Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-08-30
LOCAL MERCHANTS
DECLARE WAR UPON
THE TRADING STAMP
PLAN FORMATION OF COUNTY
ASSOCIATION TO COMBAT EVILS
OF PRACTICE DURING TIMES
WHEN srRlcTEsT ECONOMY IS
NEEDED.

The formation OF a County Associ.
alton of Retailers to combat the ma.
chinations of the trading.stamp evil,
with the intentions of extending the
organization operations as far as the
State Council of Defense and to the
g7''Ns le., slature, II necessary, Is being
-s-~s.st A&a'' .ssa Gag OlsEs@.a IN. rrhan,s .s.
The State Council of Defense will
be asked to declare against the trail
ing stamp as war time unessential
The legislature will be asked to enact
a law making the giving of stamps pro
hibitive in Illinois.
Officials of the local Business Mems
Association, threatened with the re.
sumption of the evil, after it was
thought thoroiy wiped out are pre-
pared to go to any extreme, they say,
to pu. the iii on trading stamps for
all time to come
Letters asking merchants of the
| county to gather in Ottawa, Tuesday
/ Sept 3. perfection of the anti-stamp
association. have been sent out to
dealers in all cities. towns and vii
lagos Of the county. The letter Is
drawn as an indictment against trad.
ing.stamps and Is sent out over the
signature of officers of the local as.
sociation The communication reads:
! Gentlemen
/ We wish to call the attention OF
your association to the trading stamp
scheme that is now being promoted
by the S. & Fl. Trading Stamp Com
/ pany il several cities in our county
To combat this vicious, unfair and
wasteml scheme Of premium giving
TO secure business we have evolved
a plan to organize the business men
OF the county in an anti-trading-staml
league, and would respectfully ash
the cooperation Of your association
With all branches of the Fedora
Government advocating conservation
during the war we believe participa
tion in such wasteful schemes partic
ularly at this time, is not only unwis'
unsoursd but 1t is contrary to all con
sarvation measures that are being pro
: mulgated by our government,
We believe that the giving Of trad
ing stamps is nor only uubusinesslike
but an injustice to the business inter
: ests as well as an added burden o.
d. the heavily taxed consumer
On March 9Th, 1915, the United Stat
d es Supreme Court upheld "AntiTrad
/, Ing stamp Laws of the states o
, Florida and Washington. and in rer
! dering its decision the Court held viz
| that premium giving is merely
method Of advertising ii has other ir
furious and destructive purposes;
) has uIterior purposes Il may well b
} thought there is something in II whic
r is masked from the common eyes. an
| the purchaser at retail is made TO be
Q lieye that he can get more out Of III
! purchase price than he put into it.
The Court also heSd that the "traC
. ing.stamp, coupon and premium syl
G TEN is lure to inproyidence. In a
D much there may be in them at time
| reckless buying to secure such pr,
l miums.
| Fortified with the decision of tn
o highest court Of our country, "
ought to be able to impress the Wa
G Industries Board, the Federal Trad
- Board, the Federal Food Administr
!, tration and the National Council
o Defense, that trading stamps and a
other forms of premium giving wit
the retail sale Of Merchandise Is
Rasteiul, e6tra1asent and uuia