The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1914-01-16
SCHENCK TAKESFALL
OUT Of THE LOCAL
BUSINESS MAN
HOMEDALE, IDAHO,
Jan. the 9TH, 1914
Editor Caldwell Tribune,
Caldwell, Idaho

Dear Sir:
! wish to compliment you and con-
graduate the people in the stand you
take in regard to taxing the mail or
der houses. But | hope you will go
farther, and denounce the movement
entirely, and at the same time advo-
cate the doing away with the zone
lines. The latter is against the far
mer. The tax is direct thrust
against the farmer But the fact is
that the farmer is legislated against
nearly upon every turn. 1t stands
the business men of the agricultural
towns in hand to look well as to what
they are doing. They must under
stand that every man, woman and
child in them must be supported by
the farmers, and that there is a limit
to the number of people which the
farmer can support. And | will say
right here, and with no fears of a
successful contradiction, that the linn
it was reached some time ago. The
farmers CAN NOT pay the prices of
the local merchandise great major
ity of them. This is why farm mort
cages have increased IT. per cent in
the last decade. 1t now reaches the
enormous sum of $8000,000,000. |
will here give you two concrete ex-
amples of what the local merchant
does for us people Again last spring
needed a set of buggy wheels. |
priced them in Caldwell; $500 was
the best that could do for just the
wheels. ! ordered them from Chic
ago. The wheels, extra grade, to-
gether with full length axles and with
boxing set in wheels, cost me less
than $500 The Caldwell price was
prohibitory. A neighbor wishing a
pair of ladies' shoes priced them in
Caldwell. The shoe he wished was
priced $365. They cost him laid
down from mail order house, $500.
Some of the better fixed. farmers can
pay, Others mortgage and pay, others
sell out AMI pay, and some do not pay
at all. Many of the latter are honest
enough, but when the least thing goes
as they are not figuring, they are
short But | hear the echo, the
BUMPER CROP" $9,000,000,000, a
vast amount indeed, and it only took
100000 farmers to raise it, an aver
age of $4,000 each, out of which they
must live and move and have a be-
ing, and a poor being many of them
have. A small per cent. Of the far
mers are forging ahead, but out of the
$4,000 average, help must be paid,
farm stock and machinery kept I'D and
taxes paid, Out of the $9,000,00O,OO
last year, but two-thirds could be let
go off the farm. OF the farms in this
mans country, there is we'll on to
2,OOO,OOO of them that raise produce
Idss than $3.50 annually. There is
another bunch, about the same num-
Der, that grow less than $500 annual
ly Now, Mr.. Editor, is it not plain
to be seen that there must be some
thing done that the farmers can live?
They must buy cheaper, or buy less,
or they must sell for a better price.
Now let us just note another fact or
two. OF the wheat that left the farms
last year, the milling and elevator
companies absorbed one-third. OIL
the $6,00Q00Q000D0 worth of pro-
duce shipped from the farms, the
companies charged
a,OO0OOO,0O000 for hauling to the
market Some high cost some where
and it may be of living.
In conclusion wish to pay my
to Mr., Wallis. He seems
10 be swelled up over being pure
Iood commissioner of Idaho" The
argument he puts forth is little better
han rot. The fact that idaho makes
rigid inspection of all food products
offered for sale within her borders"
but does she?) has little to do in
his case, Practically nothing. Then
I it did it would have no effect upon
he goods from mail order house. |
These goods are all sold under a
guarantee, not only to be just as re-
presented but to give satisfaction.
Md they do. 1t would appear that
Mr. Wallis is afraid of losing his lob.
That the mail order houses will put
some OF the little hangers-on out of
BUSINESS and the State of Idaho" will |
lave no one to watch. Therefore !
will have no use for said commissions
r. Then too, nearly all of these
GODS are shipped in as other goods