The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-01-24

Quc0Q In the d0os0 OF hePlosout-
atives "to prevent the use of thu
i United States mails to advertise
noxious and dangerous medicines
foods and compounds. |" The first
section of the BID provides:
That from and after six months AFTER
the passage and approval OF this ACT nc
advertisement Of any kind or nature OF
advertising device Of any medical prspar-
ton, compound or prescription. or any
punch, bi:tars, cordial, Or similar com
pound or preparation to be used - msdi-
cine or mixed with food, liquor, wine, or
any other substance used - . beverage
or as food or medicine, shall be plsced in
or carried by the mails of the United
States until the exact formula for tho
preparation thereof, together with SAM
pie Of the same. be placed in the Patent
Office of the United States, with 9 sworn
affidavit Of the correctness Of such form /.
ula and the genuineness OF such sample,
and the examination thereof by the pro.
per officers designate therefor in said
Pstent Ofice and the issue of . certificate
that said substance ia not noxious or dam
gerous to health.
The other sections provide for
carrying the law into effect, impose
q fine of not more than B, 1000, and
imprisonment not exceeding one
year for its violation, and other de-
tails.
Our correspondents accompany
ing the bill with a circular letter,
representing that the proposed law
would do great injustice to manu-
facturers of proprietary goods, and
"carry in its train injury to the
prese," the argument being that
proprietors would not give their
formula, and would not therefore
be able to advertise in the newspa-
pers, and as a consequence the latter
would be deprived of much patron.
age. They consider the measure
so monstrous that they deem it only
necessary to send it without fur
Their comment" but they hope we
will do what we can to insure "the
killing of the bill in the committee
IF postoffices and postroads, where
It now is
THE HERALD is not certain that
c wants to kill the bill. On tt
contrary, it is not clear that this or
some other bill OF similar intent
should not become law. 1t Is an
fact that with remark
ably few exceptions proprietary |
and medical preparations
ire frauds, containing little If any |
'eal virtue. Asa'rule the."punches,"
'bitters, "cordials" and other COM
pounds are simply devices by which |
20 dispose of inferior liquors. The
lick and ailing are deluged by acS
counts and certificates of remsrka-
Die cures, and in their ignorance
md desperation will buy
md pour down vils slop |
hat they would not touch il their
rue character were known. Atapy
lrug store the same quantity OF
Medicine that ons of these propri-
,sary articles containe, would cost
My a fraction of what has to be
)sid for it in doctored shape. II
purchasers would reflect moment |
hey would understand this fact. |
rhe afflicted must pay for all this |
newspaper advertising, for these ex-
,ensive pi lures, the writing on
'ocks and fences, for the tons of cir
,ulars and certificates, for the
'dtumme1s," etc, aud besides,
must make the proprietors rich. A
bottle of stuff that costs perhaps two
,ents, II it has been successfully
placed before the public by jadicious
advertising, will cost the consumer
'bout SOC.
No, THE HERALD is not opposed
o any bill which has for its object
he protection of the stomachs and
pockets of the dupes of people who
10 not seem able to protect them
elves against the decoctions, con-
octions and devices Of the manu-
scturers of "noxious and danger
us foods and compounds" The
Of such articles need
ntertain no sympathy nor feel anx-
esy for the newspapers. The latter
vilEtske care Of themselves. They
will not suffer if they are deprived
( the privilege of advertising
rauds and cheats, and thereby
elping to gull too easily duped
ublic. Reputable newspapers want
as well as the people, and
bill like the one quoted might be
{ real service to them.
THE FARCE of the Mutt trial was