The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-09-25
PREMIUM STAMPS.

|
something will happen in Topeka to-
morrow morning in connection with
premium stamps as an element in the
| mercantile business of this city; in
fact, number of merchants have
given us the advice to keep our ears
to the grass roots
All Indications indicate that there
will be something doing and that
may be the retail dealers of Topeka
will find themselves in what they de-
! clared was u depiorable condition
which faced them about twenty years
ago when the premium stamp PROPOSE
ton, they asserted, was eating out
their vitals and destroying their prof
it's So concerned were they at that
time over he condition of the retail
| trade that a large number of them
| entered into an agreement among
! themselves to discontinue the use of
premium stamps, and MAJ ny of them
| did so discontinue them, much, they
all said. to their general relief and
satisfactio A few stores have never
discontinued this practice.
Nearly two. years ago, premium
stamps again gained a foothold in To-
peka and since that time the system
mas been spreading until now so many
stores are giving them that such
stores. formerly competitors have now
no advantage in that respect one over
the other.
At the :ime the premium stamp
took on its new serious aspect about
| two years since, the majority of the
prominent merchants of Topeka,
| through a strongly organized commit
tee, visited the State Journal and ap-
| peaIed to ii not to promote the pre-
| MUM stamp industry, saying that 1t
was of no value to them, heavy e-l-
| penSe and something they did not de-
sire to again take on in their relations
! with their customers.
/ The State Journal was solemnly and
seriously informed by that strong or
| ga1iZatiOn of merchants that, if the
papers would decline TO promote the
premium stamp business for three
months, it would be killed and that
| forever after these merchants. would
not have the system to deal with and
/ to add to their expense of doing busl-
ness IN Topeka.
Nothing is closer to the heart OF
! the State Journal than the prosperity
and welfare of its merchants and their
customers. This paper stated plain
| ly to these merchants that while 1t
thought they were mistaken in belfeN-
| ing that by their concerted action they
| could remove the premium stamps in
| three months; that the belief of this
paper was that nothing of the Kind
could be done under the circumstances
! in that short Iin:e and that 1t might
take years to accomplish what they
sought the State Journal would, new
ertheless, in Difference to their wishes,
refrain from advertising premium
stamps This paper told those mer-
| chants plainly ana emphaucally at the
| time that it shared their view that the
return of the premium stamp would
result in dissa tisfaction and in the long
run injure their trade.
Taking this stand as a principle,
the State Journal said to these same
merchants: Now, if at the end OF
three months you find you have not
accomplished your expectations ana
disposed of the premium stamps as an
issue in local trade, do not come 70
this paper if you change your minds
and put in stamps yourselves, and ask
us to advertise and promote the very
thing which you are now so bltter
against. That in other words, II you
do not kill out the stamps in three
months, we want you to take your
own medicine and not ask us to do
then what you are so anxious that we
shall not, from principle, do now"
The expected came to pass. Three
months went by and the stamp busi-
ness was not only not suppressed, but
it grew. Several of these merchants,
forgetting the conversation with the
deavored to advertise them and were
disappointed because this paper was
trying to be consistent in main
tanning its position. A few of these
merchants withdrew their advertis-
ing, but afterwards came back in larg-
er volume than before A few of the
merchants decreased their advertising
and are running a less volume today
The position of this paper is that it
believes the giving of premium stamps
a wrong principle in trade and that in
the end it will be so recognized as it
has been so recognized by some of the
greatest merchants in this country.
There are, however, good business men
in Topeka and other cities that be-
lieve the giving of premium stamps
helps them and is a good principle of
trade. All right, let them have their
views. They are entitled to them. On
the other hand, if we differ from
them, is it not our right to hold our
view equally as uch as it is the right
of the merchant to hold his view?
The State journal has, accordingly,
refrained from criticizing or fighting
the users of premium stamps, content
ing itself with the position that good
people differ on this question and let
each be charitable of the others views
and let it go at that.
The State Journal now understands
that in tomorrow's Topeka Capital
the bars will be down and things will
break loose generally.
A few weeks ago a great store in
Topeka, store of which all Topekans
have been proud, changed hands. Its
founder retired. This big store did
not give premium stamps, was op-
posed to them. The retirement of Mr..
Mills had nothing to do with the fact
that his store did not give stamps. Had
it given them, there would have been
no difference in the outcome. Since
the change in the management of this
great store, much pressure has been
brought to bear upon tie State Jour
nal to open it's columns to the promo
ton of premium stamps But this pa
per, having taken it's position on a