions and the following is a
part of the statements he made and
which were publishde in the circu-
lars generally mailed throughout
this section of this state:
I'm general the stores at Twin
Falls, Idaho, are filled with large
quantities OF sLoddy and cheap mer-
chandise of the grade commonly
called seconds On this class Of
goods 1 am, of course, unable to give
you any comparison, as I do not.
lind them in your establishment.
Il was shocked beyond measure at
the condition of the grocery stores,
especially the fact that none Wis
tied was a thoroughly clean and up
to-date establishment. The goods
are thrown in almost any shape, and
it is a wonder to me that the citi-
zens do not compel them to clean
up"
After receiving the circulars con-
tanning the vicious attack in Twin
Falls the merchants called a mass
meeting and State Pure Food In
spector James H. Wallis was asked
to give a statement as to the cno-
ditions as he found them in Twin
Falls when he inspected the busi-
ness houses of that city. The fol-
lowing is the statement made by
Mr. Wallis:
with respect to the recent circus
lar sent out by the mail order firm
of Montgomery Ward & Co., a copy,
of which l have before ne, desirej
to state as emphatically as possib!eI
that l have made frequent inspec1
tions of the various stores and bus7
iness houses OF Twin Falls hand-
ling groceries and other food pro=\
lucts up to within as recently as
the past so days, and have at allI
times found them thoroughly clean,
up-to-date, and engaged in handl ngi
as fine a quality of goods to bel
round in any similar Establishments
in the state Of Idaho.
Attack False and Malicious. I
"The statement contained in the,
circular referred to, to the effect
that the goods are thrown in almost
any shape, is unwarranted and ia IS 4
in every particular Within my ex-
perience may say that have nev-
er seen better kept stores anywhere,
and the statements of the firm in
question may be classed as uuqua'-
ifiedly untrue, misleading and libel
Gus. In every line of business in
Twin Falls sanitation appears to be
the keynote of the Efforts Of the
proprietors, down to the smallest
detail. The fact that l have never
within my three years Of offic2, had
occasion to even criticise any store
keeper in the town may be accepted
as the best evidence possible as to
actual conditions. Ny inspections
have been frequent and thorough,
and have been made by myself or
my deputies in spirit of justice
and without fear or favor. Had l
found anything requiring action on
my part, l would undoubtedly have
taken it. l desire to make this
statement as emphatic and force5ul
as 1 possibly can, as / feel that
grave injustice has been worked up
on the local merchants as result
of the distribution of the circulars
referred to, and l am only tco glad
to lend my aid to any effort to d s
prove the charges made.
JAMES n. WALLIS,
"State Dairy. Foed and Sanitary Com
missioner of Idaho"
The emphatic statement made by
Mr. Wallis would brand the attack
in the circulras as a malicious set
of falsehoods inspired by a spirit
of revenge. Those who have watch
ed the almost phenomenal growth
of the city of Twin Falls know that
it has been due largely to a spirit
of boosting and to the fact that
the business men of that city have
literally supported any movement
looking toward the advancement of
their immediate section and that