The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-10-13

fer to put her child in the class with
the worlds beautiful? Hardly. Fig
ure the result yourself.
Be 1000 Letters to Topeka.
Yet there will be 1000 of these let
tiers sent to Topeka mothers. Mr..
Owings admits as much. For those g.
900 engraved certificates and their
mailing, Mr.. Owings pays the Temple
of Childhood 5000 without one cent of
return unless he sells a few pictures.
That isn't all.
A form contract sent out by the
Temple of Childhood, which is ap-
parentIy a Panama-Pacific Exposition
concession, recites this further obliga-
ton on the part of the local photog-
rapher:
Remit One-Fourth to Company.
ITO remit to the office of the COM
pany 25 per cent. ESQ of the gross
receipts from all business from
patrons coming to him by reason of
or resulting from the orders for sit
tings issued by this company up to
the sum of five thousand dollars ($5,-
000.00), twenty per cent. (2O%o) on
the second five thousand dollars
(s5, 100000, and fifteen per cent.
$50 on all over the first ten thou
sand dollars 100000"
That is a larger per cent, Mr.. Ow-
ings claims, than he is paying to the
Temple of Childhood, although he adj
mits that he is paying per cent. OF
his gross prize winner business, in ad-
dition to the 5000 for the 1000 en-
graved certificates
In his office today, Owings said that
So certificates had been mailed to To-
peka mothers, although others will be
sent soon.
Can you give the names of the
children that the governor or mayor
or other public official have nominal
ed in this contest?" was asked of the
photographer.
Have they named any Topeka
children?'
Il think not" replied Owings.
Names From Birth Records.
Then the photographer was ques
toned as to where he secured the
names of the children, each of whom
is apparently named as a prize win
ner in the certificate: Owings admit
ted that he secured some of the
names from the birth records in the
city clerks office.
1t is probable that the same prac-
tice is being followed in all parts of
the country. In Kansas there is a
city clerks and township trustees to
keep a record of all births and deaths
and it is an easy matter to go to the
city clerk in Topeka and to get the
names of all children born since the
law was enacted in 1911. Last year
there were 949 births in Topeka city
and 38,O05 births in the state, accord
ing to official records.
Assume that the mothers of one
half of the children in Kansas under
the age of II years receive copies of
the Temple of Childhood certificates.
That would mean that about 225, 900
children in Kansas would be notified
their proud mothers that they
had been nominated by a governor or
or mayor or person of
nrOninanCa
child in their city, county or state.
Be 125,OOO Kansas Babies.
And then estimate that only one
half of the 225,000 proud Kansas !
mothers go to the photographer for
a sitting. Under the contract, the |
mother is not compelled to buy pho |
tographs and when the negative is
made, it is sent to San Francisco and !
must be exhibited at the big fair.
Yet, photographers estimate one-haf !
Of the mothers will buy photographs I
by virtue of the joyous news and the |
clever craftsmanship of the photogra- |
pher.
But say that only 10000 mothers bought |
pictures. And say that the average price |
was IS dozen. To be sure the orders !
from the fashionable West End in Topeka |
would run strong on the SIS, $40 and SIS a |
Would not be so expensive Yet an aver
age of s. dozen. would mean a boost of /
ness. OF this amount, according to the /
form contract. the Temple of Childhood |
would receive s125.00O and the local photog- |
rapher the balance.
Then think of the 10000 Kansas mothers |
who would pay admission price to the !
Temple of Childhood in 1915, expecting to /
see the portrait of their own dear baby |
in a conspicuous place as one of !
the most beautiful
A Revenue of % Millions.
Assuming that Kansas is a normal state. !
the other states of the Union would bring |
the revenue for child art up to something |
ike S25, 0a0,G10 from 100000 loving and |
hopeful mothers. Which isn't a bad bust |
ness.
And then imagine these 100000 mothers |
looking through the Temple of Childhood !
and consulting with the clerks in charge |
If the catalogues and card index systems |
u order that they might find the pictures