PAGE a
THK I1KXD nVLlETIV, DAILY KDITIOX, 1IKND, ORKGOX, THVIWDAY, BR1T. 8(1, 1010
The Bend Bulletin
DAILY EDITION
PcMWui Wnrr Afl.rr.oan Eiopt iaadar.
Mr tk Utai RUtMi ImmMI. ,
Bnurrt M Second Claia matter. Jmuvr S,
Ml?, at th Poat Offlc at Band. Oraxon. undar
Art of March t. 1179.
ROBERT W. SAWYER., Edltor-Manawr
BKNRY N. FOWI.SR AuccUta Editor
FRED A. WOKl.FLKN...Adrtiina- Muwv
C. A. NIXON Ciiealallon llanaur
ftALPH 81'KMCSR Mechanical Bust
An Ind.innd.nt Nwaiapr. atandlne for Ml
avnara ilral. clean muinaia, clean poiitica ana
to ht lul.tatta of Hand and Caatral Oracon.
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' Make all cheeks and order pmyabl to The
Sene Bulletin.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 25. 1919.
THE VOTER AXD THE PACKER.
Commenting on a recent editorial
appearing In The Bulletin, the Ore
gon Voter prints the following un
der the head of "Packers' Profits."
"Granted that packers profits are
only a cent or two on each dollar of
sales; what does this figure as profit
on the money invested in the busi
ness? asks the Bend Bulletin.
"The editor of the Bulletin
is perfectly able to rea
son it out that it a cent or two
profit on each dollar of sales is a rea
sonable profit, the total profit on
the money invested in the business is
reasonable, irrespective of how great
that total may be. , . , i - , '. , .r
"If a small packer in the suburbs
-of Bend is making only a cent or two
on each dollar of sales, and bis sales
amount to $25,000 a year, his profit
amounts to from $250 to $500. If
his capital Invested is $5,000, his
profit ranges from S per cent to 10
per cent on his Investment. But ir
respective of the amount of capital
invested, is there anyone can ques
tion that a cent or two profit on each
dollar of sales is not an excessive
profit? ' ' . ' ' , '
"Supposing a Portland packer
does $5,000,000 a year business, and
makes a cent or two per dollar of
sales. His profit would range , be
tween $50,000 and $100,000, or from
. S per cent to 10 per cent on an in
vestment of $1,000,000. If his In
vestment were $2,000,000, hie rate
of profit on his investment wovld be
one half; if he was able to Co such
a vast business on a capital Invest
ment of only $500,000, his rate of
return on the investment would be
donbled. But is there any question
that the profit on only a cent or two
on each dollar's worth of sales is not
excessive?;- . .. i . -
"Last year Swift & Co. did $1.
200,000,000 business. At a profit of
a cent of two on each dollar of sales
their total prof it. would range be
tween $12,000,000 and $24,000,000
a big sum, it is true, but only 'a
small sum compared with the $1,
200,000,000 of sales. Yet is the cent
or two profit on these great sales
any more excessive than if obtained
from small sales?
. "The probabilities are that the big
packers 'have been able to sell in
Bend in competition with any local
slaughtering that takes place. There
are two reasons why they succeed
against local slaughtering competi
tion. One is that they are so effi
cient in their packing and marketing
methods. Another is that they ar
willing to do business on so small a
margin, a margin so close on each
dollar of sales that it is right up
against the danger line that might
spell disaster and ruin if that small
profit were wiped out. What reason
able complaint has the Bend Bulletin
against this cent or two irrespective
of whether it is earned by a small
packer, or a very large packer?
"Has not packer competition with
local slaughterers lowered the price
of foods to every consumer of meats?
"And has not packer competition
with Jocal slaughterers increased the
return to the live stock grower?
"If these two foregoing questions
cannot be answered in the affirma
tive, both the consumer and the pro
ducer have good ground for com
plaint against the packers. : But we
fail to see any just ground for com
plaint as to the return made by the
packers on their invested capital un
less that return expresses Itself In
too great a profit on the ctual
quantity and value of goods sold.
. "If our reasoning on this Is wrong
we shall be grateful to the Bulletin
if it will set us right."
ttve mngnslne this tins Heeiiied a
grent weakness. But the Voter has
always known where it wanted to
go and therefore what roitd it should
tako, and this knowledge, or state of
mind, auvir.a quite apparent in the
foregoing from last week's issue.
The Voter asks if Its reasoning Is
wrong the reasoning it follows to
roach the desired end. Our answer
Is that It depends on the two express
ed assumptions, "If a cent or two
profit on each dollar of miles Is rea
sonable." and thore Is no "Just
ground for complaint as to the re
turn made by the packers on their
Invested capital unless that return
expresses itself iu too great a pro
tit on the actual quantity and value
of the goods solil." In short. It the
Voters premises are right the
conclusions naturally follow.
