The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-02
On Final Consideration the
"JOkers" Are Eliminated.
Bill Believed to Remedy COu-
pom Business Nightmare.
THE BILL GETS A BIG MAJORITY
TrOutman Says Measure Is Sat-
isfactOry-Paulen, Not.
1t Is Now Up to House of Rep
resentatives to Act.

The senate passed the amended
trading or premium stamp bill today
by a vote of % to Z. 1t is the same
bill, amended, introduced by Senator
Paulen of Wilson, the only one intro
duced at this session
Now that it has passed the upper
house there is wide divergence of
opinion as to its effect. Before pass
age it was amended as forecast in
the State Journal by striking from the
Sutton amendment the words "sold
and 1t was also amended by motion
of Snyder of Leavenworth in such
manner as to give dealers a chance to
dispose of goods on their shelves
bearing or calling for trading stamps
or coupons.
Its a good BILL" declared James
A. Troutman, attorney for many re-
tailers who have organized against
trading and premium stamps. Its
good bill and 1 believe it will pass
the house. If it does it will put the
green trading stamp concerns out of
business in Kansas
THE primary object of this legisla-
ton was to get at that character of
business-the green trading stamp and
similar devices for stimulating BUSH
nesS-and as amended it does that. l
think there is no question as to that
or course the first thing is likely to
be a lawsuit. 1 look for the stamp
people to go into court on the ground
that the law diScriminateS as between
coupons, tickets and tags used by
wholesalers thru retailers and re-
deemed by wholesalers, and the ordi-
nary trading stamp business.
IF &c
bill say they are satisfied with it as
amended, they are merely trying to
stir up strife in the house in order
to Kill it when it sets there"
PauIen Isn't Satisfied.
Senator Paulen, the author of the
bill. hasn't much faith in the measure
as amended.
II N no lawyer" he said today,
and it may be all rigk-. but as
amended 1 don't think much of it. II
isn't my idea of what a law of this
character should be. [ don't know
whether it does any of the things
had intended it should or not. The
amendments and their application are
too deep for me-
Senator Snyder of Leavenworth,
another friend of the bill, declared to-
day he did not believe the bill was
worth much as passed.
I'VE started in by seeking to regu-
late the merchant, the wholesaler and
others using stamps and we wound up
by regulating or attempting to regu-
late the stamps"
Must Get License.
The stamp bill as originally drawn
required all persons, firms or corpor-
ations using or furnishing stamps,
coupons, tickets, certificates cards or
other similar devices emitting the
purchaser of goods free of charge or
at less than retail cost any premium.
! to obtain a license from the county
clerk And in order to obtain the Ii
cense it was necessary to pay a fee
ranging from $4,000 a year in coun-
ties of 10000 or less people, to $1,000
in counties having a population of
20, 600 or more.
While the bill was in committee
of the whole Senator Sutton, of Stat
ford offered and placed in the meas
ure the following amendment:
provided that this act shall not
apply to any tickets, tags, labels or
coupons placed by any merchant
manufacturer or wholesaler, in or
upon any package or article of mer-
chandise sold and to be redeemed by
him.
The supporters of the amendment.
and they were many, urged that it
was solely for the purpose of pro-
tecting tobacco, soap, starch and other
such concerns now placing tags, tick
cts or coupons in or upon their pack
ages, redeeming them when they
were returned thru the retailer.
Attorney General Fixes 1t.
That amendment contained a
| "joker," according to friends of the
bill which made it absolutely inopera-
tive as applied to any feature of the
premium business. After consultation
with the attorney generals office, it
was agreed that by striking out the
words sold and in the Sutton
amendment the bill would be effect
/ i've. They agreed that it would leave
/ it open to the retailer to buy and give
! his own stamps and premiums but
/ that it would shut out the foreign
| stamp companies operating in Kan
! Sas.
! Without opposition the words sold
and were stricken out when the bill
came up for passage today.
! Then Senator Snyder offered an
| other amendment. 1t gives the re-
tailers until January 1, 1918, and the
/ wholesalers until July 1 of this year,
! to get rid of their merchandise bear
/ ing coupons, tags, tickets or stamps
I calling for premiums.
/ That amendment was also adopted.
Then the bill was placed on roll call
/ and was passed with only seven votes
against it. Most of those who fought
/ it IN committee voted for it on roll
/ call, including Sutton and Getty. Here
I is the score:
I For: Anspaugh, Drummer, Carroll.
! Coleman, Delaney, Doerr. Getty, Gu
/ lick, Hart, Huffman, Kanavel Malone,
Mccain, Metcalf, Milligan. Montee,
| Myers, Nighswonger, Paulen, Plumb,
] POInerOy. SatterthWaite. SchOch,