The Minneapolis journal., 1903-03-16
BLOW AT COUPONS
Trading Stamp Enterprises Get a
Black Eye in the SEN
ate To-day.
Discussion Upon the Jepson Bill
Wakes Warm-Morgan Amend
ment Is Killed.

serious setback in the senate this morn
ing and the indications point to their ulti
mate death. The Jepson bill, S, f. 1851
prohibiting gift enterprises was recon
mended for passage by an overwhelming
vote. Even an amendment by Senator
Morgan, said to be drawn in the interests
of home merchants or manufacturers who
wished to give away coupons with their
own goods, was defeated. It was worded
as follows:
Provided that 1t shall not be unlawful for
any merchant or manufacturer to place or give
his own tickets or coupons in or with packages
Of goods owned, sold manufactured by him.
such tickets or coupons to be redeemable to such
merchant or manufacturer either in money or
merch andise. whether such packages goods are
sold directly to the consumer OF through retail
merchants.
Senators Morgan and Horton argued
that this amendment was not In the inter-
ests Of the trading stamp enterprise and
that it would not affect the object of the
bill .g,,r r"' -."
Senator Jepson declared that there was
if the bill was to be killed, it should be
done directly
+ Senator Horton followed with one of his
characteristic addresses, teeming with
sarcasm. "Is it SO viciously wrong for
poor man to get something for nothing
that we must legislate against it?'' he
asked. Later, however, he declared: II
am going to vote for the measure, al
though know it is wrong and unconsti-
tutional, but want Mr.. Morgan's amend
ment to be adopted, as it is fair one
He spoke of a large department store
In Minneapolis the manager Of which said
that he had saved $1,000 per month by
the Introduction Of the trading stamp plan.
Later he declared that the trading stamp
people did not care for the bill. They
had not been about the corridors lobbying
against the bill, while he had literally been
besieged by lobbyists in favor of it.
1T will be a happy day, no doubt, when
all competition is destroyed and the slow
plodding merchant by law is placed on the
same equality as the enterprising and
progressive rival" declared Senator Nor
gan. II believe the people profit by these
enterprises and I am sure the merchants
do"
A Fervid Argument.
Senator Somerville made rather fervd
argument against the amendment and
against trading stamps. IT have never be-
fore heard that the big corporations, the
tobacco trust, the cracker trust and SIM
liar institutions were in business for love
Of humanity and were giving the people
something for nothing. This amendment
takes the very life blood out of the bill and
should be killed.
On the point Of oonstitutionality he ga id
THE District of Columbia has held this
Identical bill constitutional and I have vet
to learn Of a single state which has held
suchsa. bill unconstitutional. If we are
going to kill the bill as 1t is let us do So,
but don't kill it by emasculating it,"
Senator Wilson said: Our sympa tties
and our. duties lie with the people, the
merchants and the taxpayers, they are
strongly in favor of the passage Of the bill.
Those opposed to it are foreign corpora
| t1ons. They are not in business in this
state for love. It Is a get-rich- quick
scheme and our sympathies should not
lean in their direction T.
Senator Wilson declared that the trad
ing stamp system created unfair competi-
| tion in that only certain, concerns were
selected for the enterprise and other rival
concerns wer barred. He was sustained
in this contention by Senator c. A. John
son, who stated that the trading stamp
| people selected one dry goods store. one
grocery store one hardware store and so
| legged stores which had exclusive benefit
from the trading stamp and an advantage
| over their competitors.
| The amendment was defeated IL to %,
and the bill recommended for passage
there being only one or two votes in the
| negative.
Reconsider Militia Measure. -
At the opening Of the session, Senator
| Cooke moved reconsideration of the reso
luton by Senator Cole, authorizing the
| military authority to use the national
| guard appropriation for taking the state
| militia to the national encampment at the
| world s fair at St. Louis in 1904. Lieuten-
ant Governor Ray w. Jones ruled that the
motion could not be entertained as the
mover had not voted with the prevailing
side. ~
What proof have you that I did not
vote with the prevailing party?" asked
Mr.. Cooke.
II have a very distinct recollection of
your attitude on this resolution replied
the chair. -
But the journal does not show that ]
did not vote with the prevailing side" ar
gued Mr.. Cooke. The chair was COM
PEELED to acknowledge this was true.
T Senator Wilson argued that, inasmuch
as the resolution diverted a sum of money
from its original fund, it's effect was the
same as making an appropriation. Con-
| sequently a roll call of the yeas and nays
=, was necessary to make the action of the
senate constitutional and legal.
Senator Cole said the resolution did not
make an appropriation, but simply au-
| thorized the military powers to hold the
national guard encampment elsewhere
than at the permanent state camp.
The motion to reconsider was lost.
Senator Cooke. fighting hard for Lake
City. moved that the journal be corrected
to show that the senate did not concur in
the house resolutions The resolution die
not have a majority of the entire senate
There was no roll call. The action of the
senate was contrary to the provisions Of
article A. section 13. of the constitution
of the state. and rule so of the perma-
nent rules of the senate. This motion
also failed. = .:...-
| = Fees for Sheriffs. ..-.. .
Senator Laybourn offered bill allow
| ing sheriffs in counties having a popula.
| tion Of from $4,000 to 10000 a fee Of 81
for returns on summons when the parties
are not found. Under the limitations Of
his bill it applies only to st. Louis county
To Curb Unhealthy Growth.
Senator Hawkins sent up bill provid
ing that cities and villages incorporated
hereafter should not be allowed to in
clude land or territory within two miles
Of the limits of existing municipal COR
! porations.
Another Spurt on Bills.
J The senate settled down to business and
/ disposed Of it with a speed that has al
ready made that body famous. Twenty
four measures were discussed and recon-
1nended for passage by the committee OF
the whole and a number of others were
sent to new committees. Among the bills
recomm ended for passage were the follow
| ing:
$. r. IT, Alley-Requiring county boards tc
advertise for bids Oh all contracts in excess OF
4 800. ~ 4$.s saz-t.a =, aIt q si. ss a.
/ s.. r. 72, Schain--Authorizing county boards te
sell or otherwise dspoSe Of any nrnnerftr ho1onn