The herald., 1895-02-10
JANuAR Y, 1894.
BETTER TAKE HALF A LOAF.

Incident to the opening Of branch of the
Owl Drug Co., of San Francisco, in Los Ange-
les, and anticipating cut rates in patent medi-
cnes as a natural sequence thereto the retail
druggists OF the latter city have, to use h vul-
gar EXPRESSION '.taken the ball by the horns"
and not only reduced the prices of Patents to
the cost price of the same, but In some in
stances to from fifteen to twenty per cent be-
low that figure. This action has. doubtless
been taken by those who foolishIy believed
that If they jumped in and made it appear an
utter impossibilty for any one to make a
profit on sales in this line of drug merchan-
disc, the managers of the Owl Drug Company
would conclude that they could not esta blish
themselves as firmly and proftably in Los
Angeles they have succeeded in doing in
San Francisco, and would give up their inten-
tion'of opening the proposed branch AS SUBJ
sequent events have proven. this was a forlorn
pany h IS opened its branch and are prepared
to face the music;" and those who have not
cns ha ~a 0 the pre- med
sides, simply 10 make showing, have their
experience for their palms.
When firm, with the necessary capital back
of it, decides to slaughter the prices and sacri-
flee the profits on any line of merchandise, it
has usually weighed all the conditions sur
proven i'll nearly ev-ry instance they are pre-
pared to stay with the proposition. 1t is our
belief that the furious action and bitter anita
gonism of the San Francisco druggists had
more to do with the success Of the Owl Drug
Company than any other circumstance, and
we fear that our Los Angeles friends have
How to avoid the rayages OF the patent medi-
cine cutter is a question which. as we all
know, has been before the pharmacists of this
country for many years, and the nearest ap-
proach to remedy has been found in the or
ganization and methods OF the Interstate
Retail Druggists League. II has taken firm
stand and its membership is bound together
upon this clear. plain platform 1--WE hereby
agree TO withdraw our patronage from any
wholesaler or jobber who knowingly and will
fully furnishes cutters with any proprietary
goods whatsoever. We also agree to discon-
tinue the sale OF any patent or proprietary
articles furnished TO cutters by manufactures
or through their agents."
Even where the cutter has been getting in
his deadly work for years this League has had
its beneficial effect, out the greatest security
is in previous organization, a step which is so
seldom taken. SO it has been with the drug
trade OF Los Angeles Although forewarned
they have not been forearmed, and have been
caught totally unprepared for action and in
their "rattled" condition have taken the very
worst step they could possibly take. They are
now solely at the mercy of their wide awake
rate-cutting competitors.
Here in Portland a like condition an that
which has existed in Los Angeles, prevails.
Although their attention has been directed to
the only possible relief from an ever-impend-
ing di.aster, the retail druggists OF this city
are qui- tly waiting for the ''cutteri" to make
his appearance, anu he will come as surely as
and how will he find them? Totally unpre-
pared for the onslaught. aud wholly unable to
save themselves from complete decentralization
and in many instances, financial ruin. But
nothing short OF an explosion as forcfble as
that which has made OF Butte. Moat. cyno-
sure, will esen Oh 'rt.Sf's fro y tho
lnthnryy 81 *nrs' NY