The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-29

Company. He agrees to give up pel cent on his cash sales each day. which ].
 Ss D 1ag R he ss ssa Ssors Ing this artificial stimulus-amounting te or 10 per cent on the increase. It has been found to average about 2 per cent on the gross retail business. Of course the merchant does not lose this. He does not deduct this from his margin of prof us. IL Is paid by the publc-the custom CT wno buys over the counter.
 stamp concerns. The Trsding Stamp Company naturally buys it's premiums at wholesale and disposes of them at retail ngures-thereby making its first profit. pons unless book of at least s1C0 Is pre- sented. Many of these coupons are nec- cssarily lost. many are destroyed. many Parties get tired y or I discouraged sr or move away These are all an additional clear profit to the trading stamp company It is estimated that the trading stamp company does not have to redeem more than 70 per cent of the tickets for which 1t has received pay. The expense is sim ply that of rent for warehouse and the salary of clerk to show the premiums.
 Now as to the effect upon trade. When a merchant discovers that some of his cash customers are trading across the street by virtue of an allurement in the nay S Sv onsge sta%p aoP3 s Mth group of other merchants: another Trad ing Stamp Company which issues blue stamps to its customers. Later a pink another group of merchants, until all the hues of the rainbow are represented, all the merchants of the city are color blind and all the people are madly chasing
 When all the merchants are giving trad ing stamps, there is no inducement for cash trade to go out of its natural chan nel Then everyone trades just where he al h. kxa ax.f nTr paying out to the Trading Stamp Com panies per cent on his gross business, without receiving any compensation what ever therefor. The Trading Stamp Com panies are snugly ensconced in their rock, ing chairs. cheerfuly counting by the aid of their beautiful lamps, the rainbowed coupons, which the entire retail district of the city, working day and night, are pouring into their capacious laps. They have but little expense; they carry hardly any stock; they are not compelled to take the ordinary risks of trade; they simply sit still and get rich on the capital and energy of others. While the public. the dear. humbug-loving public-are footing the bills with generous hands.
 It is at this point that the public wakes up and realizes It's beautiful dream is fraud. But it is too late, the habit has become fixed. One merchant hesi- will retain it and be benefited. It is an electric battery. He cannot turn it loose If he wants to.
 Is this bill of but little or no importance in Alabama? If 1t is of trifiing import ance, would the Trading Companies have employed an influential and aggressive lobby to prevent the business men of Alabama from passing this bill through the legislature? Let us See.
 When the trading stamp companies get the hold upon Alabama they desire and reach the smaller towns as well as the larger. Two per cent on the gross retail business of Birmingham, Huntsville, Florence, Decatur, Cullman, Anniston, Gadsden. Selma, Opelika, Eufaula. Troy, Dothan, Montgomery, Mobile and other cities will amount to over 900 annually. All paid by the people of Alabama to Trading Stamp Companies.
 Is 1t any wonder that the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia in shut ting out their operations from that place said:
 with no stock in trade, but that device and the necessary books and stamps and so called premiums with which to operate It successfully, they have intervened in the legitimate business carried on in the District of Columbia between seller and buyer not for the advantage of either. but to prey upon both."
 It Is to be hoped that this Legislature, which has done so much already for the people of Alabama. will not through the influence of paid lobby. be diverted from needing the call of the business communi- ties of Alabama, to keep out this ieech upon its legitimate trade-this parasite upon the business life of Alabama.
 Merchant