Arizona republican., 1914-07-22
DRUGGISTS OPPOSE AMENDMENT

Before HleHlDeIS Ol tHe AllZolld Idl maceutical Association, assembled here yesterday afternoon from every section of Arizona, letter from former Pres dent Harry Brisley, of Prescott, was read. This letter was in line with the object of the meeting, discussing the proposed liquor amendment to the state constitution There were also letters from President J. H. Barnett of Mesa. On the presumption that the proposed amendment would prohibit druggists from shipping in alcohol for use in medicinal preparations, the association voted that a committee be named to give statewide publicity to that section of the amendment and to endeavor to secure the defeat of so much of it as would so effect the business of the re- tail and the manufacturing druggists. This committee consists of w. H. Tim erhoff. Prescott, chairman; Ed Lit, Tucson; J. M. Ball. Bisbee; Thomas E.. Thorpe, Phoenix; Will Marian, Flag staff
 The Brisley letter is as follows:
 Prescott, Ariz., July 20, 1914. Gentlemen of the Pharmaceutical
 Association of Arizona:
 Finding it impracticable to be with you at the meeting called in the city of Phoenix to sound in our ranks the toe sin of alarm, yet wish you to know that as your first president, (though president no longeD. I am still with you to the last ditch particularly in the matter now before us and affect ing so vitally our calling and the honor of our profession.
 The danger menacing us while at present appearing intangible because our indictment is not yet read or the prison bars about us. is no less real in fact. The foe we fear is at the gate demanding entrance, and only determ- ined resstence with every agent at our disposal and every brother shoulder to shoulder using his weapo1s of defense can assure us our freedom from ser vitude
 Antipathy to alcohol is running riot: the people with little knowledge are proving dangerous; those having one good thought are losing every other by abnorinally enlarging this regarding the ba'cfui;ness of alcohol; the very people who pride themselves upon the;r moral lives and good influence on so- ciety, church, and stat4 are now found en masse before the palace of justice demanding the death of one whom they for years have been trained to believe has nothing of good in him, yet if whose glamour be so appeased will be forced to admit they have foolishly and cruelty slaughtered a friend in dis guise, one of the most useful and pow erful agents for good as well as evil that God ever gave to the mind of man to perceive We as pharmacists know only too well that they know not what they do.' and if successful would rue fully regret tne carnage done in their heated moments.
 Admitting, as we must, that alconcl is an agent of great harm to mankind if foolishly or immoderateiy used. yet the same may be said of nearly if not all material things so long as we are upon this earth to which We are born. and if it is good sense to demand and vote for the total destruction and use of alcohol in Arizona, it must be equal ly wise or equally foolish to call for abolishment of all sex relationship: to prohibit the importation. sale or use in any way of any knife or other cutting tool capable of inflicting injury upon another and so to deprive other crafts than ours of the tools of employment, relegating all of us to the good old days when our forefathers gnawed bones and tore flesh while squatting upon their rush covered hearths of home.
 This would seem a menace impos- sible in this year Of our Lord, nineteen hundred and fourteen. but that you may realize the danger is a very real one you have only to carefully peruse the written opinions before the voters in Arizona and to credit the written opinions of leading attorneys whose letters are now before you.
 I charge that the framers of this proposed law exhibit their unfitness as