The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-06
THEY SEEK RELIEF
Merchants Enter Into an Anti
Programme Compact.
To Stop Inceasant Begging Of
Fake Advertising.
COMMONFU STARTED
Ali Applicants VIII Be Referred
to Secretary Anderson.
VIII Disburse the Money as He
Sees Fit.

The undersigned hereby agree to
pay the amount subscribed to the ad-
vertising fund for the year 1905, pay
able quarterly, the money SO contrib
uted to be used for advertising pur-
poses and to be disbursed by the ad-
vertising committee of the CONNER
cial club. This subscription covers all
our contributions for advertising dur
Ing the year in all programmes, reg
listers, bills of fare and directories ex-
cept the city directory.
Palace Clothing Co. 500
The Minis Dry Goods Co........s100
Warren NJ. Crosby & Co. 800
The entertainment committee of the
Commercial club this morning took
steps to eliminate the incessant beg
gtng'' to which the business men along
Kansas avenue are continually sub
5ected for advertisements in pro-
grammes of every kind and descrip-
ton. The practice of people who are
fostering charitable enterprises, and
also other kinds, to secure aid from
the merchants by having the latter
advertise in their programmes and
circulars has been carried to such an
extent in this city that the merchants
are rebelling and at the last meeting
of the Commercial club the entertain
ment committee was asked to md
Some avenue of relief. In accordance
the committee met this morning and
signed by the business men OF Topeka,
by which each merchant who enters
the compact will give certain
amount, according to his means, to an
advertising fund to be in charge of
Secretary Anderson of the Commercial
club. Then when people come to
these merchants and ask for adver-
ffsements they will be referred to
Secretary Anderson
To set the wheel into motion, the
above agreement was made up this
morning z. H Crosby, H A. Auer-
bach, W. w Mills and Warren NJ
Crosby, are the members of the enter
tainment committee, and each one i'm
mediately subscribed 800 to the ad-
vertising fund. Some time ago three
Topeka hotels subscribed 500 each
70 the entertainment fund 1t is prob
able that these amounts will be put
together, making a total of $500 to
start with in the advertising fund.
This afternoon Secretary Anderson
commenced a general canvass OF the
city to obtain signers to the compact
It is believed that but little difficulty
will be experienced in securing a long
list of names, for the merchants gen
orally are complaining about the beg
ging' which they now term a. graft
The resolution introduced at the
Commercial club meeting on December
II, fully covers the purpose of the
agreement made up this morning. It
follows in part:
1.-The matter of promiScuous advertis-
ing outside of the regular newspapers
has become a serious burden to the
business men of this city and in many
instances amounts to a graft" These
appeals are constantly made in behalf
of churches church organizations,
lodges and charitable organizations, all
worthy Of support, but direct donations
whenever the cause appeals to the in
dividual are much more in the line of
economy The various schemes for no.
tel registers. ink stands. desks, seats
ETC., are not legitimate advertising, and
the business men pay for them.
I'VE believe that the business men
should discontinue this class of adver-
Using and contribute according to
their means to an advertising fund. It
viii save them hundreds of dollars
tributed to the club can be used for
legitimate and efficient advertising of
the city, its resources and attractions.
We therefore recommend that the sec
rotary be authorized to canvass the
city for subscriptions to a fund to be
vert1slng fund, the subscriptions to be
paid quarterly, and that the money
50 raised be disburSed upon the recon-
mendation Of the entertainment and
advertising committees"
It viii be seen from the agreement
that all kinds of programmes, bills of
fare, registers and directories, except
the city directory, are to be tabooed.
When the words ''au kinds of pro-
grammes" are used, they mean just
what they say. It includes theater|
programmes. MidWfnter fair pro-
fzrammes concert programmes, min
stre1 programmes, church pro-
sweeping, and the merchants who are
back Of it, believe that they viii save
hundreds of dollars annually.
The fund which Major Anderson