Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-05-16
MISUSE OF THE
DRUGPERM|T Law

The time has come for a 1efinite
statement as to the misuse of the
druggist permit. The constitution Of
North Dakota forbids the sale Of mi
toxicating liquor as beverage and
vests the power to regulate the en-.
forcement in the legislature. The
legislature has naturally entrusted the
sale for medical use to the druggist,
stating clearly conditions of sale and
what constitute violations. This is
good law in that none can violate it
without easily being caught and l do
not see where it could be made more
fair to the druggist If he is to be re-
strained from selling as a beverage
and yet allowed to sell for medical
use.
That this trust is being betrayed is
most certain. l have examined many
books and speak conservatively when
l say that IS percent of those holding
permits are violating the law, not on
technicalities but flagrantiy such as
selling without requiring afidavits,
selling to MINOR to habitual drunk
ards, to those they know do not get
1t for medicine and violating all or
part of the clea ly stated prohibitions
IN the law. These violations are
knowingly committed to hold or draw
trade, make easy money and because
so manv drugstores cannot exsist un.
less they do. Z am told these things
by the druggists. / find that many of
these druggists pergured themselves
to get the permits and are perguring
themselves to cover up violations.
mat this attitude to the law is dis.
graceful to do worthy and honorable a
profession is not putting it too strong.
That intelligent men will do this seems
Incredible. 1t is not enough to say
They swear they want it for medi-
cine" III l turn them down they will
go to the other drugstore" "People
come In and insist on getting it,"
They swear at us if We make them
sign" II lost a good customer by
refusing to sell to him." I admit the
druggists place Is not easy but that
Is no reason he should shame his pro-
fession and become criminal If
one have a permit and cannot resist
violating the law or resist the calls
for liquor it is better for him to turn
in his permit.
The druggist have been dealt with
fairly. On looking up many permits
and finding violations, at first, l sug.
gested the ACCESSIBILITY of turning in
the permit which n most cases was
done. In several cases as an expert.
ment l showed the druggist the viola
lions, explained the law and urged
them to keep it. In every case they
continued violating. I thot the word
would go out to ell that Investigations
were being made and that most drug
gists would begin to keep the law In.
stead l find them intending to sell
until caught and then turn in their
permits, and using every deception to
cover up violations.
l have followed the above plan first
because everything could not be done
at once, and second to satisfy myself
of certain things. am convinced
that the druggist sells liquor as a
beverage for the same reason as the
lind pigger to make easy money and
the same remedy is required to-. cure
him, namely, prosecution.
TWO druggists at Bowman turned
in their Government tax receipts,
drug permits and paid $1,000 bond
each. The druggists at Hettinger
hustled in their permits and saved
themselves $1,000 bonds The Crosby
druggists fought the case and their
permits were Cancelled by the court,
and one druggist at Kenmare turned
In after action was started which will
in each case involve of bond. ex-
pect to examine every drug permit in
the State and ,5hen the North Dakota
Enforcement League 8 put to the
trouble and expense to examine the
books and finds the evidence we shall
insist on the forfeiture o. the $1,000
bond or start criminal action and in
either case ask that injunctions be
put on the buildings and that they be
c-osed according to law. That in
some places llawless druggists have
'een overlooked by off Gals because
shadOWed by respectable profession
lille the disreputable blind pigger
has been prosecuted, seems 20 be
true That the moral turpitude of the
druggist is worse than that of the
blind pigger few will deny because he
uses his permit viii :. is a sacred
trust as a cover to do blind pig
business. That the states attorneys
often have Lot taken trouble to en-
tighten the court as to the real charac-
ter of the applicant for a drug permit
and to reveal his lawless past and
that the Judges in some districts are
too easily convinced of the worthy
character and good record of some
applicants no one will deny who will
take the trouble to look up the drug
gists records. Full d ia is being
gathered and the near future holds
some interesting Developments
F. L. WATKINS,