The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1905-09-27

WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 20
Several months ago [ received a call
from an out-of-town attorney, who de-
sired to consult me in regard to the
patent medicine business. He in
formed me some of his clients had Sc
cured control of a patent medicine,
formerly widely advertised and quite
popular, but which had in late years
been passed through the bankruptcy
courts.
The points on which he sought in
formation were three: First, whether
it would be possible to secure recon-
mendations for the preparation from
senators, members of congress, cabi-
net officers and ambassadors, and how
much these recommendations would
cost; second, whether such recommen-
3ations would be valuable in assisting
the sale of the medicine; and third,
what was the attitude of the govern
Tnent toward patent medicines and their
future.
To the first question | replied that
the business of securing recommended
lions from senator's, ambassadors,
ETC., had been overdone, and i'll con-
sequence their endorsements were at a
discount while the prices were steadily
advancing. Some years ago it was
comparatively easy for those making
q speciality of this line of work to pro-
cure such endorsements as a personal
favor, or through the secretary or a
friend of the party sought In those
days the current quotation for the en-
dorsement of a senator for patent
medicine or a soap was only S25, and
$40 for ordinary members of the house;
of prominent senators, the leaders OF
the house and ambassadors prices
ranged from $25 to 800.
1t is not necessary that the party
giving the endorsement should really
take any of the medicine, although it
was customary to present him with
from one to dozen bottles. All he
mad to do was to supply a photograph
and sign the testimonial presented by |
the agent. The money paid was usually |
divided among those procuring the
endorsement, although | have heard /
that sometimes a part or all of it'll
vent into the pockets of the thrifty
congressman.
Was Killed by success.
Somewhat strange to say, the bust
ness was killed by too much success. !
A certain patent medicine company
put a half dozen agents to work here,
and by the skiilful pulling OF many
concealed wires managed to corral
almost every senator and representa-
tive, with fair sprinkling of repre-
sentatives of other nations. There is
no question the work was done thor
0ughly, or that the recommendations
we're actually given, as some states
provide a penalty for publishing the
picture of the giver of a testimonial
without his written consent. The
managers of the company very craftily
withheld the publication of these testi-
monials until all possible had been
procured, when congress suddenly
awoke to the fact that the country was
in fair way to learn more about the
personnel of congress and the physi-
Ognomy of its members, to say moth
ing of their various ailments, by pc
rusing the advertising columns than
by reading the news columns. From
the testimonials but one conclusion
could be reached, and that is that the
members of congress had been sever
ally and collectively the prey to all
the diseases known to medical science,
and that this great deliberative body
vas able to sit up and transact bust
ness was solely due to the quantities
of a certain medicine which each and