The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1933-04-20
In discussing this situation the Bemdj Pioneer
and the Deer River News have recently made some
remarks which aptly apply to this city. Says the

In discussing this situation the BemidU Phone
nd the Deer River News have recently made son
,marks which aptly apply to this city. Says tt
ioneer:
There seems to be an increased interest in
home trade developed during the days of the
bank holiday when consumers realized that
after all it was the home town merchant who
must be turned to in an hour of need. 1t
is the merchant taxpayer, also, who is won
dering today where the money for his cur
rent taxes are coming from and without those
taxes schools will be closed municipal and
county employees will be unable to cash their
warrants, industries will slacken and unem-
ployment increase. It is difficult to imagine
that the firm from out of town will worry
about the condition, not having any property
here to be taxed.
The Deer River News, loyal booster for
ONE industry, supplements an editorial recently
ublshed in this paper by saying
Down in the southwest corner OF the state
in the city of Luverne, the council has passed
an ordinance taxing out-of-town solicitors for
dry cleaning.
"This is something new under the sun, but
why not? The merchant who runs store
in his town, is taxed heavily, sometimes much
too heavily in proportion to his annual gross
business. He bears the load because he
wants to be loyal to his community and his
friends And at the time competitive
business runs in and out rubber tires, does
a larger gross and doesn't pay cent toward
local support. Its purpose is to drive out the
local merchant, and too often it does just
that.
"Luverne's problem is common one Deer
River has it well. Dry cleaning wagons
roll in here from Duluth and Eibbing several
times each week. They take away thousands
of dollars worth of business annually. And
these firms don't pay cent of Deer Rivers
taxes. We used to have good laundry here
It paid taxes every year. It has been put out
of business by firms which pay no taxes here
"The practice is not confined to the dry
wagons roll in From them sold baked
goods manufactured outside of Deer River
They compete with the local bakery, which
is fighting hard to give Deer River much
needed institution This local bakery pro-
vides local payroll and helps pay local
taxes. Its employees spend their earnings
among other local firms. The outside bak-
cries do none of these things
"And the list might be extended to include
the sausage wagons the fruit vendors and
dozen others. They all pick up Deer River
dollars, haul them away and put them back
into circulation in other towns, few of them
getting back to Deer River. That is
how Deer River people help boost some other
town while they neglect their own.
"The man who lives here and does bust
ness here, is asked to pay taxes. is there any
thing unfair about asking other firms who do
business here to also pay taxes here? And
if they don't want to pay taxes here, let them
keep out. Most of these itnerants rush in
and speed away as soon as they can. They
don't stay night at hotels, seldom
patronize restaurants, and wait until they
get back to Grand Rapids or home to buy
gas.
There should be sweeping ordinance in
every city and village, levying taxes on these
benzne, bread and bologna peddlers who So
licit business in competition with the home
merchants. If they profit, they should pay.
And the home town can make good use of the
added revenue"