The real difficulty "Is in the
premises.
Suppose we put the proposition
thus; "If a cent or two profit on
each , dollar of sales produces too
great a return on the capital invest
ed then that cent or two is too
much." What does the Voter say to
that? Asks, we suppose, what Is
too great a return on the capital In
vested, and then we are getting down
to brass tacks.
come to the attuntlon of the Voter
editor lie will have a fair opening
to tuke a shot nt our nsHuniptionH,
just as we luivo mentioned his. There
is a difference, hiiwover. In that our
purpose has not been defense nor
condemnation, but discussion. We
want facts before wo Judge uml with
out facts our Judgment Is suspended.
(iut all this Is away from the origi
nal mutter that started discussion of
the packers in this column. This,
our readers will romomber, was tliolr
reported activity In trying to per
suado' the War department to keep
its surplus meats oft the home mar
ket. What Is the Voter's opinion of
that?
FOREST OFFICIALS
SURVEYING RANGE
Forest Supervisor N. 0, Jttcolmon,
accompanied by CI ran Inn Examiner
.lack Morton, uio on un exteutlud
trip through the westuru part of (ho
Cascade National Forest, milking u
survey of range conditions. The
sheep rnugo or thu Citscnda National
forest was placed under the Jurisdic
tion of Deschutes forest officials in
tho spring of the present year.
The whole proposition seems to
us to come down to the question of
how the business of the big packers
shall be regarded. If it is wholly a
private business like that of a bin
department store the public is not
interested in Its profits per dollar of
sales nor what the return on Its in
vested capital Is. ; On the other hand,
it the. business partakes of the na
ture of a public utility the public
Is interested, and has a right to in
quire Into the profits.
The latter seems more nearly the
case of the packers, and their own
activity in presenting profit facts to
the public through advertising and
by other publicity methods indicates
a recognition on their part of some
such position in the business world.
If the packers' responsibility to
the public is that of a public utility
it seems fair to consider their profits
from the viewpoint of return on in
vested capital the ordinary method
and not in respect to the return
per dollar of sales.
It is true that the packers have
no grant from the public usually
connected with a public utility. If
their business is a utility it Is be
cause of the success of the owners
in creating monopolistic conditions
which lead to the necessity of pub
lic regulation.
The packers have hot strengthen
ed their case with the public by
talking about the small profit per
dollar of sales. To the public that
has seemed like camouflage to cover
facts concerning profit on invest
ment. A Portland paper, highly es
teemed by the editor of the Voter, In
a recent discussion of the packing
business made Just this point and It
has been -voiced elsewhere.. . l . .-
Fortunately the spokesman for
the packers has replied to the Port
land paper stating that tho packers'
profits in 1918 were 16.8 percent, so
we have that information as a basis
of discussion. That does not seem
to us too great a profit under all the
circumstances, and In our opinion, it
is to such argument that the packers
should devote themselves rather than
to what the public thinks is evasion.
If the preceding matter should
A series of unusually attractive
advertisements tins been negiin in
The Bulletin by the Navy depart
ment. Attractive, that is. in the wuy
In which they are gotten up and
In their appeal to tho young men.
Bend boys who are not going to col
lege and who are not learning a
trade can Improve themselves by tak
ing the opportunity of enlisting.
People who hnvo beeu duck hunt
ing this month had the experience
of violating the law without know
ing It. Remember now that on this
side of the mountains the season
opens on October 1 and ends Decem
ber 31.
These are striking times.
. An Exacting Alaskan.
Wanted, a Wife Honest and capa
ble man wishes a wife; age not a bar;
most be good cook and able to take care
of home. Have several hundred dol
lars In the bank, comfortable cabin
and a prorolslnif. claim. No phono
graph need apply. From the Valdei
Miner.
Put It In The Bulletin.
You Learn to (
Know the Value
of a Dollar when
you Pay Cash. '
i
Cash buying
means a saving
for us, therefore
a saving for you.
If not in the past
do it now.
.-: :': at '
UNION
GROCERY
j FOR YOUR
I PARTY
i
Table Novelties
Place Cards
I Birthday Candles
Table Favors
Colored Candles
! Candle Sticks
KRAFT LAWN
STATIONERY
with BEND. OREGON
heading, 24 Envelope
and Sheet of Paper,
50c'
at
LADIES' SPECIAL I
FANCY
DRESS SHOES
The saving you have
been looking for.
Light Color. Good Value
Guaranteed, at
TRI-STATE
TERMINAL CO.
YOUNG BROS.
CONFECTIONERS
AND BAKERS
Brest, Pie. Pattrie.
