The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-18
TO THE GOVERNOR.
Clinton Druggist Dis
gusted With
Methods.
WAS USED UNFAIR.
Thomas Dawson Tate VIII
Produce Some Sensa-
tional Matters.

Clinton, April 17.-Tired of endurance
and years of seeming persecution by
the board of registration in pharmacy,
Thomas Dawson Tate of this town has
determined to take his case direct to
Governor Wolcott, from whom he con-
Adently expects justice. Already the
board of registration, which druggists
here hold to be the most despotic and
tmperious of state boards, has paid
dearly for its arbitrary treatment of
men like Mr.. Tate. One fruit of the
boards method is the bill now in the
Senate, which has induced the resig-
nation Of H. NJ Whitney the chair
man, whose scalp was most eagerly de-
Sired
Mr.. Tate opened a drug store on Me-
ohanic street, in 1895. He was refused
license, which would enable him TO
sell liquor for medicinal purposes, on
the ground that the store had a bad
reputation, but in the following year
was granted the necessary papers af-
ter he had been refused.
The board deemed it necessary to en-
ter upon an elaborate explanation why
ueUleu
then granted. The correspondence
arising out of Mr.. Tate's application in
this year (1S96) tends to show almost
conclusively that the board, in Mr.
Tate's case at least, was deciding by
the weight of influence in Mr.. Tate's
ease, and not by the merit or demerit
of his claims. In 1897 Mr. Tate was
again refused a license. The reason in
evidence, as it is stated by a senator,
he iG q
"a wealthy and influential citizen" had
asked the board not to grant Mr.. Tate
a license. The facts tend to show that
the board had previously granted a IL
cense solely upon the request of this
same wealthy and influential citizen"
whoever he may have been.
This year Mr.. Tate made his fifth ap
plication. The board has granted the
applications of the other druggists in
town, but have not notified Mr.. Tate
what has been done with his applica-
ton.
The matter has been delayed so long
that even if his application should be
granted, Mr.. Tate's application to the
selectmen, which must be accompanied
by the certificate of the board, must be
made too late to be acted upon by the
selectmen, unless especial provision is
made for him by the latter board. One
of the most interesting documents in
Mr.. Tate's collection is a letter written
by Senator James A. Gallivan detail
ing the substance of talk Mr.. Gal
Ivan had with members of the board,
about Mr.. Tate's application in 1896.
This letter is printed in full. The as
surance Senator Gallivan received was
peculiar, as coming from q board whose
especial pTetensiOn is that its adjudica-
tions are based on right and evidence,
and not on pull and prejudice.
Mr.. Tate has prepared a statement.
for the governor which rehearses as
briefly as possible the circumstances as
Mr.. Tate knows them.
The document has been transmitted
to the governor, already. 1t contains
very interesting correspondence.
MIR Tate, in his communication to
the governor, says: TT seems to me
very strange as a druggist and a cit
izen of the commonwealth that l
should be prosecuted by the board of
registration in pharmacy. for no rea-
son thu the board can sustain in
court of competent Jurisdiction.
In 1895 l came to Clinton and opened
a store. l applied for a certificate of
merit so as to be able to obtain Ii
cense of the sixth class, and got re
fusal for such a license by said board
on the grounds that the store l was
doing business in had bad reputation
"a fact I did not know before l came
to Clinton. l received a postal card
from the board dated Oct. IA, 1893.
The card is made part Of Mr.. Tate's
communication. Il is signed by Chair
man Whitney and says that Mr.. rate
will probably not receive his certificate
because the store you apply for has
been refused"
oct. % Mr. Tate received cOmmu-
nication reading: Il am directed by the
board TO say that your application for
q liquor license has been refused on
account of the bad record of the store
which YOU have recently purchased A
certificate cannot be granted you TINS
license year. We trust that by next
April you will have succeeded in clear
ing the store of its bad reputation so
that favorable action may be taken.
This letter is also a part of the com
munication to the governor Mr.. rate
then continues: After this date the
board asked for a bill from the legisla-
ture which was known as bill No.
Of 1896 The majority Of the druggists
of the state of Massachusetts attended
this hearing before the public health
committee, and among them delega-
ton from Clinton. including myself.
Now the state board of registration in
pharmacy was represented at the hear
ing by former Attorney General Pills
bury, and he did all in his power (as
an able lawyer that he is) to railroad
this bill through the committee.
''Springfield HOlyOke and other towns
we're represented by counsel. Mayor
Rockwell represented Fitchburg in OPP
position to the bill, on the grounds that
it was totally unnecessary, and that it
was solely in the interest of the board.
I also so opposed it on the ground of
certain statements made by the presi
dent and other members of the board,
which. if I made them, | would not con-
slider in strict accordance with the
truth Now I think it is evidence
enough of the perniciousness of said
bill. that it was defeated in committee.
In the ordinary way, I applied for
certificate of merit early in March 1896
after that bill was killed, and received
in reply a letter dated April IA, 1896,
from the board. refusing to grant said
certificate
This letter was written by Mr.. Whit
ney, and said: Il am directed by them
Cthe board) TO say - under the sec
ton named. they cannot consistently
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