Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-10-26
THE TRADING STAMP scHExE.
What The Portland Evening Express Has 10
Soy About II
portland Express, Oct. 2s.)

tPOrtland Express, Oct. 23.)
The trading stamp scheme, the
modus Operandi Of which has been sew
eral times outlined in the papers, APP
pears to be falling on hard luck. The
merchants about town seem to be
pretty generally up in arms, and next
Monday afternoon at 2.30, q mass meet
ing of the merchants will! be held III
Reception ball. City building, when the
grievancesvbf the several concerns will
be openly stated.
This latest movement was started by
some of the grocers who feel that the
plan has been misrepresented to them
Among those who have joined with the
grocers are many of the clothiers, fur
niture, boot and shoe dealers and drug
gists, the last named having started
the rebellion week or 50 ago on ac-
count of what they termed an unjust
discrimination in the kind of goods for
which stamps should be awarded.
Primarily the object Of the stamp
company. as the patrons understood it
was ITO increase the number of cash
customers, which it has not done, as
many of them claim. The dealers are
charged half a cent apiece for the
stamps which they say practically
amounts to paying the stamp company
five per cent. OF all their sales. One
grocer said that he understood when
the scheme was originally projected
that the stamps were only to be given
to cash customers, but in looking over
the contract subsequently be found
that it might be construed to include
customers who pay weekly which form
quite large section of customers, a
circumstance that does not tend to in
crease cash sales. Besides the GUS
toner who pays cash has no advantage
over those who pay weekly and the
former, in some instances, strenuously
object One of the grocerymen said
that fully three-quarters of his
brethren in the business will rebel.
5. c. Osborne, the treasurer of the
Trading Stamp Co., was seen, this
morning. and he said legal action
would be taken against those whom
he felt were conspiring to ruin the
business here. He said he understood
a petition was in circulation among the
grocers, but that it was actuated by
two dealers with whom he was ac-
quainted. and they would have to an
swer to the charge of conspiracy. He
had already placed the matter in the
hands OF Messrs. Seiders & Chase, and
the two men had been requested to be
at this law office, this afternoon at
O'Clock 10 answer as to what method of
procedure they intended to adopt.
The dealers are under contract for
year. said Mr.. Osborn, land they are
bound to govern themselves according
ly. l understand the petition that was
circulated so far as mentioning this
business Was%eoncerned. and the mat
ter will he thoroughly investigated. I
don't understHld why the newspapers
are so down cirrus. 1t seems to me we
benefit rather Than injufe- them. The
very idea of our Interviewing all these
dealers and acquanting them with the
scheme has tendency to stir up the
whole business atmosphere and make
people advertise more than ever by
reason Of the rapidly increasing bust
ness On the contrary the dealers say
it shuts off advertising. Many of the
dealers find that it costs SO much to
Keep up the stamp scheme, that they
have to lessen, their expenses some
where, and aS a consequence curtail on
the advertising. And to dealers who
pin their faith on the efficacy of adver-
Using, as many of them do. it is sore
trial to have to thus refrain