News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1916-05-17
The Stephens Bill Encourages
Rivalry In Quality.
REAL BENEFIT TO PUBLIC.

ceIIence, which can never be main
tanned it, through the perfdy of
the retailer who cuts prices for
his own Interior purposes, the
manufacturer Is forced to compete
IN prices with goods of his own
production, while the retailer re-
coups his losses on the cut price
by the sale of other articles at, or
above, their reasonable price. 1T
is A FALLACY TO ASSUME
THAT THE PRICE CUTTER
POCKETS THE LOSS. THE
PUBLIC MAKES 1T UP ON
OTHER PURCHASES. Fixing
the price on all brands of high
grade flour is very different thing
from, fixing the price on one brand
of high grade flour. The one
means destruction Of all competi
ton and of all incentive to in
creased excellence. The other means
heightened com petition and nten-
sified incentive to increased ex-
celIence.
This language, used by the supreme
unanimous decision of the case Of the
Fisher FIGURING Mills Co. versus C. A.
Swanson, clearly sets forth the inter
est the consumer has in maintaining
the highest form of competition-that
of quality. Competition in price re-
suits in inferior quality and the evil
Of substitution. Dishonest advertisers
use cut prices on standard and widely
known merchandise to lure customers
into their establishments, where an
effort will be made to sell anonymous
goods.
The genuine bargain is used as "bait"
to spread the impression that all mer-
chandise is sold at the same low mar
gin of profit. If this impression can be
created the cut rate merchant can sell
unknown goods at as high a figure as
his conscience will permit him to
charge-and his conscience is elastic.
Nearly every mans is more or less so
where profits are concerned
A Bill to Protect the Public.
Representative Dan V. Stephens Of
Nebraska and Senator William f. Ash
urst Of Arizona have introduced in
congress "a bill to protect the public
against dishonest advertising and false
pretenses in merchandising" A SINH
lar measure was introduced in the last
by Representative Stevens of
New Hampshire.
1t ought to be automatic that the pub
lie cannot profit through dishonesty or
through false pretenses. The individ-
ual may make pecuniary gain;
escape paying the penalty
Of their crimes and are pecuniarily bet
ter off. But the public, the victims of
the successful criminals, loses.
The Stephens-Ashurst bill provides
for standard and uniform prices on ar
ticles sold under a trademark or spe-
cial brand, with the widest possible
publicity for buyers and sellers. Oppo-
nents of the bill-adherents of dishon-
est advertising and users of false pre-
lenses in MISUNDERSTANDING de-
dared that it will encourage monopoly
Ind prevent competition. They have
,ried to make consumers believe that |
t will increase the cost Of living, that |
t will raise the price of everything |
;old in any sort of store.
No Monopoly Possible.
The bill does not encourage monop- |
'ly, because producers who have a mo-
lopoly of any particular line or who
make an agreement with a competitor
n in 1,oY
aking advantage of the privilege of
preventing discrimination by contract
ng for the resale of their goods at uni
orm prices. A monopoly, no matter
low it is gained, cannot do business
nder the terms of the Stephens bill.
On the other hand, cutthroat compe-
ition in price has always been the
hief weapon of monopoly.
The bill will not raise prices and in
rease the cost of living. Producers
ready have the right to sell their
GODS at wholesale at any price they
an get, at what they are worth. The
roposed legislation merely permits the
roducer to control the retail price, and
he puts this too high-higher than
ne public is willing to pay-then his
Gods will not be sold and he loses.
The cut price storekeeper that sells
pods at a loss does not stand the loss;
e passes it on TO his customers. What
e loses on one article is made up, or
lore than made up, ON another. The |
Sc of cut prices on standard articles ,
'r the purpose of drawing customers
ito the store with the intention of
fling them something else, that is
here dishonest advertising" is found
nd where false pretenses in mer- !
Injuries the public.
Cut rates by big department stores I
liable them to kill off the small store ,
I'd the small towns. Those residents Z
rural communities. villages and the
sser cities who want to see their
me folks injured that the large cities
ay grow richer and larger should
Iturally oppose the Stephens bill. +,
hose who desire to see their own
prosper should support the
inciple of uniform standard prices. '
Psid Tor this paper? Last call. -SSg