Cake. Confectionery
rot Sal at Mul. Ijigtn'i Kilclirit and
Young llrot., on Bond St., formed
Fttrman.'i ll.lt.iy,
I04J UunJ Su
Put It In "THU lll'l.ncTI.N."
The funner ami the business man of this com
munity are partners in the progress or the failuie of
their community.
If
they pull together, the progress and prosperity is
certain to come.
. IF they listen to preachers of class hatred there
can only be failure as a result.
THE SHEVLIN HIXON COMPANY
OWL
Pharmacy
Bend's Book Store
B
B
B
U
R
B
ebsjseI!
FISK CORD
Big. deeo. strong
buttons scientif
ically arranged
make it non-skid
in fact and name
PIQNRER GARAGE CO.'.
Seven Reasons Why There Should Ee An Electric
?v Range in Every Bend Home.
1st Saving of time, labor
and fuel.
2nd Mcnla, rrrtoblmt and
olhor food rntnln natural fln
ora when cooked on an Kl.EC
TUIC It A NOB that are other
wlio I oat In vanur when aub
Joctod to u nor m heal pro
duced by wood, coat or gai
ranjeoa.
3rd Got out of bed, turn
th button and brvakfuat la
tartod whllo jrou are drotulnK.
41b No dirt, no aahm.
Mother'! work la coaler and
ber dlipoiltlon I happlvr and
ber day ar longor.
Bib A' blnsHlng when day arf hot; cook on an Ulectrlo
Range and you do not roallio thoro la any boat In your klicbon.
Gin Very low rule maintained by the llond Water, Light ft
Power Co. put all tbo comfort of the ELECTJUC HAN01C lu roach
of all.
7th Cloanllnnaa, eaiie, comfort and the fact that Mother'
burdana are llgbtcnod ahould bs the main reaioua for an Kloclrlo
Range,
Bend Water Light & Power Co.
Somewhere In "Alice In Wonder
land" Alice asks the March Hare,
"What road do I take from here?"
and the Hare replies: "That'-fle-
pendn on whore you want to go."
It has always seemed to us thafl
the able editor of the Oregon Voter
had none of Alice's indecision when!
it came to the defense of certain
classes of persons and Interests for
whom he holds a apodal brief. In
an otherwise broad and progressive,
CD IT if I A I DD Igf IT C Bern's Saturday, Sept.
Ol l!VlU I t.lVHVO"27th and lasts for 7 days.
A FEW OF THE MANY ITEMS LISTED BELOW:
Galvanized Wash Tubs $1.98
Coffee Percolators $1.59
Bib Overalls (only one to a person) ....$1.75
- 10-qt. Galvanized Pails. P. ..39c
2-qt. Enameled Coffee Pot :, 59c
4-qt. Enameled Sauce Pan ..: 29c '
Pudding Pans : . ..;.........19c
Flour Sifters 19c
10-qt. Steel Pails.......; '. 69c
Boys' Velocipedes $4.95
Curling Irons .'.) '..9c
Pins : 4c
White Pearl Buttons........ 4c
Women's Union Suits.. $1.29
- Men's Union Suits :...! $1.49
Boys' Union Suits., 49c
Girls' Vests and Pants, per, garment 49c
Women's Hose 29c
Men's Wool Half Hose 49c
Men's Suspenders .' 48c
Men's Silk Ties..... 25c
Men's Colored Handkerchiefs... :,..llc ,
Stand Mirjors .....15c
FAIR VARIETY STORE, Bo'
, Progressiveness and Growth
IB tni'i community, mean dollar and cent
in your pocket.
, ; .' ; :
Build Now. with Deschutes
(White) Pine.
Build of home product and patronii name irdu.tty. Tr
cheapeit and beat buildintf material ii Docbute (Wbilc)
, Pine and ia manufactured right bere into all ixe and (fridf
of lumber. Acquire a borne of your own initcad of a buncb
of ren t receipt.
PUT YOUR MONEY TO WORK. BUILD NOW
The Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Co.
. LOCAL SALES AGENTS
MILLER LUMBER COMPANY
. . , ' ' .... "
THE UNITED WAREHOUSE COMPANY
WHOLESALE DISTRIBUTORS
FOR CENTRAL OREGON OF
.''.', i i U'i ' ur A t i , i,4 ,., ', i
OIL, GASOLINE, FLOUR, SALT, MEATS
HAM, BACON, LARD, ETC.
FERTILIZERS FOR LAWNS
AND FARM LANDS
General Commission Merchants
WE BUY HIDES
THE UNITED WAREHOUSE COMPANY
rhone 241 A. M. PR1NGLE, Manager
as welt as interesting and lnforma-1
1