The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1917-06-04
STARTED TOO
LATE To GET
SIGNATURES
foole Assigns Reasons for Failure
10 Suspend Two Measures
Through Referendum

1. RI. Poole, who was in charge OF
inc circulation OF referendum petit
IONS on the trading stamp and Sun
Jay baseball bills, made the following
statement to The Tribune:
AS a general proposition, to be
successful in referring to the people
an act passed by the legislature, the
circulation of petitions should com
mence within few days after the ad.
Journment OF the legislature, other.
wise, the farmers of the state will be
busy in the field and it is then next
10 impossible to reach them, and
without the signatures from rural dis
trlctS it means that at least 80 per
cent OF the legal voters in the cities,
towns and villages must be secured
IN order to get the necessary 1000
signers, there being only $4,000 to
40,I-J legal voters who reside outside
Of the rural districts.
After it had been decided to refer
these acts passed by the last legis-
Mture, war was declared and all in
terest became centered upon matters
connected with the preparation for
war, even the interest in the great
American game of baseball began to
Wane, which TO my mind and from my
military experience is a serious mis-
take, as the physical condition of a
soldier is OF first Importance, and attn
iet1cs OF all kinds is highly essential
to make men fit for service, and they
should be encouraged, rather than
discouraged, at this time.
Fell by Wayside.
The referendum on house bill No.
427, commonly known as the anti
trading stamp act, fell by the way.
side largely from the fact that the
farmers, who are the largest consum-
ers and purchasers, could not be
reached at this season Of the year
1t is the consumer and purchaser
who is penaliZed and hit the hardest
by this ac.
THE only effect the failure of the
referendum on this act will have will
be to hasten it into court soon after
July /, instead of a year from now,
which was the original plan, as it
had been determined by those inter-
ested in the referendum of this act,
if successful to enjoin the placing of
the act on the ballot, which in effect
was the enjoining Of the petitions on
the grounds that the law is uncon-
stitutiOnal.
arrangements have been made to
test the constitutionality Of this act
in the courts Immediately after it
takes effect. The interests OF the
consumers and purchasers of the state
are not going to be jeopardized to
advance the personal interests Of a
certain merchant in the eastern part
of the state who is the sponsor for
this act.
Not Informed.
Had the general public understood
the purposes and working Of the trad
ing stamp act and the personal rea-
sons for it's passage it would have
been defeated by the referendum. A
few simple illustrations will convince
any reasoning person that it is I'M
constitutional, mOnstrOsity and
against both the interests Of the local
merchant and the purchaser. Under
this act if you purchase from your
local druggist for cash gallon of
rose water and a gallon of glycerine
he must pay license of SG,0O0.CO per
annum if he issues or gives you cou
pons or cash register slips in any
amount to be redeemed in merchan-
disc as a discount for cash payment;
but he can give you the coupons in
the same amount without paying q
license for so doing il he mixes the
glycerinc and rose water and calls it
toilet water, he is then classed as a !
manufacturers,>+tf you purchase $40 !