The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-29

said in the way OF antagonism 20 com
blnauons on the ground that they
tend to destroy or at least impair.
small individual merchants may ap-
parently be said OF the combination
soon to be perfected between the Here-
man. and the Riker retail drug stores.
It is believed that this combination.
which Is to bring together a capital
OF $1b,OO0,O00, has itself Waged sue
cessful competition with some Of the
larger wholesale drug corporations or
partnerships of the United states. In
the growth OF the business Of each OF
these combinations severe antarouism
from some of the large wholesale drug
houses has been met with and there
have been at times bitter complaints
from those who possess copyrighted or
ademarked commodities dealt with
by drug stores that these two COM
panies have been able constantly to
ignore the standard prices and 20 sell
these commodities at cut prices TO 20
great an extent that they have COM
manded no small part OF the trada
The small Independent drug store pro-
prietor has complained bitterly be-
cause he was compelled TO maintain
the standard prices fixed upon by the
wholesalers, for, unless he did so, no
found himself unable to buy these
copyrighted specialties..
1t is undoubtedly a fact that both
of these two corporations gained their
striking supremacy by beginning IN a
small way to sell their commodities at
cut rates. prices which tempted the
public. The business which at first
was. comparatively speaking. small.
gradually increased This showed that
the competition was triumphant The
increase of business brought large ad-
ditions of fresh capital part of Il
earned, part of II contributed. One
OF the corporations at last operated
twenty retail stores in New York and
another operated twenty-five. Then tho
stores controlled by one or the other
l.. = 49,.
tablished in other cities. Having gained
their power and their -eminence by
competitive methods. they are now
able to carry this competition still fur
ther along the path which leads to
practical monopoly.
Both Brains and Energy.
Into the development and direction
Of these corporations ability Of a very
nigh order ana never-ceasing energy
were concentrated. Laboratories OF
their own were established. They en-
ployed competent chemists They be-
gan the manufacture OF drugs. So that
at last. excepting articles upon which
the copyrighting monopoly OF the gov
ernment had been symbolized by ap-
propriate words, they were able to
manufacture almost everything enter
ing into the business OF a druggist.
With patient analyses their chemists
discovered the drugs and the due pro-
portion of them which entered into
the composition of copyrighted medi-
cine Inc secret tvihPoaLlioH mus
mastered and in an entirely lawful
way. became their own formulas and
they were able to manufacture a COM
modify as good as the copyrighted ar
ticle and market # at a considerably
smaller price.
All OF the operations OF these two drug
houses have been always within the LETT
ter OF the law. They have established re-
tail drug stores I'm the vicinity OF others
that have been long established. and
which have maintained standard prices
for these commodities. Then the competi-
tion due to lower prices began and. IN a
number OF cases. has been enectual.
In addition to the merger between the
r. .deeman and Riker corporations there
will also be what will be practically alb
sorptiOn of another retail drug company
which Is the owner OF nearly forty stores
in other cities than New York ana.
through a sort Of community of interest
or profit-sharing basis. really operates
drug stores in all the larger cities OF the
United States.