Friday, February 22, 1935 LETTERS to the Editor PLAN A CRYSTALLIZER To the Editor: I am neither for nor against the Townseud revolving pension plan, but will any that I believe it would be one of the greatest aids In more speedily bringing about an end to the present impractical system which must eventually come to an end anyway In the past many wine men have brought forth their various plans 'or the ending of the depression kid for briuging about bettor con- lltions. But since none of these men are ail-wise, their plans have been merely experimental and have failed to work just an the Town send plan will fail to work. Because, like other plans, it does not get at the cause. It is merely the putting of another patch on an old, worn out "garment." Ho long as a man is free from debt, he Is somewhat Indcpsndsat, but as soon as he gets into debt his condition in not so good, he la now a slave to the money-lender, working for to pay him interest The deeper he gets in. the worse bis condition, and the nearer the firm* when his property will belong to the one who has the power over him. As with an individual, so with a nation. During the last few years this country has been going fur­ ther and further into debt, faster than ever before. At this rate, it cannot be but a matter of a short time until it will be owned, lock, stock and barrol, by the big fel­ lows who have put up the money The people will then be at the mercy of these few men. They will then be their slaves more than ever before When this time comes, prhaps they will then commence to realize that there really is some­ thing radically "hay-wire" with the present "garment,” and will start thinking about how to go about getting a new one. We realize this: Whether times are good or bad; whether there is little or much money in circula­ tion. these money lenders never fall to get their share (with com­ pound interest). And since they control and have their strings on everything, the more money in cir­ culation, the bigger their share. The Townsend plan would put a lot more money into circulation Consequently, for every revolution of this fund, these same men would get a comparatively bigger slice, and the bigger the slice, the sooner they would have it all; they would have the life of the "goose which has been laying the golden eggs" - and so the finish. If you wish to speed up a con­ dition which will eventually lead to a real change, don't fall to boost for the Townsend plan. With best wishes for your suc­ cess in your new venture.—J. H. McCOIN Medford, Oregon. ------------- •------------- ACXEPTS INVITATION To the Editor: I read with interest your edi­ torial in the Miner of February 8 concerning the Townsend plan and wish to avail myself of your kind invitation to supporters of the plan to give their reasons for such support. First, I wish to say frankly that I will be a pensioner under the plan if it goes through I want to say equally frankly and honestly that I believe that a majority of SOUTHERN OREGON MINER the people over 00, including my­ self, feel that they will be better off without a [tension under pros­ perity thun with It and a contin­ uance of the times of the past few years. I do wish, however, to cull at­ tention to some phases of the plan that apparently escaped the at­ tention of the writer of the edi­ torial. The purpose of the Town­ scud plan includes much more than the mere pension. One of these is that recipients oi the pension must spend it within the current month. The other is that the pensioner must relinquish all remunerative employment, Vp to about 20 years ago the Benjamiu Franklin theory that thrift and savings are the way to national prosperity. It was in Ash­ land about that long ago that an Ashland business man first de­ clared to the writer that the man who s[M*nt all his salary as soon as ho earned it was u better citi­ zen than the mau who saved. Hi nee that time the theory has become almost the economic panacea for poor business When the stock crush came in the fall of 1929 the gos|a>l of recovery preached re­ gardless of party affiliation was to keep on spending. This advice might have been good, but those who could afford to buy would not ind those who could not afford to continued to spend beyond their means At that time it took a brave man to advocate stopping buying until debts previously con­ tracted were paid. The doctrine of spending our­ selves rich has been hammered Into the American people so con­ sistently that they have come to believe it. Assuming that the doc­ trine* Is true is not the Townsend plan the logical thing to do? It will turn $24,000,000,000 (esti­ mated) into the channels of trade within 12 months. None of this money can be bunked or given away by the pensioner. It must be sixnt, either in satisfying exist­ ing indebtedness, for merchandise or for travel. It is true the pen­ sioner can, under the plan as ad­ vanced, give the merchandise away. Thia is but one phase of the plan The taking all over 00 out of business and pay jobs will make a place for millions of unemployed. It will make at least that many jobs for younger men and women, probably more The writer knows of one family in California where the wife's mother, over 70. is slaving to care for four lively youngsters because the husband cannot get enough re­ lief work to support the family and the wife is working in the olive industry to help out. If the Town­ send plan goes through undoubt­ edly the mother will assist in the maintaining of the family, the wife will stay at home to care for the house and children and the husband will devote his time to developing a mountain ranch and thus aid in building up the coun* ■ try Instances like this might be multiplied indefinitely. To say that the elderly people, who have striven year» for a live­ lihood, would overnight become either parasites or fools is an in­ sult to the American people. It may is* that if the money is to be spent by youngsters it would go for riotous living, but it is not. Practically every relief move of