El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-24
BAN ON TRADING
STAMPS VOTED
Meeting of Retail Mer-
chants Votes Against Lit
tie Trade Sucker.

The trading stamp was placed under
the ban by retail merchants in attend
ance at the meeting held at the cham
Der OF commerce Friday night and
called at the instance OF the civic in
terest committee OF the organization.
John n. Wyatt, chairman Of the civic
interest committee. who presided at the
meeting. stated that the FL Paso Bust
ness Mems Protective association had
passed a resolution memoriaIizing the
legislature TO pass a law prohibiting
the Use Of trading stamps and had
asked the endorsement Of the chamber
Of commerce. The directors. not desir-
ing TO take any action without first
hearing from merchants who are mem
bers of the chamber of commerce. had
called a meeting Of these members. He
read the resolution and then asked for
discussion.
rs Against. 2O5 Favor Stamps.
H Y Ellis. of the Protective associ-
alton, then explained that the associ-
alton desired the approval Of the cham
Der Of commerce and, for that reason.
had asked endorsement Of its set OF
resolutions He stated that the asso-
citation had recently taken a poll OF the
membership and that out Of the 2S5
rnembe EOS favored the abolition OF
the trading stamp, two had favored the
stamp and the remainder had not re-
piled and their stand was not known
Dozen Schemes
Mr. Ellis stated that there are at the
present time in effect fully a half dozen
stamp and premium schemes For a
time the Ford automobile scheme was
worked. he stated, but the grand jury
had taken action and that scheme had
been put out of business.
Mr. Ellis further stated that, in sew
eral Of the states. notably Washington.
Louisiana and Florida. laws had already
been passed against the trading stamp
and that in several OF the other states
bills have been introduced
IF you are not in favor Of putting
the trading stamp out Of business" he
said. now IS your time TO say so. II
YOU are in favor of our movement, we
would like to have your endorsement"
Krakauer Favors Resolution.
Julius A Krakauer declared himself
in favor Of the resolution His firm. he
stated had taken on a few of the
schemes for trade getting as expert
ments and had found them unsatisfac-
tory. He then moved that the chamber
Of commerce be asked to memorabilia
the legislature TO pass q law prohibit
ing the giving Of trading stamps
A letter from the FL Paso County Re
tail Druggists association calling at
tention 10 a resolution that had been
passed against the trading stamp and
other premium schemes was read II
was asked that the chamber OF com
merce endorse the movement
Mr.. Wyatt stated that. while he is
not a merchant, he thought that goods
should be sold on their merits The
elimination Of premiums, he stated,
further. should reduce the cost OF mer-
chandising.
Two Months, Trial.
]. A Shedd spoke Of making a trial
for two months of a stamp. scheme put
out by a local bank and Of abandoning
II after two months. finding that il
brought him no additional business
Mr. Krakauer stated t-tat ne wished
to dispel an impression that the trading
stamp increases the cost of goods TO
the consumer The only additional cost.
he said. is 10 the merchant. but even
tualy. he thought. the merchant would
have TO raise the price Of his goods
in order to come out
Premiums Of Little Value.
J. N Sheers stated that people 90
into store and after making purchases
ask If stamps are given. but he knew Of
no instance where people asked first
II stamps were given before making
purchases As for the premiums given.
they are usually Of little value, he said
H Goodman thought that the matter
of whether trading stamps should be
used should be left 10 individual mer-
chants If they choose that manner OF
increasing their business they should
have the privilege, he said
In reply TO this Mr.. Krakauer stated
that there are some things that could
not be lett to the individual merchants
and this was one Of them
Evils of Retail Trade.
The motion was then put and carried.
Afterwards there was some discussion
of other evils in the retail business, (
such as untruthful advertising, schemes
whereby one article was sold very
cheaDly on condition that certain other
articles be bought at prices too high
and false weights. Attention was called
TO the fact that bills prohibiting un-
truthful advertising and bills regarding
full weight are TO be presented to me Z
next legislature