The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-03-09
Monopolies in Medicine.

lous tariff, says the New York
Star, is simply d bid for Legislative
sanction of some of the worst forms
of monopoly. The exactina duties
imposed upon the necessaries OF
life, that s few manufacturers may
roll in afiiuenee. seriously affect
the consuming classes, who thereby
are compelled TO pay tribute to an
oiigarchy of manufacturers. In no
sense IS this more strlkingly pre-
sented than in the onerous and
manifestly unjust tax upon medi-
cal products-articles OF every day
use, and without which communi
ties must suffer the pangs of dis
ease or the tortures of slowly con
sIming fevers. After securing an
utterly dispropo,tIonate custom up
on quinine, opium and other drugs,
the American dealers formed a gi-
ant monopoly with such an over
powering capital that they have
been able either to buy of or crush
out OF existence all opposition, and
eventually to dictate the price per
ounce or pound OF every particle of
the gross manufacture,
The disgraceful operations of tho
opium corner are still fresh in the
minds of the public. Finding that
one firm had secured powerful al
lies in China, and other poppy
growing districts. until the entire
imports OF opium were monopolized,
a movement was started on Wall
street to purchase all the opium
in bond or in stock, and after the
last available ounce was secured the
price was advanced from two to
six dollars a polnd. How was
this stock -jobbing operation in
medicines met by the govern ment,
whose duty it is to administer the
laws with an even hand as we'll as
single eye to the necessities Of the
people? Did congress crush out
the disreputable ring by removing
the odlous tax upon as much OF a
necess Ity to the poor man as his
coffee, or tea, or salt2 Did it step
in as the arbiter between the on
pressed masses and a colossal mo-
nopoly, and foster and protect the
interests of those who stand most
in need of protectionS On the con
trary, it strengthened the fetters
that had been forged by monopo
lists, placed few articles upon the
free list, and imposed an additional
tariff upon the medicines that cure.
The same state of affairs existed
in regard to quiDine, only in
more outrageous form, down TO a
couple of years ago, when the duty
was removed AFTER a hard struggle
IN congress. A high protection
tariff upon the bark irom which
this ali important compound is
made was gerrymandered through
congress upon the usual flimsy plea
That a young industry required the
fostering care of the government.
and once the avenues Of competi-
tion were barricaded, monopoly be-
gan it damning work. Less thnu a
dozen capitalists com biued, paid ia
several millions of dollars. pur-
chased expensive machinery. aud
established three immense labora.
tories where the greatest secrecy
vas imposed. In order that home,
like foreign competition. might ba
Oh, these favored few nil
Iionaires agreed To limit the pro-
ductiou by establishing only three
man ufactoFies Tor the entire U1ited
= TAT. s., and even TO day tue great
oulk of quiniuo is so manipulated
Although this drug, SO indispsnsa
bic IN !evers. has been materially
in price by the repeal OF
tue heavy duty formerly levied up
D. it, tue old monopoly has not YET
lost its grip. IL eXacts every cent
that foreign competition will admit
Of, and one Of It's Representatives
was conspicuous al the recent tariff
in this city, howling for
"a restoration of the du'y on qui.
line"
Bad as is the formation and per.
of mOnUpolIes by act Of
there is another aud moro
Infamous feature, which not only
demands public attention, but calls
or the most rigid legal inyestiga-
ion. Scarcely day passes that
We are not met by deaths caused
rom the adulterations in drugs as
veil as IN food Animated solely
1y desire TO wrest from the con
,umer the last dollar Of his hard
earned pittance, these mO1opOlists
nix with the pure ingredients a
chemical prepa alton which. in
'heapening the cost Of manulac.
ure, IS desth dealing In its applica-
ion. To them the lessening Of the
population by few thousand is OF
'light import compared TO the for
.unes they may make. Secure ia
he exclusive manufacture, and
.hielded by act Of congress they sit
ierenely IN their elegantly uphol-
tered palaces, giving no thought TO
uffering and sorrow their vile
impose. This Is no
ancy picture; Il is borne out by
lard facts, and congress should
heck the evil before the octopus
monopoly destorys our communi-
les with adulterated medicines
which pretend To be life-restoring.