Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-28

Special to The Tribune.
Boulder. June 27-Furtherance of
the distribution by Montana merchants
of Montana produced eggs, poultry,
potatoes, dairy products, coal and
other commodities in preference to
that shipped in from outside states
was advocated by the Retail Merchants
Association of Montana in session
here in the resolutions adopted Tues
day.
The association, in its resolutions,
went on record as opposing the state
initiative Truth in Fabric" measure
on the grounds that this should be
covered by nation wide law; placed
its strength behind the effort to make
permanent and absolute the "long and
short haul clause in the matter of
freight rates, expressed dlsapproval
of the policy of some merchants in
selling leaders at a loss in order to
meet unfair competition. asked for a
stiffening of the national bankruptcy
act. condemned the United States at
torney general for the stigma brought
upon the retail dealer in his charges
of profiteering, and providing for
changes in the constitution whereby
the executive committee shall appoint
auditing. Legislation and organizing
committees of three each. the appoint
ment of standing committees repre-
senting each separate classification of
merchants and district counsellor for
each county to act in an advisory
capacity with the officers or execu-
tive committee.
Enumerate Imports
&c
fort to further Montana's production
in the matter Of agriculture and man.
ufacturers, attention is called to the
fact that Montana imports annually
more than 100000 dozen eggs. over
/ 100000 pounds of butter, besides
millions of pounds of coal and other
products, Butte alone ships from Idaho
the resolution states, 100000 pounds
of potatoes, 100000 gallons OF
cream. 100000 pounds of butter
100000 pounds Of poultry and 40 car
loads of eggs.
In the resolution opposing the pro-
posed state Truth in Fabric meas
ure the association expresses a desire
TO not be misunderstood but that the
merchants are mindful of the desira-
hilitv of effective national legislation
inion that enactment of state law
would impose upon the merchants a
burden they cannot presume to assume
and which manifestly should be i'm
nosed upuon the manufacturers AS
to freight rates the resolutions point
ont that excessive rates enter twice
into the matter of the prosperity of
Montana. once in the form of a de-
duction from returns for its products.
thus depreciating the buying power OF
the consumer. and again in the form
of an addition to the cost price OF
goods imported by them for sale to
their customers Accordingly it is ask
cd that every effort be made to Sc
cure general reduction OF freight
rates.
Condemn False Advertiser
As 10 truthful advertising the reso-
Iutions call the attention to the fact
that unfortunately occasional lnsu-
tutions engaged in the retail business
resort to trickery and other means OF
misleading the public by featuring Ger
tain lines at prices bordering or be-
low wholesale prices with the result
that losses thus occasioned are In
variably recovered in the sale of other
or inferior products at advanced
prices. Accordingly this policy 1s
strongly disapproved. The resolutions
call attention to many unjustified loss
es sustained by retail merchants in
recent years through the bankruptcy
court. which while recognized as
necessity is found too frequently abus-
ed. whereupon the convention urges
a concerted movement toward the cor
rection of this abuse and the placing
of proper emphasis upon the i'm
morality of bankruptcy.
In the resolution as to the unjust
charges of profiteering the executive
committee Is instructed to use its best