The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1915-03-25


As a rule, the importer, wholesaler,
retailer, manufacturer, packer, miller,
sawyer, railroader, physician, lawyer,
barber, druggist, blacksmith, all con-
troll their selling prices. This being
true, they regulate their selling price
at "Cost plus reasonable profit
Farmers cannot do this as they do not
control their selling prices. From this
fact they are forced to economlze IN
every way possible, in both buying and
selling prices. This necessity is what
drove farmers to patronizing catalog
houses, places where cheapness is the
rule and quality of goods the excep-
ton. Now the merchants ought to
cooperate with the farmers in knock
ing out the agencies that fix the prices
of the farmers products. The buying
agents of the Chambers of Commerce
ought to be replaced with selling
agents of the farmers. The drummer
who sells goods is the agent of the
man who owns the goods and not the
agent of the merchant who buys them.
With this accomplished every process
of reasoning shows that it would be to
the farmers best interests, as we'll as
the whole state, to patronize the local
merchant. For, then the farmer, like
the merchant, would be regulating his
selling prices at cost plus reasonable
profit.
With more than 1000 famers' CO.
operative elevators in North Dakota,
South Dakota, Minnesota and Wiscon-
sin and with an exchange backed by
the city of St. Paul; with more than
a thousand cooperative creameries,
more than one thousand live stock
shipping associations, more than 1000
vegetable associations in the United
States; with new farmers cooper
alive organization formed for every
week in the year, and with the aid of
the U. S. Department of Agriculture;
with success as the rule of such COOP
Grafton, and failure the exception,
there are no premises on which to
suppose that these organizations will
progress backward. Success is sure to
come.
Some one may say, "Why not wait
till the farmers control their selling
prices to offer cooperation with the
home merchants ?" The Golden Rule
requires to "Do unto others as you
would have others do unto you," so if
we desire the merchants cooperation
we must reciprocate, lest he may show
US our inconsistencies by saying,
whenever you farmers quit patroniz-
ing the catalogue houses then we will
cooperate with you"
No one can dispute the fact that we
cannot have town without patronage
and more than a catalogue house can
live without patronage.
No one can dispute the fact that
land is worth the more the nearer it is
to town-as a rule.
No one can dispute the fact that To-
cal merchants pay taxes to and help
support all the expenses of the state
government.
No one will claim that the catalog
houses of Chicago or other cities out
side of this state contribute ONE
PENNY Of taxes to help pay the ex-
penses of our state government.
Peddlers, because they maintain no
store houses and visible supply of
goods on which to pay taxes, are re-
quired to pay an occupation tax-Sec-
ton 5000, Code of 1918. Catalogue
houses ought to be required to do like
, wise. The state has no authority to
, levy tax on property outside of the
! state, except on their method of doing
, business in this state.
While the rates I suggested might
Z. be questioned, yet the principle and
justice of such tax cannot be disputed.
! Yours for NO special privileges for
any class but equal justice between
and for all.
GEORGE T. MURRAY,
| Berthold, N. D., March II, 1915.
P. S.: I have tried to steer clear of
the use of any words that might be ir-
ritating to Mr.. Davy, so now say
with equal publicity to the article, that
if I have said anything by innuendo or
otherwise, that may cause him to feel
! the least disrespected, I crave his par
don.-Geo. T. M.