The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-05
FIGHT STAMP BILL
Bitter Debate Over the Measure
in House Today.
On q Tie Vote keene Saved 1t
From Defeat.

Speaker Keene saved the stamp bill
on the second test vote of the day
Harvey of Clark county offered an
amendment to strike out the enactins
clause. During the morning session
a similar motion had been beaten by
vote of so to 81. Business having
been transacted since the vote of the
morning, Harvey's motion was IN
order.
d. On a rising vote fifty-two members
voted to strike out the enacting clause
and kill the bill. A similar number
voted against the bill. With tie
vote, Speaker Keene voted in the
negative and saved the bill at least
for the time being.
Harvey, Brooks and Sellards then
began a filibuster. With but two days
of the session remaining. it was SEEM
lngly apparent the move was an at
tempt to force an unfaVorable vote
by members who were interested in
legislation on the house calendar.
Jewett of Rush gained the floor and
gave his time to Brooks. who talked
until time was called. Stone of Shaw
nee. took up the fight for the bill
Friends of the measure were hopeful
of vote before O'Clock.
Oslind of Mcpherson. sought an
all cooperative stores He explained
that the stores gave coupons redeem
able at the end of the year in six
per cent rebate. Stone declared such
merchandising was permitted under
his amendment. House members then
rejected the Ostlind amendment
Debate 30 Minutes.
After nearly an hour and a half of
debate, the house injected just one
inf he |.
The amendment was offered by stone,
of Shawnee county, and permitted
merchants to give stamps or coupons
redeemable in cash or regular stock.
The provision was injected when the
house supported a motion by Moser,
of jefferson county. to strike out
provision in the bill by the senate
which permitted use of tickets, tags.
labels or coupons placed by any mer-
chant, manufacturer or wholesaler IN
or on any package or article OF mer-
chandise to be redeemed by him.
Stone directed his fight for, the
amendment on the theory that the
legislature should not interfere with
legitimate discounts to cash custom
ers. His provision will permit the
use of stamps, coupons or script by
mercantile firms. They may be given
to customers, redeemable IN cash or
regular stock only.
INV plan is not to discourage dis
counts for cash. said Stone. cash
patronage means more to merchants
than credit accounts. In the case or
small sales, these discounts cannot be
accurately computed. But the use of
redeemable stamps of this character
insure to a patron that goods are sold
on merit and he will not lose the ben
efits that should accrue from buying
for cash. My amendment does not
give something intangible or9shipped
to Kansas by a mail order house
which pays no substantial tax in this
state
Preceding the adoption of the Stone
amendment. the house voted so to 81
against a motion by Jewell of Craw-
ford to strike out the enacting clause
of the bill. With but 81 votes cast on
the motion, friends of the bill fell but
three votes short of a constitutional
majority required to pass the meas
ure on final roll call.
The Forces Line Up.
Debates came hot and fast on the
issues as to the merits of the bill.
Moser, Stone of Shawnee, Moore of
Cowley and Mayhem of Atchison led
the fight in defense of the bill. Sell
lards of Dickinson, Harvey of Clark,
Travis of Alien and Jackson of An
derson were in the front line of OPP
position.
Sellards told the house a merchant
should be permitted to give away any
thing he desired in any manner he de-
sired so long as his methods pleased
his patrons. Once. as a merchant,
Sellards had given away a buggy. 1t
brought new business to his Solomon
store, he declared and he opposed any
legislative attempt to curb the giving
of stamps, premiums, coupons or
prizes.
Il have been in business thirty
years" said Mayhem, of Atchison.
For two months | gave these green
trading stamps. I believe every one
of those stamps cost me and my pa
irons money. Jones always pays the
freight. That is why I started the sys-
tenn of giving a three per cent cash
discount. When l. go home ! expect
to increase the amount to five per
cent. Every article a merchant sells
should be sold strictly on its roerits-