The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-02-28

vote against the measure. 1 have
waited until 1 received letters from
some of them. These merchants,
friends of mine, say in their letters
hat they have no interest in the mat
tor that personally if asked to vote,
1-o,,Id he opposed to stamps or pre-
NUNS of any kind, but that some
representative of some wholesale
bnnse they buy from urged them to
send the kilograms
- am opposed to this money-made
continent. 1t costs money to send
men out over the state IN AUTOMOBILES
to heat the brush to find signers for
kilograms sent at so much per word
These merchants are not paying the
hills They don't care. But some
body is spending a lot of money that
uav And some one is spending
fortune maintaining a lobby and big
department of legal talent here on
the ground The mere fact that these
concerns are willing to spend TINS
money is evidence that the bill ought
TO be passed. They are spending
money paid in to them by the ulti-
mate consumer
Senator Malone is not the only sem
ator who has been the target of the
lobby here and the one out in the leg
islative districts. Every senator has
been pestered both in and out of the
senate chamber by lobbyists and legal
representatives. Senator Malone be-
representing a wholesale house who
sat by his desk and argued that he
told the attorney all about it and then
filled the vacated seat with obsolete
statute books
Unfair Tactics?
Senator Paulen said he had been
bombarded by representatives of
tail houses using them ever since he
introduced the bill.
Il don't know of any measure in
the legislature that has brought out
such a well organized and powerful
lobby as this measure" he said.
Misrepresentation and unfair tactics
on the part of the stamp people are
charged by some of the senators.
Someone sent out slips to be signed
by merchants and sent to their sena-
tors protesting against the passage Of
the bill. Senators were swamped
with them. The names of three
wholesale houses are signed to the
slips including the Davis Mercantile
company of Topeka. 1t is made to
appear that the Davis Merchantile
company is opposed to the bill. and
for trading stamps.
In a circular letter sent out by OPP
ponents of trading stamps, to which
Davis, manager of the Davis Mercan-
tile company, is this statement:
Il am opposed to trading stamps,
manufacturers coupons. and pre-
miums in every and all forms. They
are il deception and u snare both TO
merchant and consumer. What pre-
miumS / have given in connection
with my cuisines have been given
purely i'm self defense. to hold our
trade against premium giving COM
petition
With considerable gusto Senator
Bergen of POttaWatomie, slammed
down upon his desk during the debate
was signed by 10000 Kansas women
protesting against the passage of the
bill.
Didn't Pay for Names?
The regular price for obtaining sig
natures to petitions is from two to
ten cents name. However, the
women who obtained this petition of
10000 names say not a cent was spent
in securing it.
The petition was secured thru the
efforts of the "Women's Cooperative
Saving Society of the State of Kan
sas," of which Mrs. Lila Day Monroe
Is president and Mrs. Emma Sells
Marshall, is vice president Whether
or not the club has any other Off
GERS or members is not stated upon
the letterhead- 1t was organized for
the specific purpose of opposing any
legislation such as that proposed in
the trading stamp bill. Mrs. Monroe
stated today that every petition was
circulated voluntarily; that not a cent
was spent in obtaining the 10000
names
The trading stamp bill is on third
reading in the senate and unless
brought forward by emergency will
not be reached before Thursday or
/ possibly Friday. In the meantime
! both sides are maneuvering.