The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-23
Meeting Is Held at Chamber of
Commerce Today.
Organization for Legislative
Action Is Formed.
PROPOSES WASHINGTON ACT
This Bill Has Been Sustained
by Supreme Court.
Requires Annual License of Six
Thousand Dollars.

War on trading stamps was de-
clared at a meeting of representative
Topeka merchants at the Chamber OF
Commerce today noon. The meeting
was presided over by A. L. Oliger,
state secretary of the Kansas Legisla
tive league.
The trading stamp act, in force in
the state of Washington and which
was declared had been sustained by
the supreme court of the United
States. was adopted as a model act
to be introduced in both the senate
and house of the Kansas legislature.
The act requires an annual license fee
of $4,000 to be paid by concerns Civ
ing premium or trading stamps.
A committe of three was selected to
appoint a committee of twelve mer-
chants to push this act and. if pos
sible, secure it's passage by the pres
ent legislature.
Criticism was passed upon John S.
Dean president of the Chamber of
Commerce, because he had engaged
himself as attorney representing
Speery & Hutchinson, the leading trad
ing stamp people. 1t was declared
that the trading stamp was a mercan-
tile evil, detrimental to business inter-
ests and a deception upon the GUS
toner.
The opinion prevailed that Mr..
Dean, as president of the Chamber of
Commerce an organization to promote
commercial welfare, should not be en-
gagged in promoting an enterprise
which a large number of merchants
considered detrimental to their own
and the city's interests.
The following is the Washington act,
which will be introduced into the sem
ate and house:
The Trading Stamp Act.
The anti-trading stamp act which
will be introduced in the senate and
house, is the act suggested by the Ma
tional GrocerS' association and is just
about the same as the state of WASH
ington act. 1t contains some addition
al sections, but imposes the same Ii
censes-S6, 600 a year. The Washing
ton act has been sustained by the
United States supreme court.
Here is the act:
AN act relating to the use and fur
nishing of premiums, prizes, stamps,
coupons, tickets, certificates, cards or
other similar device, for or with the
sale of goods, wares and merchandise
and providing a penalty for violation
thereof:
BE it enacted by the legislature of
the state of
Section l. Every person, firm or
corporation who shall use, and every
person, firm or corporation who shall
furnish to any person, firm or cor
poration to use in, with or for the sale
of any goods, wares or merchandise
any stamps, coupons, tickets, certi-
ficates, cards or other similar devices
which shall entitle the purchaser of
such goods, wares or merchandise to
procure from any person, firm or cor
pOration, any goods, ware or merchan-
disc, free of charge or for less than the
retail market price thereof, upon the
of
stamps, coupons, tickets, certificates.
cards or other similar devices before
furnishing, selling or using the same,
obtain separate license from the
of each county wherein
such furnishing or selling or using
shall take place, for each and every
store or place of business in that
county, owned or conducted by such
person, firm or corporation, from
which such furnishing or selling, or
in which such using shall take place
AN applicant for such license shall
pay to the county treasurer of the
county for which such license is
sought the sum of $4,000 Receipt
therefor shall thereupon be issued and
upon presentation thereof to the
of the same county, he shall issue to
the applicant a license to furnish OF
sell, or a license to use for one wear
the stamps, coupons, tickets, certifi-
Gates, cards or other similar devices
herein mentioned. Such license shall
contain the name of the grantee there.
of, the date of its issue, the date of its
expiration, the town or city in which
and the location at which the same
shall be used, and such license shall be
used at no place other than that men
toned therein.
mo person, firm or corporation
shall furnish or sell to any other per.
son, firm or corporation to use in, with
or for the sale of any goods. wares OF
merchandise, any such stamps. cou.
pons, tickets, certificates, cards OF
other similar devices for use in an,
county in this state, other than that ir
which such furnish or selling shall
take place.
Sec. 2. Every person, firm or cor.
| poration who shall offer or deliver
| with goods, wares or merchandise bar
gained and sold or to be sold, any pre-.
MUM or prize or any article of value
in the nature of a premium or prize OF
who shall sell or give or offer to sell OF
! give any goods or other article or arti
/ cles of value in the nature of a bonus
/ prize or premium in consideration o.
/ the purchase of or agreement to pur
] chase any goods, wares or merchan
disc, or who shall sell or offer to sci
! any article of value in the nature of {
/ bonus, prize or premium in connection
with the sale, or offer to sell, of an,
goods, wares or merchandise and as al
| inducement to purchase such goods
wares or merchandise shall before per
| forming such acts, or any of them. OBJ
! tain a separate license from the
of each county in which such offering
selling or delivering shall take place
AN applicant for such license shall
pay to the county treasurer of tn
county for which such license is sough