Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1935-10-24
By EDWARD ]. PRDCHASkA,
Secretary, Board Of Pharmacy.
Pine City. Mimi.


many problems and to continue as a
successful. important factor in the
distributive system will nee essitate
cooperative and collective effort
among those of the individual and
various trade groups, and the con-
sumers. The Independent merchant
and the consumer have much in the
way of common problem.
The buying power of the consumer
public has been considerably reduced
because of unemployment, and large
ly because of this there has developed
a program of most ruthless COMPETE
ton which has made the going for
the average merchant doubly difficult
and has to date caused many failures.
Collective efforts in the fields Of
buying, advertising, and merchandise
ing are important factors and much
work has been done and more must
be accomplished in this field of work
Another very important field of effort
which every independent merchant
and consumer must become better in
formed on is the problems of legis-
lation. We must become more legis-
lative conscious to promote legisla-
tion to better protect our interests
and TO defeat legislation which is
obnoxious to independent merchants
and consumer welfare. Chain store
and privileged interests have long
been familiar with these facts and,
as We all know, are generally we'll
represented in legislative halls by
very powerful lobbyists.
Unity Makes Strength.
By collective efforts of the various
trade groups, including grocers, drug
gists, hardware men and others, ap-
proximately one-half of the popula-
ton Of the states are functioning
under Fair Trade Acts to aid in the
sterilization of prices and to help
eliminate some of this most ruthless
competition which works out to the
detriment of the Independent mer
chant and the consuming public. We
in Minnesota must put on a united
Fair Trade Bill and to get also an
improved Chain Store Tax Law to
aid Us in competing with these
groups financed by eastern capital.
The chain store has worked a hard
ship upon thousands of independent
merchants, and they should aid in
paying the tax of our state and local
government. The high cost Of our
power and light is a problem which
is being forcibly brought to the at
tention Of the druggists, restaurant
owners and meat dealers, and con-
sumers as a rule. Many municipal
tiles have solved this problem to a
great degree and cooperative. intelli-
gent action can accomplish much in
this field TO improve this condition.
Sales Tax A Detriment.
We hear much in the daily press
regarding the sales tax, and when
the legislature goes into session we
will hear a great deal more. l shall
devote my effort in this article chief
ly to this problem, and will present
arguments and prove that the sales
tax will be of tremendous disadvan-
tage to the consuming public and the
independent retailers in this state.
The sales tax has the active sup
port of very powerful forces with
effective, militant lobbyists, support
of the influential daily press, and
every legislative device to put over
this program on the retailers and
consumers. The tax, while detri-
mental to the interests of the major
ity of people, would be of tremendous
saving in Minnesota to such interests
as the mining industry in the State
of Minnesota, the Northern States
Power Company, the large out of
state real estate holding interests. a
group that does not make up a very
large part of the business Of the in
dependent retail druggist or merchant.
Would Encourage Mail Orders.
The sales tax is unfair to the in
dependent merchant; it increases his
cost of bookkeeping; would subject
him to much rigid inspection: and
is a nuisance tax on every sale, thus
creating antagonism on the part of the
customer consumer. The merchant,
in the capacity of a tax collector
without compensation, is put in the
position of the unpopular tax collec-
tor so we'll known in the history
of the past. The retailer has been
subjected to too much in the field of
adversely the last few years to have
this extra burden to bear Also, the
tax would put the independent mer-
chant at a greater disadvantage than
he is now in competition with out
of state mail order houses. These
mail order houses ship their mer-
chandiSe in interstate commerce and
this merchandise is not subject to
the sales tax. The independent mer-
chant would be forced to sell his
commodities in competition with the
mail order houses with probably
three per cent added to the retail
price. This disadvantage would Off
set any tax reduction a merchant
might gain If the building in which
he conducted his business was owned
by himself. The tax opens up a won
derful field for out Of state mail
order houses. encourages state snug
Cling. and reacts as a distinct disad-
vantage to the independent merchants.