Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-27
Special to The Tribune.

Boulder Hot Springs, June 26.-With
the attendance larger in numbers and
more representative of the state than
in any other recent year, the 1872 con-
vention of the Entail Merchants Asso-
citation of Montana opened Monday at
the Boulder Hot Springs hotel with
what gives promise of being the most
successful and most important session
in the history of the organization.
There was already on hand when
President Fred J. Perra of Great
Falls called the convention to order IN
the forenoon, about so merchants. and
this number was swelled by evening
to about so, and with indications that
100 or more would be on hand Tuesday
morning. Great Falls sent by far the
largest delegation. Many of the mer-
chants from that place were accom-
ton from that city up to Monday eve
ming constituting more than one-fourth
of the entire attendance.
The big feature of the Monday pro-
gram was the address by Fred T. Mann
of Devils Lake, n. D.. president of the
North Dakota Retail Merchants associ-
alton, whose address on Merchandise
ing" was received attentively. AT the
close of his address Mr. Mann conduct
ed q question box.
Merchants Need Representation
During the evening the visitors were
entertained at banquet with w. W.
Gail of Billings acting as postmaster.
Legislation from merchants point
of view was discussed at the afternoon
session by II. j. Faust. general mer-
chant of Drummond, and himself a for
mer member of the legislature. The
speaker took the view that the inter-
ests of the merchants in general de
manded that they be actively repre-
sented among the lawmakers of the
state and that they had received but
little representation in the past. In
this connection he said:
ut has been my experience that the
country merchant has perhaps had as
varied an experience in matters per
tanning to the public welfare and in
community interests as could well be
gained by most any person who comes
in contact with the public in general.
And these very experiences have. to
my mind, broadened him as to entitle
him to more than passing consideration
when it comes to matters of legislation.
II feel that these experiences have
tended to educate him and that as
consequence he can perhaps better rep
resent us in our legislative assemblies
than most any other man or woman
we could afford to send
Business Men Indifferent
Speaking of his own experiences and
observations while legislator, Mr..
Faust said:
What impressed me a great deal
from the very beginning of my legisla-
tive career was that of the utter lack
of interest taken by the average busi-
ness man in matters Of legislation that
might so materially affect his own in
terests When l use the term busi-
ness man. l mean for the most part
the retail merchant For they seem
to be about the only flock without a
shepherd. Practically every other pro-
fession now has an organization which
sends its committees to our legislative
assemblies, committees selected with
care to the end that all matters of n
legislative nature. either in their favor
or against them. receive attention until
they are finally disposed of. 1t is a
lack of proper cooperation that has
caused us to take back seat many ana
many q time when we should have been
to the forefront.
although the merchant representa-
tion in our legislative halls has been
hopelessly in the minority in the past
/ regret to have to say to you that,
small as has been their numbers, weak
er even has been, in some instances,
their efforts in behalf of themselves
and their brother merchants. / have
actually seen merchant legislators come
TO our legislative halls imbued with the
spirit of high ideals. justice and fair
ness. and who had in mind the intro
duction of such measures as would be
&c aa1 vt nyl..n hn NsS
of our state and who. after having
been given few hearings from the
ever-present legislative manipulators.
almost forgot their own vocations.
Through the pressure brought upon
them by their home bankers. insurance
agents and other well organized bodies.
they were in fact really afraid TO call
their lives their own, fearing all the
while tlUt any move they might make
would mean political suicide to them"
Discusses Taxation
Mr. Faust then took up the taxation
question, which he considered as an
ever increasing burden. and impressed
upon the members the Importance Of
their full consideration and study of
the various initiative measures coming
up at the next election.
He advocated economy in state.
county and city administrations and the
wedding out of unnecessary clerks and
deputies; recommended the pushing of
bills before the next assembly to rem
edy the "itinerant vendor" menace. and
spoke upon the subject of more equit-
able national bankruptcy law. law
covering the activities of foreign mail
order houses, more simplicity in the
phraseology of the statutes. and then
closed by referring to the Montana laws
in whose proposal and passage he had
much to do. including the repeal Of the !
trade commission law. the law requiring !
public hearing before freight rates
can be increased by the Montana rail
road commission. the new irrigation |
district law. and the new Improvement |
distri& law making it possible for un- !!