The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-03
PURE FOOD AND
PERI ECT DRUGS
Uncle Sans New Law Continues
to BE Something Of a
Puzzlcr.
5WHIsKEY MEN SADLY AT SEA.
Virginia Wholesale Druggists
Approve Law and Will Obey
1t to the Letter.

Publications concerning tho now pure
drugs and pure food law, an act Of Con-
grass wllici, went into effect on january
1st, attracted tho attention OF dealers
OF drugs, foodstuYs md whistles, and
the, buyers and consumers OF the same,
and was much talked of On tho streets
yesterday. Several OF the wholesale drug
gistsssaid they did not endorse the views
and sentiments of one dealer who was
quoted In these columns. Ono OF the
most prominent OF the wholesalers de-
clarcd to Il Times Dispatch man ycster-
day afternoon.
Lam speaking nov for tho wholesale
druggists Of Richmond, ana I think for
the whole State of Virginia, when as
turc you that We do not wiRil to be
understood as endorsing In It's entirety
the view given In your paper this morn
ng by the druggist who was quoted
The fact is that thew bolcsale drug
sists, acting through their State Club have
requested me to get The Times Dispatch
TO modify The statements in this mornings
paper concerning the act OF Congress- so
FAR as 1t relates to the drug business. The
views there. expressed by one OF our
number, perhaps. are not the views OF
the Others am sure. certainly not the
views Of the large minority OF the whole
sale druggists OF Virginia.
The Law Is. a Good One.
'"rhc act Itself is looked upon BY us
as one which is and has been for long
time 2ery necessary. because OF tho larg..
Number Of patent medicines placed before
the public through tn means OF wide
Spread advertisements, setting forth
claims that cannot he substantiatcd. The
law requires that any medicines that con-
tain dangerous habit-forming drugs shalt
be specified on their labels In plain type
for the benefit of tho public. 1t also re-
CURES that articles sold under recog-
hlzed name shall comply with. the fixed
standards for each particular article.
Naturally such a law. In order to ac-
complish Its purpose. brings some tom
porary hardships with 1t; but tho whole
sale druggists Of Richmond and Virginia
are doing all In their power to comply
atr'ctly with the new law. and 1t Is hoped
that In ~ very short time everything viii
be working smoothly and advantageous
~ under the new conditions.
States Should Unite.
ut is the intention OF the wholesale
druggists OF Virginia to put out nothing
that fails to comply In every respect
with the new law. We believe II to be
e good law In the long run. andtwe only
hope that similar one VIII be enacted
by the Legislature OF Virginia and the
Legislatures of all the States. SO that
1t may be general IN Its application, and
in no way nterfered with by the good
old doctrine OF States rights or any
thing else.
The man tyon Interviewed yesterday
also erred in the statement that no funds
are available for the enforcement, OF the
law, and he will find this out IL he tries
to evade 1t. II Is true that Congress- lid
not make special appropriation for this
purpose. but early In It's session In De-
cember 1t did authorize Secretary Wilson.
of the Agricultural Department, to draw |
on his contingent fund for as much as !
$4,000 to use In this way until Congress
siial. make nm appropriation. Acting upon |
this the secretary has already ordered |
the examination of more than II hundred |
inspectors, whose duty It will be when |
appointed By him. after examination
proves t.ie!r fitness, to so around the |
country and see to the enforcement OF !
the law.
The gentleman who spoke as above also
explained that the alleged postponement |
of the enforcement of the law until next |
October did not amount to anything. 1t |
was merely an act modifying the strin- !
gency of the requirement for labelling |
goods already manufactured. 1t simply |
allows large manufacturers OF proprietary |
medicines to have the labelling done by |
their agents wherever the medicines may |
now be, instead of having them rcshipped |
to the place of manufacture, there TO be
labelled, and gives them until October |
to do this work in this slower and less
expensive way.
Whiskey Men Puzzled.
The whlskey dealers seem to be more I