“I have to sell my crops
- Be a4
to live
says P. D. Frantz, Farmer of Egypt,
Pennsylvania
“1 was born on a farm in Pennsylvania that my father anc
grandfather worked before me. My family has dug its living
from the soil of this State for seven generations. My neigh-
bors and I grow potatoes — lots of them. But it is just as
important to a farmer to sell his crops as it is for him to have
crops in the first place. What Pennsylvania farmers need is
better selling.
“We're just starting to get somewhere here in Pennsylvani:
through the chain stores, and we don’t want this thing
spoiled just as it amounts to something. We’ve worked out
a selling program with the chain stores that put nearl:
three million dollars extra cash into the potato growers’
pockets last year. And it’s going to be bigger next year
That comes from an official report of the potato growin:
industry.
“For the first time since potatoes were grown in Pennsyl
vania, we're getting higher prices than the Maine farmer:
That’s because instead of taking them to somebody wh:
didn’t give a darn about us, we take them to the chai:
stores, who understand what we're up against. I think eve:
the farmers who don’t sell to chain stores will say that
the way these Pennsylvania chains have got together with
us has brought higher prices to every potato grower in the
State. I've heard the growers of other crops say the sam¢
‘thing.
“The chain stores have been a godsend in helping u:
move surplus crops. Finding somebody who can sell you
potatoes, when there are so many that nobody wants them, i
like watching it rain after a dry spell. And it helps people
in the city; too, because it lets them share in the abundance
which Nature sometimes thinks wise to produce.
“The National Administration is doing all it can to help
rmers fight such things as droughts and floods—things
‘hich keep the farmer from growing his crops. I can’t see
/hy any Pennsylvania Senator should want to injure the
larmer at the other end—the selling end. The Store Tax
3ill would be almost as big a blow to Pennsylvania farmers
as no rain during the growing season. It would cripple the
companies that are doing the best job we've ever had done
for us. I hope that every Pennsylvania farmer who wants
to protect his best market will sit down now and write his
Senator a sizzler against this Store Tax Bill.”
“I have a good job and a good
chance fo get
ahead”
says Al Love, Manager of a Chain Store at
3301 Spring Garden Street
“] am 26 years old and a graduate of South Philadelphia
High School. I have a wife and a baby. I have a comfortable
home, a car, a radio — more than most men of my age can
afford. I am a chain store manager. I enjoy my work, and
1 like the company I work with. ;
“I have a great many friends who went to high school with
me, and I know that I am making more money than most of
them. I think I have a better chance for advancement than
they have. The chain store grocery business is one of the
few businesses in the world that still insists that its executives
come up through the ranks. The next step ahead of me is a
larger store, with a larger income, or a job as a supervisor.
Among all my friends, I know of no one who has a better
chance of immediate promotion, or a better opportunity
to work into an important position in the future.
“I am the manager of a very small chain food store that
is making about $400 a year for my company. My clerk
earns more than twice that. The landlord receives exactly
twice as much as that in rent for my store. Yet your Senator
may vote to tax my store $500 a year.
“It is all right to talk about the profits my company makes
in other States. But what would happen to the branch of the
company in which you, yourself, work if it were taxed more
than it earns? You can’t expect a company to operate any
part of its business at a loss. The Senators who are in favor
of this tax would not run their own businesses in that way.
(
If they did, they would not be in business long. Some of
them are very successful.
“l am an American citizen. I was born in Philadelphia.
I work in the city where I was born. I think I'm a good
citizen. I'm sick of seeing a company that gives me a decent
living put on the spot every time the legislature meets. I
can’t understand the reasons behind laws that threaten my
job and everything I have worked for since I got out of school.
There are over 62,000 chain store employees plus their
fries 's and customers in the State of Pennsylvania who are
stariing to wonder,”
Space does not permit the printing of more than a small
percentage of those opposing the store tax
M. L. Claster, Lock Haven, Pa.
H. A. Grubb, State College, Pa. Roy
A. C. Henninger, State College, Pa.
Fern Struble, Lemont, Pa.
Earl Myers, Port Matilda, Pa. James
Chas. Gummo, Port Matilda, Pa.
A. F. Smith, Balesburg, Pa.
N. S. Berger, Balesburg, Pa.
W. W. Albright, State College, Pa.
N. B. Mantz, Balesburg, Pa.
H. W. Rocky, State College, Pa.
G. W. Spicer, State College, Pa.
Samuel Evarhart, State College, Pa.
