Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-23
mutually agree that this agreement shall
remain in force one year from above date
signature.
tsignaturc.l

Dated - -. -... -...
Around The borders of tho printed
agreement arc she following lines:
1--WE make business hum, increase
merchants trade anu bring 10 cash.
Kindlings for a business fro. We
furnish the fuel TO make the pot boil. ="
"This Agreement good for Store -
street only"
Stipulations not Appenring on this
Agreement will not be recognized by
either party"
The books for the reception of stamps,
which were circulated among tho
people. contain, among other things the
following:
"The object of this syndicate Of
merchants tmeaning those who give
trading stamps is to mutually benefit
the buyer ana suller. Tell
your merchant you are trading with
him because he gives stamps, Y
Merchants who are not allowed to
handle trading stamps will call this
system of advertising fraud. 4
1t is our aim to have the greater part of
our premiums for n book filed with
stamps. However, We have some for
larger amount"
This wonderful plan in meeting
with SUCCESS everywhere, is printed
in conspicuous tpye on the cover Of the
book.
Tho following Clipping from the Dry
Goods Economist, printed in New York
City, is we'll worth realing'
The following letter on tho question
OF trading stamps from the pen Of A.
N cCallnm of Alex. McGallum IL Co.,
Northampton. Mass, appeared 10 re
cent issue of the Gazette of that Gity.
II will be noticed TINT Mr.. MGCallum
brings out new point in the con
trorersy, and one which well deserves
consideration:
"There seems TO DO considerable dis
cussion among the merchants of this
and other cities in relation to the Trad
ing Stamp Co., a branch of which /
understand is to locate in this city.
"a letter from one Of our merchants
appeared few days ago in reference to
it, The weak spot in that letter was
the fact that he offers to give per
cent order from the purchase price of
any store in the city or in the purchase
| of other goods in his own store, which
simply means that he is charging his
customer 50 for an article that he can
afford TO sell for 81. 30. and so on through
the list. .
"My judgment Is IL would he better
| in the long run to make the price 81. 80
| in the first place and not try 70 make
your customers believe they are getting
something or nothing, which is lust
what the Trading Stamp Co, 3 methods
are.
"Now let us sse now this trading
stamp business will act on the mer-
chant; also on his customers. The great
| inducement hald out by this stamp
project is the increase of trade, claim.
ing 80 1-3 per cent as not an excessive
Increase that can be expected by using
the stamps. Assuming that their state.
ment is correct (Which / very much
doubt) see how it will work. SuppoB-
ing a merchant is doing a business of
500, 600 year cash and that it will be
increased ;l3 is per cent by this
method, that would make total of
sl33, 900, on which the merchant is ex-
pected to give outstamps for per cent
OF that sum, no less than sc. Gao for
advertising slone, and it is only fair to
assume that an increase in business
will necessitate other expenses that
cannot be less than 10 per cent more,
making an additional expense Of SO, $50,
or a total of nearly $40, 200 expenses to
secure an increase of S33, 900 in his
business.
Gentlemen, can you do it without
charging more for your goods? Hence
the consumer must pay for all this
stamp business, and when you do that
are you honest with your patrona2 This
scheme, no doubt, will be boon to
the stores who have made practice of
| givin 10 per cent rebate on their sales
| TALL nut on haforehand), for, don't you
see, the customer will now receive
stamps to the extent of only per cent
instead OF the usual 10 per cent in
money, profit to that merchant of .
per cent, or So on every 500. and loss
to the customer of Just that amount.
"Ths articles given away by the
stamp company that are marked 50 are
in reality worth only 81, 80 that in
this case a customer who buys 500
worth OF goods will receive so.called
free gift OF an article worth not over 81,
whom before they were getting rebate
Of $40 in cash, losing on the trans
action fully SIS.
"Going back to the Trading. Stamp
Co. / would say that it means simply
an additional expense that must be
paid for by the consumer to support a
free-gift enterprise of doubtful lawful
organization in this State. The public
now pay high prices for their mer-
chandise with the large tariff on i'm
ported goods. profit 20 the commits.
sion man. another profit to the iobber,
also another to the retailer, and now
comes along this great scheme for an
other profit, all of which must come
out of the consumer. Many of your
readers have reason to remember the
large benefits promised by the mary
now defunct assessment insurance com
panies A such schemes that promise
no much are good things to let alone.
"Yours, A. McCallum. ~
Contracts for Bridges.