The Wichita daily eagle., 1898-01-04
STAMP ACT

We have been asked TO explain more
fully what the stamp scheme IS We have
| given it a great deal more notice than
we should already. and were it not for
| the interest Of both the merchant and
| the customer, actual dollars and cents,
We would not have said anything about
IL at all. Our understanding is that il
mas not been exploited fully yet; that il
| is still under advisement. The scheme
| IS tnis: A company, so-cailed, OF strang-
ers come to the city with small pocket
full OF little books of stamps. Each
stamp IS supposed 10 represent 5 cents
They make contract with merchants
representing each kind OF business in the
city-one dry goods. one clothing. and
50 on. They go into an establishment
with fiowery tale Of the success in
eastern cities II is only a question
with you whether you want it or not.
Your competitor Will take it. but you
can have the first chance. II you don't
take il, you VIII be the loser, for we pro
pose 10 extensively advertise and canvas
the city, house 10 house, giving out these
cards for stamps, and you know what
that means. 1t is simply a species OF
buidozing. Merchant takes it-''as II is
only per cent Of my sales; can make
that out Of my customers anj the new
business
Now then, the stamp man proposes 60
go over the city and persuade the peo-
pie TO trade at these particular stores
which buy their stamps. with the induce
ment that when they buy an article the
merchant must paste stamps 20 the
amount OF 5 per cent Of the value OF the
article on card about 4x6 inches in size.
and when that card gets full OF stamps,
not until il is pasted fun on both sides,
then you can present IL TO the stamp
company, who will have cheap corner
somewhere with small lot OF plated
Jim crack silverware, etc.-something
that no one wants, and il they did they
can buy II at half dozen places in the
city at a less price than the stamps
cost them. OF course. there will be a
number of people who will take a card
when solicited 10 do 80, bat il won't be
the people who have money and who are
independent. OF course ladies always
will have that card in their pocket; Of
course they will be glad 10 confine them
selves to trading in one hardware store
and pay 5 per cent more for their goods
tim anywhere else. just for the sake of
getting 10 play with the card, carry il
around and get the merchant to lick
stamp or two each time and paste or,
when they can go next door nd buy the
same article for that per cent less. And
then IL they forget TO take their card
each time next time will do, or one of
the kids can run down with it. The
scheme in the aggregate don't amount 70
anything for our merchants-oh, no:
For instance, IL there was combina-
ton OF merchants in the city who sold
in the aggregate s100,o00 worth OF goods
during the year, the stamp man gets
$1,000. But combination OF represen-
tative establishments in the city will
sell in one year 100000 worth Of goods.
giving the stamp man $4,000 for his
which means that the the pur-
chaser will pay that SO, 900. The scheme
has been exploited in a hundred different
places throughout the country. and the !
first instance is to be yet recorded |
where IL mas been a success, either for !
the merchant or the customer. In Atchi- !
s0n the merchants who went into il soon
discovered that ii lost trade rather than |
gained it, and they Immediately signed I
an agreement 10 stop II. and let the ]
stamp act man do his best At For: /
Scott il is in the courts, and will go 70 l
the supreme court In Washington, D. 1
c., the United States district attorney 4
carried il into the appellate court. The /
Eagle published a synopsis of mis- de- /
cision. At Pittsburg. Pa. they quit us-
rs the stamp. The stamp company
10 sue. but didn't. The
scneme simply arrays a few merchants
n the town against all the other mer-
chants, which has the effect TO form a
OF all the other merchants
selling one kind Of merchandise can ar
,ay himself against all the other mer-
chants in the city OF whatsoever busi-
ness. then he may GO in il for pasiime. /
,r because he mas money To burn. The
combination not only arrays a merchant
against his competitor in MS special line
Z trade, but il forms a combination, a
lose corporation, TO fight all the other
OF wha tsoever kind, in /
'rdsr that they may have the pleasure
4 paying to a stranger who comes into
he community. who pays no taxes. has
10 interest in the city. public o. private.
ave 20 collect from fhe merchants in ad- !