The evening times., 1899-04-08
CRUSADE AGAINST
GIFT ENTERPRISES
Police About to Inaugurate
the Annual Fight.
Many Concerns Liable to Become
Involved.
An Attorney Gives His Views On Inn.
partial Enforcement Of
the LEW.

| The annual fight against the gift enter
prises in the District Of Columbia is about
| to commence. For a long time this has
! been an established spring custom in
] Washington, and this year the law is to
have another period of strict enforcement
On Thursday morning the Washington
| representatives of the Thyme Soap Com
pany," of Baltimore, were arrested and
| held in $500 bond. The hearing will be
given some time next week. Their viola
| tion OF the law lies in the fact that they
| have promised to give a set Of dishes and
other household utensils for the return of a
number Of wrappers from the soap.
The customers of the company claimed
that the concern did net fulfill its promises,
but this is not where the violation of the
law comes in, it is claimed by the police.
The fact that the company conducted gilt
enterprise is the reason given for the ar
rest of its representatives. Since the arrest
of the managers of the company il has re-
deemed all its outstanding obligations, it IS
said, and have perfectly clear conscience
in that regard.
The crusade against gift enterprises will
probably be carried further than ever be-
fore in the present course of prosecution,
and the opinion Of a Washington attorney
on the law will be of interest at this time:
The law against gift enterprises ~ Il
good thing in its way said he to Times
reporter. but it can be carried to greet
lengths and this should not be. Last year
what appeared to be legitimate concern
was run out of the city on account OF the
way in which the business was conducted.
1t came under the head of the gift enter
pricn lau intn
jurists of the city and had TO go. short
time afterward. no later than last fall, n
scheme almost identical was brought 10
the attention of the courts and was passed
Unheeded.
'Of course. cannot tell what occasioued
this decision, but it seems TO me that coal
mon sense in the reading of the law was
allowed to prevail. Now, in the case
pending, l do not see how the police are
going to prosecute them without bring NJ
in a lot of other concerns that have oper-
ated in almost the same way for years, 4
concern. for instance, which redeeS,s SO
many signatures on its coffee packages in
household utensils and several soap houses
that do the same.
The police cannot discriminate in cases
of this kind. and, if they are going TO en-
force the law, they will have TO apply it
in all cases. They will be compelled to
bring all of these other concerns into
court and try them in the same way. if
they enforce the law without prejudice.
The law plays no favorites and while these
men who are now under arrest may have
been guilty of not keeping their promises
they are no more guilty of conducting a
gift enterprise than the other concerns
have mentioned.
Il do not see very well how they are
going TO escape the law if rigid enforce
ment is made. 1t may be a good thing TO
stop these prize giving enterprises and il
may not: that does not enter into the
question at all. The law on the subject is
plain and as a law should be enforced
We know that these things have been a
great help in the way of advertising TO the
firms who make a practice of giving away
articles of real worth and we know that
there was something else TO be secured be-
fore the gift could be obtained: Ordinarily,
this something was very good specimen
of particular kind of merchandise and
was worth the price paid exclusive Of the
gift. But the gift was made and as such
the donor laid himself open to the law.
However. | believe in the enforcement OF
the law, no matter what discomfort ii may
occasion. simply because il is the law and
respect for it must be maintained at any
costs