Fred Cox, State College, Pa.
John B. Meek, Port Matilda, Pa.
Earl Crust, Port Matilda, Pa.
H. G. Ebbs, Port ‘Matilda, Pa.
Lane Sampsell, Bellfonte, Pa.
Charles Spicer, Bellfonte, Pa.
Kings Farms Co., Norrisville, Pa.
DEALERS IN FARM PRODUCTS
J. M. McCealley, Loganston, Pa.
S. Hoffman, Avon, Pa.
G. W. Cramer, Hubersburg, Pa.
Fred Kyle, Mackeysville, Pa.
Otto Milk Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Nathan Crigger, Altoona, Pa.
Lafferty Bros., Altoona, Pa.
Lawrence Hesser, Altoona, Pa.
J. E. Nelson, Altoona, Pa.
W. E. Hoffman Co., Altoona, Pa.
Sanitary Milk Co., Curwensville, Pa.
Clearfield Dairy, Clearfield, Pa.
Purity Milk Co., Philipsburg, Pa.
Gust Janke, Winburne, Pa.
W. J. Moore, Erie, Pa.
L.. W. Borland, Altoona, Pa.
L. E. Leopold, Altoona, Pa,
Louis Shapiro, Clearfield, Pa.
W. Martin Insurance & Real Estate
Co., Lewistown, Pa.
E. G. Burket, Altoona, Pa.
B. F. Thorne Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Jenkinson Realty Co., Bellevue, Pa.
Peter E. Knabel, Erie, Pa.
Isabel Chaffee, Wesleyville, ‘Pa.
Chas. Blackshaw, Erie; Pa. =. |
Richard J. Seltzer, Philadelphia, Pa.
Edwin W. Blair Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.
Green Ridge Dairy, Irvona, Pa.
H. Fimk, New Millport, Pa.
O. M. Shaffer, New Millport, Pa.
Blain Byers, Mahaffey, Pa.
Irwin, Curwensville, Pa.
O. H. Goss, Curwensville, Pa.
Lewis Hauck, Curwensville, Pa.
Amos Tate, Mahaffey, Pa.
G. S. Watts, Bellwood, Pa.
Geo. F. Sheraw, Altoona, Pa.
CHAIN FOOD STORE
American Stores Co., Pennsylvania.
A. and P. Food Stores, Pennsylvania.
Cassell’s Stores, Reading, Pa.
Shaffer Stores Co., Altoona, Pa.
Weis Pure Food Stores, Sunbury, Pa.
P. H. Butler Co., Pittsburgh, Pa.
Kroger Grocery & Baking Co., Pitts
burgh, Pa.
REAL ESTATE DEALERS AND
LANDLORDS
The Evening Bulletin,
Philadelphia:
“PENAL TAXATION... . A member of
the Legislature may choose to stand with
the group of individual merchants who
think they are to be benefited by the chain.
store tax, or he may stand with the large
number of consumers who know they are
to be hurt by it and protest. But no one
can dodge the vital issue presented in this
bill and stroke his chest in contented
thought that he is voting some extra sal-
ary for the poor, forgotten, public school
teacher.”
The Scranton Tribune:
“HARD ON THE POOR. . .. The pro-
posed store tax indicates that the time has
come when the poor are expected to pay.
State Senators will be likely to give serious
thought to that.”
Wilkes-Barre Record:
“REGULATION BY TAXAFION:... To
illustrate this in the case of the chain
stores, one can now wonder what will be
the fate of unprofitable units in large
chains which have been carried along by
the profitable stores and although unpro-
ductive to the owners, have yielded income
to landlords and have been sources of em-
ployment. Whether a heavy tax will force
abandonment of such stores is a question
inevitably raised by the new tax law under
discussion.”
‘Allentown M orning Call:
“A TAX THAT HOUSEWIFE WILL
PAY.... The rising tide of prices is par-
ticularly evidenced in the costs of food-
stuffs and therefore most acutely affects
the poor and the poorly paid groups of
every community in the country. The rich
can endure advances in food prices. The
poor cannot . ..” )
The Fvening Ledger,
Philadelphia:
“CONSUMERS WILL PAY.... As the
main interests affected by the proposed
bill are food concerns, the natural outcome
would be an immediate increase in the cost
of living. And as usual the burden will
fall on those least able to pay... . The
tax fs branded as an indirect sales tax
and the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania
is on record as opposed to sales taxes...” |,
Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre:
“A TAX ALL WOULD FEEL. ... The
net results will be an affliction to the very
people whose needs have been most con-
sidered by benevolent administrations.
