The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-27
WATCH The SALES
City Inspector Will See if Mer-
chants Tell the Truth.
Proposed Ordinance to Inves-
tigate Under Cost Prices.
IMPLICIT HEAVY FINE.
If City Finds Flaws They Will
Drop GUiIIOtine.
Attorney RalstOn Has Little
Faith in Proposition.
IMPLICIT HEAVY FINE.

II the present ideas of City In
spector of Weights and Measures
Hamilton are carried out and the
approval of the mayor and city
council is secured the advertising
methods OF the merchants of this
city will be radically changed and
there will be no more sales under
cost or "at cost unless the mer-
chants can really prove that they are
selling their articles in this manner
Mr. Hamilton has received a COM
munication from State Food Inspector
Kleinhans and the latter quotes a
law from an Arkansas city where it
was made possible for the city Off
Gals to punish all fake advertisers
and all merchants who advertised
their wares by giving the buying
public a wrong impression of their
worth.
The ordinance makes a man liable
to a heavy fine if he advertises and
sells to customer piece of furni-
ture, a garment, etc, and gives the
said customer the impression that the
article is sold strictly at cost and is a
great bargain"
Everybody knows that some of
these merchants in town are not sell
ing clothes at SO that are worth $25
or that cost that amount" said the
city Inspector this afternoon. when
q person reads some of these adver-
tisements that they use in the news
papers, unless they are acquainted
with the firm or with the many
tricks of the merchants they really
believe that they are getting $25
garment for $40 and they purchase it.
In truth they are getting garment
that is not worth the ten dollars they
pay for it and the merchant Is max
ing money at that. 1 think that this
false impression given out is wrong
and should not be tolerated"
Mr. Hamilton took up the matter
of an ordinance of this kind with
Mayor Green and the latter agreed
with him that in many cases it was
not right that a firm should advertise
such startling bargains" when they
were really a very cheap graue OF
goods and were not worth the sale
price"
Il think, without knowing of the
practical points of the law, that an
ordinance of this kind or a warning
of this kind would be a good thing,
said Mayor William Green. MANY
people are misled and some times
wronged by such sales
The mayor advised Mr.. Hamilton
to take up the matter with City At
torney Ralston and obtain an opinion
from the attorney to be presented to
the council through some council
man. -H- rti.1a5s fa--
Mr.. Ralston has the matter in hand
Mt this time but has not given out
anv opinion. 1t is known, however,
that Mr.. Ralston does not think very
much of the idea. He fails to see the
practical points in such a law and is
known to have stated that it would
be almost impossible for an inspector
to find out the real cost of an article
procured by merchant. There are
so many combinations and wholesale
lot prices that an inspector would be
up in the air. when he attempted to
prove his charge.
The matter has been received with
considerable favor by number of
the councilmen and 1t is said that
any number of them are willing to
introduce the matter before the. coun-
ell and make an attempt at revising
the fake" advertising methods al
legged to be used by a number of mer-
chants.
When the resolution is introduced
at the next meeting of the council
i Monday evening February THE
promises of a little excitement is
made. It is rumored around the city
hall that some of the councilmen will
bring to the council meeting exhibits
of what they consider fake advertis-
ing in Topeka. They Will attempt to
scan the daily papers for dope" on
the ordinance.
In lieu of the fact that so many
councilmen are running for commits
sioners it is a brave action on their
mart.