Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1936-02-06
Patman, Vice Presidential
Possibility, Well Received

In his Minneapolis talk on Monday.
Wright Patman, the fiery and agrees
sive congressman from Texas, brought
out many good points in behalf of the
local Independent merchants Mr..
Patman is the man who has received
national RECOGNITION for Introducing
and successfully waging a very hard
battle for the payment of the soldiers
adjusted compensation He is also
doing good work bv Introducing leg
islation and speaking in different
parts of the country in advancing a
square deal for independent mer-
chants
He stated that "A per cent of the
grocery business is now done by cor
porate chains, "a per cent of the bus
mess by voluntary chains-the type
of stores that are independently
owned but doing their buving coopera-
lively with other grocers-and that
only % per cent of the grocery bust
ness is done by straight out independ-
ents.
The speaker dwelt upon the secret
rebates and other special privileges
accorded the chain stores by whole
salers and manufacturers and pleaded
for fairer and better business meth
DDS. He said that we must have and
Legislative bodies. the Texas con-
gresham argued. are responsive to
the will of the people Large groups
of individuals naturally cannot get
by with ANYTHING that is detrimental
to the public welfare
TIE local Independent merchants
render public service. They are US
ually owners Of their places of bus
mess, have bones. many hold local
community offices and take an inter-
est in the growth and development
of their community. So when those
folks get together and theoretically
petition for legislation that makes
for fair treatment, then naturally
lawmakers sit up and take notice.
The CONGRESSMAN. who by the way
is very forceful, fluent speaker, OPP
poses very effectively national
transaction tax He argues that man.
ufacturers who may do their own dis
tributing and selling would have far
less tax to pay than the independent
ent merchant who buys his wares
through the customary channels. The
independent merchant would be
forced under such a tax system to
pass on more transaction tax to the
consumer than would monopoly bust
ness and that would place TIE indie
pendent in a still worse position to
compete with big business. The trans
action tax is on TIE order of gen.
eral retail sales tax
Mr.. Patman stated that one big
business firm in the United States
which made a profit of $4,000, 900
in a year. acquired $4,000 900 of that
profit through secret rebates. which
local merchant.
The CONGRESSMAN argued that not
withstanding the contention of a well
known economist, WAGES and prices
should not be reduced. The ec"no-
mist bad said that if wages were cut
in half and prices of necessities were
cut likewise. the worker would fare
as well as heretofore. That argument
may sound all right but is fallacious.
The CONGRESSMAN rightly pointed out
that If wages and prices were re-
duced, the obligations of taxes and
interest would in effect be practically
doubled. Taxes have been established
and are not reduced in a hurry. like
wages and prices of commodities
might be, and the debt burden, like
interest rates. has also been estab-
lished.
TIE American public has debt
OBLIGATION of $50 billion dollars and
naturally it will require many years
to reduce or wipe out that indebted
ness, If, in fact it is ever wiped out.
The speech of the Texas legisla-
tor in Minneapolis was heard by sew
eral hundred people, who appreciated
him very much and applauded en-
Enthusiastically. The result of his visit
in different parts of the country will
naturally spur the Independent mer-
chants on to cooperative and collec-
tive action in their own behalf, a
fight which will be for the general
public welfare and against monopoly.
Congressman Patman has a nation
wide following AMONGST the former
service men and independent mer-
chants. His selection as the running
mate to President Roosevelt for the
office of vice president would no doubt
add very much strength to the Demo-
cratic ticket.