These very people will feel this added and
unwelcome burden, in the price of sugar,
of lard, bacon, fruits, meats of all kinds,
and staple and fancy grocéries. The ques-
tion then occurs, as it has occurred so
pony fs, so often, is it a wise thing
to do?”
Carlisle Sentinel:
“TAX ON FOOD STORES.... The Earle
administration is dedicated to ‘the great-
est good for the greatest numb r, and
in this matter it should look well to the
interests of the consumers ...”
Pittsburgh Press:
“THE CHAIN STORE TAX.... Even if
the chains did not cut down the number of
stores or lease them, it is ridiculous to
assume that they would completely absorb
this tax. It would be passed on to con-
sumers in the form of higher food prices.
. . . They simply would be paying another
form of a sales tax upon that most basic
of all commodities, food. ...” :
Record Herald, Waynesboro:
“TAX ON STORES. . .. This might be
only a step toward the imposition of taxes
on other businesses. The bill will bear
watching whether you believe in chain
stores or whether you do not.”
Daily Times, Beaver:
“HOUSE BILL No. 228. . . . Already, too
many industries have been driven from
Pennsylvania by unfavorable and exces-
sive taxation...”
Dispatch, York:
“THE ‘SOAK THE POOR’ BILL.... We
hold no special brief for the chain stores,
but we do hold a brief for those to wholn
the economies made possible by the chains
spell the difference between having enough .
to eat and going hungry...”
Altoona Mirror, Altoona:
“THE STORE TAX BILL. ... These
stores give employment to large numbers
of people in this state. They rent many
buildings. The proposéd tax may result
in much unemployment and vacant store
rooms everywhere. Moreover, the tax will
be reflected in higher prices for the neces-
saries of life with a corresponding re-
duction in the purchasing power of a
dollar. .\.” .
Brownsville Telegraph:
“CHAIN STORE TAX ATTACK... .
Many thoughtful independent merchants,
as a matter of fact, know now the chains
taught them how to be successful mer-
chandisers. For these lessons they have
cause to be genuinely grateful. Moreover,
they know that from a burdensome tax on
chain stores it is only one step further to
an equally burdensome extra tax on their
own establishments. ...”*
Times, Chester: ;
“PENNSYLVANIA WAR ON CHAIN
STORES. . .. For a number of years in
this vicinity, the American Stores and the
A & P Stores have supplied food to resi-
dents. Their prices have been low and the
quality high. Why must they be pun-
ished? . ..”
The Sunbury Daily:
“TNE PUBLIC WILL FOOT THE BILL
AGAIN. ... The fate of the bill will
eventually rest with the public, which will
or will not make itself heard, but, if
enacted, the public will, of course, foot
the bill. , >
* Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph:
“EFFICIENCY PUNISHE™ ... Such
hobbles make the cost of r _chandisin,
greater, and the public pays the bill . , .
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
“ANOTHER TAX ON THE MARKET
BASKET. ... This form of taxation as a
means of raising revenue has been sug-
gested before. It cropped up at the twe
last sessions of the Legislature, but was
disowned by the State Administration and
got nowhere . ..”
Tribune, Johnstown:
“ATTACKING THE CHAINS. ... The
inequality of this measure is at once ape
parent. It means that the small chain store
doing a neighborhood business will be ase
sessed $500, while a large department
store doing many millions of business wil}
pay $1...” .
' The Evening News, Wilkes-Barre: -
“A TAX ON STORES. . .. The tax on
stores would not be a luxury assessment.
If it were, it would not cause the concern
Tet a levy on food and other essentials
oes...
Philadelphia News:
“STORE TAX BODES MORE HARM
THAN GOOD. . .. This will soak the
people on relief just as hard as it will those
who are working for their wages , . ,”
‘WRITE TO YOUR SENATOR TODAY
HE WILL PROBABLY VOTE NEXT WEEK
| The Senators elected from this territory ares
ANDREW J. SORDONI
LEO C. MUNDY
Last year, California passed a Store
Tax just like this one. Then they put
it up to the people to vote on. The.
people voted against it in 57 out of 58
Counties. You can defeat it now in
Pennsylvania before it becomes a law.
Let your Senator know what you
think before it is too late. He WANTS
to know.
Address your Senator at Senate Chamber, Stats Capitol, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Tell him to vote "NO" on the store fax bill