The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-03-11
PUBLISHED DAILY. EXCEPT SUNDAYS.
The Trading stamp Eight.

"a Yesterday at Bower, ox-Chancellor VOL
colt, in speaking against the passing of
the bill nov before that body, asking tho
Legislature to pass bill to make giving
away Of Trading Stamps by our merchants
Illegal, said that the law passed in Mary.
land concerning gift enterprises had been
declared Illegal and void by the Courts.
In the Senate yesterday at Baltimore, the
Anti-stamp trading bill which oamo up OIL,
Its third reading in tho Senate to-day was
passed by vote of Is to 8. The only OPP
position to the passage Of the bill came
from tho men who had been won over by
Sthe Establishments Of the Trading Stamp
people who knew good thing when they
raw It The text OF the bill passed by tho
Maryland Senate Is as follows:
5S No person or association Of persons shall
either directly or indirectly. by agent or
otherwise, use or hold for use in any way,
or aoll any stamp, commonly called ira l.
Ing stamp, or any ticket or check, or any
written or printed promise or assurance,
express or implied, or any other scheme
or device for the sale. barter or trade of
any goods wares or merchandise, holding
ont as an inducement for any such sale,
barter or trade the giving or issuing of any
such stamp, ticket, check, promise. assur-
sance, scheme or device, which stamp, tick
Ct, check, promise, assurance, scheme or
device is to be Or may be presented to or
redeemed BY some person or association of
persons other than these making the sale,
barter or trade aforesaid, the holder Of
said stamp, ticket, check, promise, assur-
ance. scheme or device for presentment or
redemption, getting or receiving in ex-
change therefor something uncertain, I'M
determined or unknown to the purchaser
81 said goods, wares or merchandise at tho
stme Of the purchase thereof. and the CIV
Ing or pro4l tse Of said stamp, ticket, check.
promise Bnrance scheme or device;
Tho halty for violation of the bill is'a
nne " BIT less than 800 nor moro than 500
ano risonment in the House of Correc-
s ..S not more than six months, in the
- hon Of the court.
Wyers Potter L. Cooper, Jr, and OK
hcellor Wolcott appeared before the
heral Assembly and tried to Impress on
3 members Of the Legislature that such
law as asked for, If passed, would not BIO
legal, and then, in the next breath said the
Legislature had no business to pass such
o law, as they would exceed their province.
The gentlemen, of whom there were
several, appeared and made statements of
what wonderful benefits the giving of
Trading Stamps has been to them in build
ing up their business. Mr.. W. +. Smalley
attorney for those opposed to the Trading
Stamp business, brought down with him
petition signed by six hundred store
keepers in the city of Wilmington, the
very best and largest houses and the men
who do the principal business Of the::city.
The Trading Stamp people, of course, do
not want the bill passed and why should
they? 1t would break up their business.
But the merchants want to see the practice
Of giving away five per cent of their pro.
more weight with the members of the
Legislature than the two companies who
have one Of their numerous branch stores
IN our city, with other stores scattered all
over the United States. The Louisiana
Lottery was considered "a good thing by
thousands of its victims who would have
entered their protest against its abolish
ahent, but the Federal authorities saw fit
70 prohibit the sending OF money or lottery
tickets through the mails or to be deli vered
by the Express Companies to the victims.
What the Government has done, SO can
the Legislature, If they see fit. Tho
wishes OF the majority should have Some
weight with the members of the Legisla-
ture. We want to say that no representa-
tive of the REPU BL1CAN ever made threat
to Mr.. Baum, Of the Star Coupon Com
pany, that the newspapers would drive
him out of business,