The Detroit times., 1911-03-11

druggists cant help themselves. Why,
Simply because the newspapers OF this
city lend themselves TO the manufac-
turers for SO much per inch, preferred
position, thus creating demand
which IL Is. and always has been, the
drug stores place and duty TO fulhll.
But You ask, Why don't the drug
stores throw out this stun and refuse
10 sell it, Because, gentlemen, the
same lack OF cooperation exists In the
drug business as among the legiti.
mate advertisers In this, city today.
1t Is fact that II any one OF the
big downtown drug stores took def
mite stand and refused To handle
these nostrums. they might just as
well close their doors. Public opin'
ion. created and nodded by the press.
Is responsible for this state OF affairs; ;
and the druggist must keep and sell
what is asked for even IL he loses 10
per cent on every sale. which he actu-
ally is losing on most patent medicine
sales today.
The inaugural address OF the new
governor OF Michigan contained a
severe indictment OF fraudulent ad.
vertising. Mr.. Osborn made the state
ment that there should be state legis'
lation, holding publishers accountable
for printing the palpably dishonest
advertisements OF interruptions adyer-
Users, who seek To betray the read.
ers' confidence I'm the integrity OF the
press. Perhaps many of You wonder
why this isn't done Simply because
the backing OF the newspapers is such
a tremendous asset TO most present
day legislators that they dare not act
on bills detrimental TO the newspaper
business for fear OF losing their sup
port.
1T has been proved that the Pro
prietary Association Of America. an
organization OF patent medicine max
ers, has a representative In many leg.
islative centers. who reports the intro
duction OF such bills TO a central COM
mittee. they In turn informing the
newspapers and urging the latter TO
get after the legislators from their
districts to Kill the measures"
In support OF his contention that
immediate and intelligent action
should be taken to stamp out a prac-
tice that Is destroying the readers
confidence In advertising" Mr. Banker
exhibited 10 samples OF las nearly
pure deception and untruth as he could
possibly find" culled from Detroit
newspapers other than The Times.
Mr. Banker also exhibited samples
OF patent medicine advertisements
run In the form OF news matter, in
regular news type. and pointed out
how easily the public could be mis-
1nod The x,.sa Af hn
imitation news set-up, he declared,
was in the shape of formulas print
ed in the guise Of news, telling how
the medicine in question can be mix
ed at home after the reader has
bought a very necessary patent in
gredient in the drug store. He said
in conclusion:
The things to remedy are: First,
that every medical advertisement
shall have such significant. marking
that the public at large can easily
distinguish IL from news. Second
that no display or scheme OF set-up
shall be permitted that a committee
shall deem misleading or calculated
TO deceive. Third, that no advertise
ment OF any certain proposition or
nostrum be permitted to run after II
has once been proven unfit for publ
cation. Fourth, that an unfit adver-
tisement shall be construed to be one
that misrepresents or misleads on
any of the following points-its
merits. what il will cure, whether
reading matter or otherwise, etc"
Objections were raised to the
clubs interesting itself in this ques-
ton on the part of some Of the ad-
vertising men present, but the major
ity were strongly in favor of going
ahead. On Mr.. Bankers recommends
ton. the club instructed President
Frank Farnsworth to appoint com
mittee of not less than six TO look
into the question thoroughly and sub
NIT some plan OF actin. Mr.. Farms
worth has sent for the preliminary
report OF Mr.. Banker and will an
nounce his committee soon.