Los Angeles herald., 1905-05-13
DRUGGISTS COMPLAINT
AGAINST THE SALOONS
Controversy Which Appears to Have
Had an Influence in Starting the

|
No-saloon Crusade
LOS ANGELES, May 11.-Q5ditor
Herald): There is not much sentl-
ment in business, and 1 believe that
business men generally, for financial
reasons or business policy, would vote
to retain the saloons, though under
high license and strict regulation.
The saloon men are largely to blame
for the agitation turmoil and the pres
ent cumulative trouble especially
brought upon themselves. A little
more than a year ago everything was
moving along quietly in that line
nobody Kicking" in particular. The
saloonists, however, were not satis-
| fed. They made the first bad break"
by attacking the druggists, for the lat
ter have friends, influence and, as
class, stand we'll in the community.
This led to discussion, exaggeration,
ETC., and the more the subject was
mentioned the worse it grew, or the
stronger the adverse sentiment 1t
created in the minds of the temperance
people.
The saloon influence succeeded in
keeping drug stores from having a IL
cense and tried to prevent wholesale
| liquor dealers from selling in less than
five gallon lots, which virtually would
have driven the most of the latter out
of business, thus giving a big monopoly
to the saloon owners. Naturally the
i Il, ted, IL,
matter, feeling that they were UNJUST
ly Disseminated against and unnec-
essarily hampered in business.
AS a result they started a petition
calling for $3.50 per month saloon Ii
cense, and by persistent effort, aided
by the wholesalers (who were then
willing to help) they could readily
have secured the requisite number of
signers to have brought it to vote of
the people, which would have resulted
unfavorably to the saloon interests.
Concessions, however, were made to
wholesalers, druggists were permitted
the privilege of wholesale license and
the petition was dropped.
This has resulted unsatisfactory III
several respects. The wholesale liz
cense was prohibitive to most drug
gists, as only very few-the large
frms-could afford to pay the $50 per
month required, and this gave them
an advantage and a monopoly as
against the other druggists. Besides,
the saloon men had their license large
| ly increased, with greater restrictions,
so what did they gain?
Now a general druggists license is
suggested not to exceed $40 per month,
allowing the sale of liquors for proper
purposes in quantities not less than
one-fourth pint nor more than one
quart, not to be drank on the prem
ises, and no window display permitted.
| This would be fair for all concerned,
except that the rate is too high for
ma jority of the druggists, and the city
| would receive much more revenue
even at $40 per month than it can pos
sibly get from druggists under the ex-
listing measure. 1t has been intimated,
though, that license might or would
be given to sell only on prescriptions,
Why should a druggist pay a license
under such circumstances when there
| is nothing, morally or legally, to pre-
vent him from selling liquor on a
bona fide prescription from a licensed
physician for remedial purposes?
Wines and liquors are just as much
of a medicine, just as necessary often
in cases of emergency or disease, as
any drug or other remedy prescribed.
Besides, it would not only hamper and
harass the druggist unnecessarily, but
| be a hardship on the customer, who
would be subjected to the trouble and
expense of procuring a prescription on
each occasion, and sometimes could not
obtain one at the time when most ur-
gently needed.
Being a druggist, express myself
| from my point of view of course hut
honestly and from knowledge and ex-
perience in the matter. 1 fully con-
denim the practice If it exists, of maxi
| ing a semi-saloon of a drug store, and
1 believe that majority of druggists
do not desire-and certainly the better
class would not permit-a Joint" of
the kind, for 1t would bring the place
into unpleasant notoriety and tend to
drive away some of the better class Of
! customers.
Let's have Square dear all around
and no extreme blue law" measures
for this progressive, cosmopolitan city.
DEXTRO.