The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-02-12
Wholesale Druggists
Enter Vigorous Protest
Hart Bill to Prohibit Sale of E3-
tracts and Tonics for Beyer-
age Purposes Causes OPP
position.

Columbia. Feb seeThe wholesale
drug people Of the State are UP in
arms over the bill introduced in the
House of Representatives by Repre-
sentative John r. Hart Of York 10
prohibit the purchase of compounds
containing narcotics or alcohol for use
as a beverage They have been here
in full force all week and So: shat the
bill would put them out Of business.
Representative Hart denies any IL
tention of hurting the drug folks out
says that something has got to be done
to stop the drinking Of favoring en-
tracts, Jamica ginger and patent med
icines. His bill carries out recon-
mendations made by Governor Coop
er in his inaugural address. In that
address, Governor Cooper said.
at is the policy of this State that
the sale and use of intoxicating IL
quors as beverage is against public
health and morals, and its sale I:as,
therefore, been prohibited. If, as the
Legislature has enacted, and the Ieo-
pie at the ballot box have declared,
prohibition Of the sale Of Intoxicating
| LIQUORS is to be the policy Of the
State. and I am in full accord With
this view, we must realize that in
this matter eternal vigilance is es-
sential to the proper enforcement Of
this provision Recently my atlen-
ton was called to a situation hat
somewhat surprised me- The police
department Of one Of the cities Of Ibis
State made search in the back alleys
and secret places where persons na-
! turally resort to drink, and ,oiicc;2 !
a surprisingly large number OF Dot ;cs
on which were labels showing tai
said bottles had contained compounds
Of either extracts or patent medici,.es.
which contained from 6 q 80 peg.
cent alcohol. I was informed by the
chief of the police department that
these so-cal!ed medicines and ex-
tracts were being freely purchased
from merchants, and drunk as a
beverage. He further stated that his
department was having considerable
drunkenness to deal with on account
Of this practice. I have learned
since that this condition is not pc
culiar to any locality but is some
what general throughout the Site.
Any reputable physician will uni! 81
tatingly say that medicines and ex
tracts cf the class mentioned, When
used as beverages, are more injurious
IN every respect than distilled llla ,rs
It was not to rid the State Of alcoholic
liquors that our prohibition laws were
passed, but rather to protect our I@o--
pie from the evil and injury inciGen.
to its use as beverage If sub
tutes are being used it is certainly in
keeping with the policy of the Safe
70 prohibit the sale and use Of .2Ey
such substitute. It may be tha; II"
present law is sufficient to cover sch
cases. but believe it Will be wis" To
pass an act definitely dealing with his
question.
1t is claimed by friends of the BIZ:
introduced by Representative Fart
that the druggists are unduly alarm
ed over the bill-that it would not in
terfere with the sale of any medj.inc
except those that would be used as a
beverage. Mr.. Hart denies that -hr
bill is so drastic that it would c'osc
up the wholesale drug stores OF the
State DIS some Of the latter claim
Governor Cooper. it is reported. is
contemplating sending a special res
sage to the General Assembly iext
week touching on the bill Of Mr.. Hart.
and urging its passage. He is sale to
feel that some action ought to be
taken b. the present General Ass NJ
bly, because he anticipates that aTtci
national prohibition becomes effective
in July that the consumption OF ia
maica Ginger. and patent medicines
ard navoring extracts as beverages
will increase.
Senator Padgett of Colleton Couaty
has introduced a bill in the
aimed at the same practices that Pep
resentative Hart is shooting at BIZ it
is claimed by some that the Colle.on
senator's bill would not be effective
because Of the phraseology of the
first section The first section of the
bill reads as follows:
That it shall be unlawful for any
! HtlSpIi. i:i III oI CO. 1|I3lN)l OF Gil =
| pany to sell, Or offer for sale. any
compound. by whatsoever i:a:l!,, j:laE'
! be given, that may contain alcohol ana
used as . beverage except as hereafter
provided.
Representative Hart's bill provides
that it is unlawful to sell any com
| pound that may contain alcohol md
may be used as a beverage" The it
tie words may be- before the words
''i.sod IS Il beverage" constitute the
difference in the bills but they &c Il
big difference.
We N-intcr TGo ls:any Hcrs