The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1920-07-16
At Great Falls, July 13 and a.
Plan to Follow Construct
i've Program.
MUST GET into POLITICS
Excerpts from Addresses Show De-
sire ON the Part of Merchants
Cooperate Against Prof.
iteering.

held at the Elks' hall and was closed
by very fine banquet.
The program was one of the strong
est ever presented to the merchants
and was remarkable for it's visions
and constructive elements. The fol-
lowing were among the. speakers: z.
B. Moon, Chicago; M. D. Rhodes of
Seattle; C. w. Fowler Of Billings.
The merchants were urged to get
into politics and see to it that good
men run for office and to do all pos
sible to save business from the men,
ace of lawless legislation. Too many
men today are holding office who are
inefficient and we have government
by "non-experts." Good men are re-
fusing to run for public office because
of the abuse that comes in a cam
paign.
The following are few excerpts
from addresses made:
No Profiteering.
"While am not able to speak def
initely about the other sections of
the country, l know that the mer-
chants Of Montana have not only not
been guilty of profiteering but have
only been able to get by, and if called
upon to meet their obligations the
proportion which could do this would
be very small.
"There are several very good rea-
sons why the merchant is being called
a profiteer and CRATER and most of
them can be done away with if the
merchants will simply use good COM
mon sense.
eve know that prices have advan-
ced out of all reason and we know
that we are not to blame and little
judicious explanation on our parts
to the consuming public will put them
in possession of the facts. We know
that every time bunch of employees
in the large manufacturing plants de-
mand raise that they are told to
take it and more if they want it, and
the burden is passed to US to pass to
the consumer and stand the blame.
This should be changed and the man
ufacturer should have something to
say about the management of his own
business and when the employees de-
mand unreasonable things to tell them
nothing doing and stand by it.
II am convinced that the manner of
our advertising has had great deal
to do with the impression that peo-
pie have Of our profits for when we
say in the paper that I'VE are making
this reduction to reduce the high cost
Of living or when we say we are in a
position to make better prices than
our competitor or infer that our COM
petitor is getting too much money for
his merchandise we are arousing in
the minds of the consumers the su-
spicion that we have been getting too
much money for our merchandise.
81 believe that when we have an
article that we want to put special
price on, we should state it a special
price, and when we have a sale we
should state plainly our reasons for
the same.
eve can't fool the people into think
ing we are philanthropists and are in
the business for our health but if we
give them the real reason for putting
these prices on our goods we will cre-
ate feeling of confidence that will
help US greatly in overcoming the
present feeling that exists against the
retail merchant.
Get Into Politics.
"There is another thing that the re-
tail merchant must do and do now,
and that is, get into politics.
"The business men of this coun-
try have stayed at home and out of
politics until the professional politi-
clan has absolute control of the sit
uation, and the rights of the business
man are not recognized at all. When
the last session of the legislature was
held in Helena and we appeared be-
fore it to protest against some of the
radical legislation that was before
it, our reception was of a very chilly
order. They know we are not organ
lied and could not bring any political
influence to bear and that we did not
control any votes to scare them into
looking at the matter in an impartial
light or recognizing the rights of the
merchants.
"They had their ear to the ground
and were listening to the popular
clamor and as they had to have goat
the merchant was chosen for the sac.
rifice.
"Montana is facing a great crisis