Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-03

BUNK TRADE STAMPS

In the past IL was the custom or
the national CRATER" to prey upon
the retail merchant of this country
at will, but in this day of widely or
ganized retail merchants associations
a great many Of these CRAFTS nave
been exposed and eliminated.
One Of the most widely practced
of these evils Is the trading stamp.
On this subject Arthur L. Rector, the
secretary of the Kansas state assocla'
ton, says as follows unfortunate
and unhappy is the retailer who al
lows his name TO go on the dotted
line IN one of the contracts of these
'profit-sapping leeches'' His ire Is
nightmare during the life of his con
tractor his business Is mil when he
takes them away from his customers
who will then have the something
for-nothing' IN their blood, Trading
stamps never make but one-ume
stand, as any retailer giving them
once Is educated. Ask one who mas
and he will say never again. EXperl-
cnce has been his dear teacher. Inc
trading stamp artist pictures 10 the
new man IN business how he can cap
ture all the trade OF the old retailers
in the town by giving away the little
stickers. Sometimes the new retailer
is sucker enough to fall for It, ana
the sheriff does the rest
Alleged Conspiracy.
Twenty-Five grocers of Rochester,
NJ Y, agreed to stop giving traulns
stamps upon an uniform date, with
the result that the trading stamp com
panies-already alarmed at the al
most universal movement among re-
tail associations hostile to the trading
stamp-promptly filed Information
| against the association alleging con
| spiracy, and local companies are CO.
| operating with the larger companies
| In gathering evidence to lay berore
the grand jury. These companies
could hardly be thought friends OF the
merchants.
Another evil which, though proba-
bly, not as widely known. Is Just as
| dangerous to the merchant Is tho So
called national collection agencies
and merchants protective associa-
tIons". The Modern Grocer says;
"One merchants letter to us reads:
| Il have placed some accounts with q
firm calling themselves the -- Ad-
| iustment company OF Chicago, Ill,
| Would you kindly inform me what
rating the firm has|" AS matter
of fact, the experiences Of other mer-
| chants constitute the rating ON this
| firm.
| Clearing House Bank.
Another one is the Retail Mer-
chants Clearing association OF wichita
The scheme OF this graft has beeh
| exposed by tho State Association or
| Kansas. The agent for this supposed
clearing house" calls upon the mer-
chants, soliciting accounts for col
lection and incidentally asking for q
| check for SO ''as n deposit, which
will be returned in case no collections
are made. But the check Is cashed
J at once and the agent" Is not heard
| from again in that locality.
Tho "Merchants Protective associa-
! ton" of Columbus, Ohio, IL another
/ OF "the old Blue Book graft variety.
| And sorry indeed Is the retailer who
puts up $40 for a membership ana
| n long list OF accounts to be collect
ed. Many more on the same order
might be mentioned, including the
"American Business Mems association
| OF Marietta. Ohio. the Merchants
Protective Collection agency" OF Chit
cago, H., and the United states Col
| lection agency OF Kansas city, Mo.
| or the latter the Tulsa Retail Mer-
chants associations office has the fol
| lowing report:
This firm Is one OF the numerous
grating agencies that Unrest the
| United states They never sue on an
eccount-simply send few form let
| tors. and usually keep all they get
Several firms In Kansas city have
been their victims, and 1t Is practi-
| cally impossible TO get a settlement on
any collection they have had"
The retail merchants OF today must
/ fight all these gratis. not to speak or
the professional dead-beat who ls ever
| watchful OF his chance to get by
I on someone, and the numerous fake
advertising schemes of which the mer-
chant is always the intended victim,
/ Is It any wonder that organization is
! vital to the retail merchant OF the
| United States?