Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-26
OPPOSED TO STAMPS.
nERcHAxrs WAIT THE ANrzs
TRADrsG-yrAMr BILL PASSED.
| EASS-IEgTIEa TUESDAY Night,
II II for the Purpose Of csyntaIxinina
the Sentiment in Favor Of the
House Bill-Arguments Fer ara
Against the system.

There will be q meeting Of merchanU
in the assembIy-room Of the chambez %
Commerce Tuesday night for the purpose
Of adopting means to bring before the
Legislature In the most forcibls mannsr
possible reasons why the system o.
trading stamps and checks should b
abolished.
A number Of lie most prominent mer-
chants in the c' y are IN hearty synpathy
with the bill which has been introduced
in the House Of Delegates forbidding tbs
use OF these stamps and cnecks, and the
call for the meeting is signed BY Thalhi>
mer Brothers. Miller & Rhoads. Coleman
Brothers, the Economy Shoe Store. Kaut.
mann g. Co.. and others.
There is quite general interest in tee belts
however. outside Of business circles The
trading-stamp system has been in vogue
I'm Richmond but a short while. compare
lively, yet II has proven very popular With
lady and children shoppers, and the pos
sibility Of its being abolished By law has
created quite hutter. 1t seems that the
popularity Of the system with the ladies'
has been a prominent factor N stirring
up opposition against II.
"A BUSINESS MANS OPINION.
A prominent dry-goods merchant n diss
cussing the subject with a Dispatch req
resentatlve last night, said: \
"The system is great evii. II. undcubsA
eddy. tends to make extravagant purs
chasers The presents offered by the
| trading store seem to possess e
PECULIAR attraction for the ladies, ana
several instances have come under my
| knowledge In which the wives OF men on
very limited means have made most ex-
| trayagant purchases, In order to MI theiA
| book and obtain a premium.
| "Besides this" he continued, st has exc
erted a very strong influence against cash
buying, though the promoters Of the sys-
| tenn, in introducing IL, claimed that It's ef-
| feet was the opposite. IL Is q fact thac
many people who owe bills at stores THAI
give checks frequently make large pur-
chases, pay the cash, and demand stamps
or checks. paying little or nothing or the
old score. II is not at all unfair to ass
sumo that were II not for the stamps the
purchases would be less. and the liQuida>'
ttion Of standing accounts be much larger@
| 1T DEAiORAiLlHtS TRADE.
"But probably the chief evil is that II
demoraIzes trade. Offering TO give some
thing for nothing This is precisely the
principle OF a lottery you know, though
nv objection to the system is not based
upon this TO such a great extent. Wha'
l claim is that II is deceptive IL pur'
ports TO give presents OK certain vam'
when | know they do not cost that much
| -I.S.x lra "a W08n
reality somebody pays mighty dear fol
II either the merchant or the consumer
7 suspect II is the consumer in the lont
run,
IT IS A PAYING BUSINESS.
.'The people at the head OF the tradins
stamp concern are naturally opposed 7"
having the system abolished. for II is I
very lucrative business. In calculating
their profits IL must be borne In mini
that a large portion OF these stamps a
least one-fourth, i should say-are neve
presented at all. Merchants DO not sl'
them unless they are asked for and. ne
sides. a great many that are given ar
lost. the receivers thinking II not WORT
their while to try TO collect a 'oook.
system came into general use III Wari'
ington, but its evils became SO .ppalan
that II was abolished by law. II cause
the nuhlic TO discount merit In choosin
their merchants, and, perhaps, here lie
: the systems greatest evil"
THE OTHER SIDE.
II f. urged upon the other hand tina
/ the check system Is legitimate adve'
/ | Using scheme: that It gives value rece'v
. | ed both to the merchant who adopts
. | and the purchaser who takes advantae
. OF Il. 1t is claimed to be wortn as
y | trade-getter all that the dealer nas
/ nav for it. and the consumer. II Is urge
t receives a present OF the full value cane
: Besides Richmond. the other cities J
a virginia In which the trading-stamp sy'
4 tenn is in use are Norfolk. Danviiie an
n stanton. An effort was being mace
4 ,ntroduce II in Lynchburg, but had ne
= sncceeded when the agitation against 20
An effort win be made at the meetin
TUESDAY night to have steps taken
secure the cooperation OF the mercnan'
,n other Virginia cities where the stami
= are used in an effort to have the Lesisis
i ture pass the bill now in the House con