The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1918-12-06

time tn mention some Of those rea-
sons. Towns get regulations Just the
same as people do and Blackfoot has
a reputation that Is not pleasing or
inviting to horse buyers.
In years gone by men desiring to
buy horses have advertised extern
sively, advising the date when they
would be at Blackfoot to buy horses,
and when they came they found an
unusual condition. One thing that
displeased them was that some of
the local horse traders would gather
around and do what they could to
prevent the outside buyer from get
ting what he wanted II the buyer
had spent say $50 in advertising to
get horsemen together it was in poor
taste for some man who had not
spent cent to get the crowd to-
gether to 60 in and modest the sale
in any way possible, yet this thing
was repeatedly done. Local horse
traders have been known to stand
around and discourage men from
selling at the prices the outside
buyer offered. They have been
known to stand around and point
out defects in the horses apparently
for the purpose of discouraging the
buyer. They have sneaked around
and told the farmer quietly that they
would give him more for his animal
than the outside buyer. For in
stance II the buyer offered the man
$3.50 for his animal and he hesitated
about accepting it, the local trader
might tell him, in an undertone,
that he would give him $50 for his
animal If he would bring it to a GER
tain place after the sale. When the
farmer delivered the horse expect
Ing to get the $3.50 the local trader
would not be there or If he was
there he would tell him that the man
who was going to take the horse Oft |
his hands had gone back on him and |
he could not take the animal. This |
OF course would defeat the sale to |
the outside buyer and prevent him |
from getting the animals he wanted.
The local trader would not be put |
to any expense for the days opera
lions, merely standing around, tell
ing few lies and doing q few under
handed things while the other man
had done all the advertising and |
paid AN the other expenses of com.
ing here at least twice and when he II
saw how these little games were
worked he would get sore at the local
horse traders, and would have a
grudge against the community that
permitted such men to carry on these
practices.
At the present time there are
many farmers possessing surplus
horses and if the town had the repu-
tation for protecting legitimate II
transactions and for making crooks II
Keep their places, horse buyers could
aHord to come In and buy horses
and leave lot of money in the COM
III
Business Men Making a Mistake
We commend this matter to the
Of the local business
men and we also predict that the ii
average business man hasn't the
courage nor the backbone to take a ill
stand in the matter and prevent
repetition of these wrongs. The IKE
average business man in Blackfoot lie
would rather have the good will of iE
he local crook than for the town to lie
lave q good reputation which would HE
INVITE men with money to come in lie
md spend it. A good many Of the lie
ocal farmers who have horses to lie
ell are indebted to local merchants lie
md could pay their bills sooner IL lie
!orse buyers could come in and buy IE
heir surplus stock. If the average
merchants knew about these things IlE
nd were chosen some morning to liz
% with some other merchants to, the IlE
orse sale and tell the local crooks lib
hat this was not their sale and for lib
hem to stay away or keep still. llE
ONE of the merchants would finch lE
nd would not do it. The matter lib
AS never been brought to their at E
ention in just that way, but that liz
what they would do If it were put E
p to them. lib