Arizona republican., 1905-09-22
PHOENIX. ARIZONA. SEPT. p, 1905
Calling a Spade a Spade.

E
 IT will not be easy to find any good reasons for objecting to the new ruling or the commissioner of internal rev enue in regard to the manufacture and sale of patent medicines which contain a large percentage of alcohol, although il is likely to occasion complaint in some quarters. Hereafter these com positions are to be treated as spirit uous Iiduors. Those who manufacture them will have to pay tax. like oth- CT manufacturers Of spirits, and the druggist who now sells them will be required to take out a retail liquor dealers license or give up that branch of his business This decision seems to be eminentIy proper. It should put an end to what really amounts to a fraud upon the revenue and it is in line with the efforts that are making by the government to have foods and beverages sold for what they really are and to prevent them from being falsely labeled.
 The best marke- for these patent
 
 Of alcohol is in the prohibition dis tricts. where thirsty souls find it diff ficult to obtain whisky under its own name On the Indian reservations. within the boundaries of which the sale of liquor is forbidden, the trade is also very large in these so-called rem edies for various internal disorders and tonics for the relief Of that tired feeling" which comes not only in the spring but is common at all seasons of the year. and their exhilaTating ef- fleets are much appreciated. For the future comfort of the inhabitants of these regions it is probable tha- some new device for evading the law will have to be resorted to. Yet Com missioner Yerkes is not entirely with out mercy. His order is not to go into effect until the first day of the coming December. Thus an opportunity is af- forded. of which it will be in order for those to take advantage who find diff ficuIty in obtaining or dislike having the reputation of using the straight goods" for laying in a supply Of their favorite substitute sufficient to last them through the long hard winter that looms before them.
 That the patent medicine manufac- turerz will pay the internal revnue tax which will now be levied upon them and continue their very profit able business is probable, but the new order may have an effect on the man ner in which their products are placed in the hands of consum CTS. It seems hardly likely that druggists generally who now sell these medicines will care to incur the expense of taking out a retail liquor dealers license. even in those places where they are to be had without difficulty. May it no. happen, then, that these pleasing remedies for unpleasant complaints will have to be sought in saloons and groceries having licenses, where they properly belong? Such a change might be noticeable, but it need not cause any diminution in the sale Of these stimulants. Their character is not altered by a change of domicile, and they are no more harmful when drunk at a saloon bar than at drug gist's counter. Nor is there any req son why the men who are fond of them should hesitate to satisfy their desire at the one place more than at the other.
 The question, then. seems to be: Will these much-advertised panaceas become part of the stock in trade of saloon Keepers or will the druggists become liquor dealers rather than lose this part of their business? And if the druggists acknowledge that they are dealing in liquors will they drive away any of the patronage they now enjoy?