The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-27
FIGHT ON STAMPS
In Senate Debate, Green Stamp
Trouble Is Aired Today.
A Bill Urged by Retailers of
Kansas Under Debate.
CHARGES OF "BROWBEATlNG"
Rawlins Member Says a Little
Ford Is ON His Trail.
SchOch of Shawnee Declares
Premium Business Is Bad.

Proposed child labor and public
welfare laws take a back seat today.
The senate is passing upon the fate
of the little green trading stamp, the
rug. the spoon, the mission clock. the
cut glass dish, the rocking chair cou-
pon-all forms of tickets. tags, stamps,
checks or coupons purporting to give
the ultimate consumer something for
nothing. The senate is considering the
bill introduced by Senator Paulen of
Wilson the bill placing a high tax
upon concerns using such methods to
attract and hold business
AS introduced the bill does not pro-
hibit the giving of stamps and cou-
pons. But it does provide that each
concern using them to attract and hold
customers shall obtain a license from
the county clerk of the county in
which the business is located. 1t is
the size of the annual license fee
that has taken away the breath of the
stamp and coupon people.
For instance in Kansas counties
under the bill, each concern using
stamps or coupons would be required
to pay an annual license of $4,000
Here's the schedule: In counties of
10000 population or less $4,000 a
year, in counties of 10000 to 10000
$4,000 a year, in counties of $4,000
to 10000, $4,000 a year and in counties
having 10000 or more people, $1,000
a year.
Violations of the provisions of the
act are penalized by a fine of $500
up and jail sentence of not less than
so days.
Amendment Starts Trouble
Senator Sutton CT Stafford started
the argument by offering an amend
ment. which friends of the measure
said went to the very heart of the
bill. His amendment provided that
the act should not apply to tickets.
tags or coupons attached to articles
Of merchandise by the wholesaler or
manufacturer. 1t was intended TO
cover a multitude of things, running
all the way from starch and soap to
tobacco.
THE amendment offered by the
senator from Stafford said Senator
Snyder, of Leavenworth, practically
kills this measure
Senator Doerr of Pawnee affixed
his word of approval to that state
ment, and added: And it was pre-
pared by wholesaler in Salina.''
The debate grew hot and cold by
turns. 1t ran from vivid pictures of
what was termed the stamp evil' in
a Kansas town, to a protest that an
''insidious lobby was attempting
to browbeat" members of the senate
THE amendment proposed" de-
clared Senator Paulen. author of the
bill, will make the bill imperative
There are only three wholesale houses
in the state in favor of that amend
ment, whereas there are eighteen
and no coupons. They want this bill
Everyone in this body knows right
now how he wants to vote and a vote
upon this amendment is a vote Upon
the bill. Let's vote
Lobby Was There
But the senate wasn't ready to vote
1t wanted to talk. 1t wanted to ex-
pose to the crowded lobby all it did
and did not know about the stamp and
coupon business.
Senator McClain Of Allen, took the
position that the amendment offered
did not kill the bill; that there is a
wide difference between the stamp or
premium given by the retailer and the
coupon or premium given by the
wholesaler or manufa cturer
zone is the advertisement of the
man who makes the goods and the
other is the advertisement of the man
who sells them. The premium given
by the reta--er represents an addition
al cost to him and to the goods sold"
Money to Big Firms.
Senator Doerr of Pawnee, a retail
dealer, declared the stamp and coupon
business had driven from the state
the small manufacturers who were I'M
able to give premiums and compete
with the big manufa cturers outside of
the state.
The result is" he said, that our
money, millions of it. goes to the big
manufacturers and wholesalers thous-
/ a mr. nf hi
Kansas go unde1 e1oped.'
Senator Getty of Wyandotte urged
the Sutton amendment. contending all
the time that he, too, was opposed to
the green trading stamp
IT care nothing about the green
trading stamp because realize that If
is a tax placed upon every article the
merchant sells, a tax upon his bust
ness said he. There is a difference
between the stamp business and the
coupon business The coupons are
redeemable by the manufacturer, re-
deemable from his profits. Without
| this amendment you shut out such
concerns as the Proctor & Gamble
Soap company of my city but there
is no way in the world for you to shut
out the Larkin soap company. And
| this company floods the state and will
! CONT ue to flood the stat with goods
because of the premiums it gives. 1.
| you pass this bill without the amend
| ment it will be disastrous to business
| Under the stamp proposition the re-
taller gives the premium but under
| tie coupon business he Goes not and
I 1 do not Lelieve the purchaser pays
a cent moro for the product he buys
"Insidious Lobby Says Schoch.
Senator Schoch of Shawnee and
Senator Getty are frequently together.
4 They have worked in double harness
on numerous occasions. but today they
were in single harness, each headed
a different direction. Senator Schoch
favors the Paulen bill and in SO stat
.