The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-11-05
TRADE CAMPAIGNS" ARE
ILLEGAL .

Trade campaigns by business men
of community at which tickets for
automobiles or other presents are
given away with cash purchases of
stipulated amounts have been de-
clared in direct conflict with the lot
terry laws of Minnesota and must not
be continued. The attention of the
state department was called to a
combined campaign being carried on
between the business men of Moor
head, Mimi, and Fargo, NJ. D. Both
North Dakota and Minnesota have
sweeping anti-lottery laws and after
a conference between the attorneys
general of Minnesota and North Da-
kota few days ago orders were is
sued from both states that the cam
paign unjust STOP"
On several occasions Sank Centre
business men have contemplated a
move of this sort to stimulate bust
ness but of course this ruling by the
attorneys general will end any plans
along this line.
The Herald has always been con-
WINGED that if the business men of
any community would persistently
quote value-giving prices in their
newspaper advertising that the slim
illus needed for business would be
furnished.
In discussing the ruling of the leg
al departments of Minnesota and
North Dakota on this question The
Fargo Forum says:
NO announcement of probable, ac-'
ton concerning the Fargo and Moor
head trade campaigns, declared by the
AftnrnQvS nf 10 nj
North Dakota late yesterday to be out
side the pale of the law as violations
OF the status governing lotteries, was
forthcoming from any quarter today
The officials remained content with
the announcement that the campaigns
must STOP a declaration that came
out OF conference in St. Paul yester-
'"The Fargo Retail Merchants asso-
citation and the Moorhead Retail Mer-
chants association likewise continued
silent on the subject, evidently pre-
pared not to take action until the mat
ter shall be brought more directly to
their attention.
The two campaigns, as conducted
over a period of several weeks past
and which were scheduled to continue
until after the Christmas holiday
season. were defined in the conference
as coming within the provisions of the
states.
George Shafer, attorney general of
North Dakota, Clifford L. Hilton. At
F. Horner, states attorney of Cass
county, took part in the conference
that was initiated by Mr.. Shafer
through the fact that complaints had
corning the Fargo campaign.
Under the laws of the two states, |
provisions Of which are almost iden
ton of gifts contingent upon the e1e-
ment Of chance, is defined as a lottery, |
and the penalties run against persons |
who conduct such lottery, persons who |
persons or corporations which publish |
advertisements of such lotteries, or |
persons who take part in the drawing. |
These penalties run from a minimum
amount double the value of the prop
erty involved in the lottery.
The laws of the two states are so
broad that the fact that the tickets
away without charge in connection
with the sale of merchandise, does not |
exempt the trade campaigns from the
definition of constituting lotteries.
when the action of the Friday con-
ference was made known to officials of |
the Moorhead Retail Merchants as
ISOLATION Friday night, they elected to
make no statement, deamnding only to
know whether similar trade campaigns
in other Minnesota COM
would be similarly affected.
In that point no information has been
obtained.
I'm addition to the State laws cover
ing lotteries, there are the federal
laws which bar the use of the mails
to all matter pertaining to lotteries,
this barrier covering advertising of
any nature identified with a lottery.
Results of lotteries may not be pub
lished in newspapers on the penalty
of having such editions excluded from
the mails, while newspapers that pub
fish such material are subject to heavy
fines. The state laws also. prohibit
of newspapers advertising
Of lotteries"