The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-30
COLLIER.s CRUSADE.

One of the great weekly journals of
the country, Golfers Weekly, has in
augurated-or rather joined-a cru
SADIE against the use of patent medi-
cines. 1t not only denounces the medi-
cines themselves. but it also denounces
the newspapers that advertise them.
But Golfers is not consistent. as is
pointed out by the Rome, Ga, Tri-
bune. in the following:
Golfers Weekly. which is nothing
if not amusing at times. reads the riot
act to the newspapers of the United
States because the newspapers ac-
cept patent medicine advertisements
Among other choice ads scattered
throughout this excessively moral
weekly we find that somebody's sui
phur soap beauties the skin and that
a certain party is just itching to dis
pense free advice as to the cure of
asthma. We note, with interest, that
the finest infant and invalid food on
earth has been discovered in Hawaii
and will be shipped to sufferers at so
much per can, while on another page a
party informs us that certain powder
used in the shoes will surely cure rheu-
matism. A philanthropic gentleman
desires to put you on the highway to
1I1HleQldlS 1OIlune ny SldElIIlS you III
the mail order business, and an ath-
letic gentleman can surely cure you of
constipation and indigestion provided
you let him sell you a lot of charts and
things. And so it goes; whisky, beer,
cosmetics, powders, asthma cures and
free treatment ads in Golfers APP
pear, just as they do in many other
magazines and papers"
But lust how much iI1SficG xVOnId
there be in Golfers criticism of other
publications supposing it lived up to
its pretensions?
It cannot be denied that there are a
great many good patent medicines.
Neither can it be denied that there are
some that are probably fakes" Most
of them, however, have more or less of
merit, and some are old standbys,
remedies that are kept in the house
hold and are as standard as quinine.
Is there any reason why the newspa-
pers should not advertise such RENE
dies, as we'll as breakfast foods,
calicoes, real estate or magazines?
It is possible that some patent medi-
cine advertisements get into the col
umns of the newspapers that are not
all that are claimed for them. And it
is just as probable that there are ad-
vertisements in the columns of Col
1ier's that are not entirely reliable.
The more careful and reputable
newspapers are cautious about accept
ing advertisements that may be
fraudulent. There are some kinds of
medical advertisements that cannot get
into the columns of the State Journal
under any circumstances, although
they are published daily and weekly in
other Topeka papers.
But the State Journal contends that
the announcements of reputable patent
medicines have right in the columns
of the daily papers. Most people have
sufficient sense not to take them I'M
less they need them. AS rule sick
persons should consult a physician
when they are i'll, unless they know
exactly what ails them and what is
good for it. Under the latter circum-
stances there is no reason why they
should not consult the columns of the
newspapers and take the patent medi-
cine that they know will fit their in
dividual cases.