The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-22

POST CARD CRAZE
Topeka Dealer Says Women
Buy Objectionable Ones.
Are Now Sent Incased in Heavy
Envelopes.
DEMAND is LARGE.
Appears to Be No Let Up in the
Quest.
Those With Appropriate Inscrip-
lions Much Sought.

4OpChd NODlCn DLI IllOIC pCotSaA IL
that Uncle Sam calls Objectionable
than men, according to Topeka dealers
in postcards. Some dealers say the
ratio is two to one. some say it Is
greater, but the spicy postcard, or
the one that might be called ''sugges-
tive appeals more to them. it seems
than to men.
It is not an easy task to persuade
a postcard dealer to tell this. They
throw up their hands in horror.
Not for me. I don't want to be
1egislated against, boycotted or even
waited upon said one dealer when
asked if it was not true that women
purchased more of the Objectionable
cards than men.
If 1 were to tell you that they did
I'd have a a bunch of women in here
who would raise more trouble than L
could get out of in a. year. Beside,
my wife happens to be woman and
Under ordinary circumstances 1 spend
part of my time at home. But L
wouldn't if 1 should give out any such
statement as that The women are
running the town now. and I am not
going in for bunch of trouble"
When assured, however. that his name
woul1 not be made public in connec-
ton with the statement lie warmed
up a little to the proposition and
few minutes more of conversation had
him telling it all
.'Of course. we sell lot of postcards
that the postoffice authorities call OBJ
jectionable." admitted the dealer.
There is a demand for them and if
we don't sell them the other fellows
will. Consequently the other fellows
will sell most of the cards: including
the kind not considered Objectionable.
We have to sell them.
And selling postcards helps our bus
mess. We pick up a good many quar-
tiers and half dollars from people who
come in to look at postcards. Other
wise we would not get good part of
this money.
Uncle Sam has established a cen
sorship over the postcards sent now but
there are almost as many of the al
eyed Objectionable kind sent as before
the ruling of the postOfice department.
They are sent in envelopes. Not the
fiimsy kind. but the substantial enVel-
Ope which hides its contents.
"A lot of women who do not buy the
socalled Objectionable cards like to look
a them. They come in here, look over
our stock and laugh over the quota
tons and illustrations on some of the
cards in a mildly shocked sort of way.
and buy the milder kind OF cards. But
they like to look over, the bad ones.
and then there are a lot of women
--rSo apologize for the kind OF cards
they buy These are. of course. the
women who buy the kind of cards sent
away in heavy envelopes. They seem
to think that some sort of explana-
ton is due US.
I'VE get a good many stories SELL
ing postcards. Family jars. sweet
heart quarrels and all that sort of
thing. Recently a woman came to the
store and asked if we could match
card which she had. She drew 1t and
1t read, The Lord gives US our rela-
tives. but. thank God. we can choose
our friends She went on to tell me
of the row which included both a
friend and a relative. She wanted a
card for each of them.
lone thing that be said to the
credit of the postcard buying public
IS that few of the 'mushy' kind of
cards are sold. OF course. every deal
er has them, but they are dead on his
hands Occasionally one is sold. but it
IS usually to a kid. Dealers have quit
ordering them.
s"The postcard that sells best is the
one that has something out of the or
binary to catch the eye The card
that Life is just one blank
thing after another had and is still
having an immense sale. There are
others of the same kind.
1.-THE picture postcard mean by
that the one bearing some fantastic
d designs not so much in demand.
The views are good sellers, but the
best selling postcard is one without a
picture of any kind, but a printed
verse or epigram which appeals to the
public.
Now. if you connect my name with
what I've been telling you announced
the dealer, as the reporter edged to-
ward the door. there will be a muir
der in your office and hurried fight
on my part Anything is preferable
would gather here if it were known
that I said it.