the present administration has been based on the belief that the measure would put money in cir­ culation. If the Townsend plan is "fantastic” and "cockeyed” then every relief measure of the pres­ ent administration is "fantastic” and "cockeyed," as all are based on the same economic principle. Were every person in Ashland over 00 to receive a pension under the Townsend plan think what it would mean. Hundreds of homes would be repainted; much needed clothing would be bought; new books and pictures would adorn the homes Probably hundreds of aged workers would be replaced by younger ones. Many elderly people would gladly pay companions and house help who are now lonely and overworked. The Townsend plan is eminently more sound than the other relief measures because of the fact that it is a "pay as you go" plan. The ¡»resent relief plans, county, state and national, are very largely fi­ nanced by tends. In other words, we are robbing children yet un­ born to aid those needing. Is this honest? Is it fair? The writer went to California last year much prejudiced against a sales tax. He found, much to his surprise, that the people, mer­ chants and customers alike, ap­ proved of it. The California plan Is simple The merchant charges a definite tax on each purchase and is compelled to place it at once in a separate till. This definite amount on each purchase makes grafting impossible. It is a well- known fact that when the cotton, Wheat and pork taxes went into effect though the tax was in itself small, yet the mark-up to the cus­ tomers was big, on some small notions as much as 100 per cent. In 1934 the people of California paid in round numbers >53,000,000 sales tax and paid it so easily that California has come back and al­ most unanimously asks the privi­ lege of paying a federal sales tax to finance the Townsend plan. Kight on the Corner G. F. McConnell COFFEE ROASTER Ashland Blend .......... „..... 25c. lb. Brazilian Coffee .... _....... 15c lb. PEANUTS BOASTED DAILY Always Fresh 4 North Main and Water Sts. SIDf PHARMACY Friday and Saturday Sale I & 27* SQUIBB'S •"’SML* l - 59c 23c PALMOLIVE - • 31c JAD SALTS so.’ s & - - ALMOND LOTION t”* - 43c 29c MILK MAGNESIA ™ POWDER PUFF m - 8 n 3& ASPIRIN TABLETS too - 6c w 29c POCKET COMB TOILET TISSUE ASSORTED 15cVskio 6« KS 3’/2« Sale! TOOTH BRUSHES ItalhTklm PHONE 78 Silver Crest Dairy SLABWOOD $2.50 Per Ixtad, Dumped l^arge Loud, Dumped $3.25 Gunter Fuel Co. Phone (W KK< T.AIMING MIST CITIZENS Through the newspapers of Ore­ gon the parole board of the state penitentiary Is seeking to acquaint the public with figures showing that, judiciously applied, the parole system is a success It is declared that of 591 men either on parole October 1, 1932, or paroled be­ tween then and June 30, 1934, only 94 or about 15 per cent violated paroles by failing to report. More­ over, it is shown that only 31 crime commissions are chargeable to any of this group of 591 re­ claimed offenders during the bien­ nium. If we may take the word of po­ lice officers and jurists experienced in dealing with youthful first of­ fenders the parole system can be used to advantage in teaching the lesson that "crime never pays.’’ It has been shown, they say, that to sentence a convicted youth to a year in prison and then parole him in two or three months while he is still unfamiliar with prison life, homesick, and eager for freedom, is usually the best possible medl- cine. Added to the report of the pa­ role board is the plea that organi­ zations turn their attention to es­ tablishing in our penal Institutions facilities for practical and voca­ tional education.—Newburg Scribe. ---------- —q------------- The Ashland Miner observes that while it is great to watch a ma­ gician pull a rabbit from a hat, "level-headed people always re­ member the rabbit had first to be placed in the hat.” In other words, taxpayers will know from whence comes the Townsend rabbit.—Wes­ ton (Oregon) Leader. Ouarantood quality................. 27c SOc Prophylactic Tooth Brush 39c J. D. Dental Plato Brush .... 39c Ora-San Tooth Brush . .2 for 75c SOc Tok Tooth Brush.............. 39c Mickey Mouse Tooth Brush. 23c Dr. West Tooth Brush, now.. SOc Others at 29«, 43c sad 77c REMEDIES 1.20 Bromo Seltzer. 95c 30c Caecara Quinine 21a 1.00 Lysol................ 83c 75c Doan's Pills... .53c Dr.SchoH’aZlnoPads33s Nurlto for Neuritis. 93c SOc Pertussin......... 49c Hamlin’s Wizard 011 31» think it would be less embarrass­ ing to disregard world court de­ cisions when out of it than in it.— Weston Leader. i See What Does For PRICES EFFECTIVE SAT. AND MON., FEB. 23rd AND 25th BROWN SUGAR, 5 pounds 25c FLOUR—Bouquet, 49-pound bag - - SANI-CLOR—Bleacher, 1 gallon - * $1.57 18C LAUNDRY SOAP WASHING POWDER CRYSTAL WHITE 8 bars........................ PEET’S GRANULATED, A9! & 2 large packages.......................... "W / W 1 SMALL PEET'S FREE Bill If 4 AU Tall Bnwda MILA Cans... COCOA, Rockwood’s— 2-pound can..—....... . NUCOA— 2 pounds ......... . ......... WHITE KING— Large puckage... ....... WALDORF TISSUE— fl rolls........................... SAN K A COFFEE— Pound can........ ........... SWANS DOWN— Large package.......... One Large Package FREE PORK AND BEANS, Van Camp’»— 4 Large can__ ___ ______ ___ _________ AW 18c 43c 29c ..25c 49c 27c JELL WELL— 6 packages..... 29c MAYONNAISE, Beat Foods— Pinte ______ ________________ CANDY, AU Varieties— Cello bag.... ....... ....... ....... Snowdrift 3-pound pail........ ^Fruits and Vegetables LEMONS 3 doz 25C Artichokes, 310c AAAN UUKN Bananas, 6 lbs. 25c TIIN ■ FANCY FRUIT I UNA MEATY Libby'» No. 2 Can Golden Bantam. _ ....... D*1 Monte No. yt can................. . LETTUCE 3 for 10e OYSTERS Sr: Airway Per Pound .... Three Pounds 19c 55c • « New Low Price EDWARDS' Nob Hill DEPENDABLE .. 23c Pounds.... 45c m Wesson Oil LIME RICKEY FULL 16-OUNCE 3 for 25c PINT BOTTLES.... LARGE 29-OUNCE 15C BOTTLE................... FANCY SUNKI8T COFFEE 10c Half gallon. .. / / w Pound T-lb. c Can ... 27c 49c 2 for 25c ----- 15C 2 for 25 c DIAEFancy Br