The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-02-05
VOX POPULI

Eustis, Lake Co. Fla, Jan. 81. 1919.
Tampa Times, W. D. Jones, President
State Board of Pharmacy; ]. H.
Haughton, Secretary State Board of
Pharmacy: Walter White, member
State Board of Pharmacy; n. H.
Hunter. member State Board of
Pharmacy; NJ. A. Bize, President
State Pharmacy Association, Tampa;
M. NJ. Taylor, Chairman Executive
Committee. State Pharmacy Asso-
citation, Tampa; W. D. Jones, mem
Der State Pharmacy Association,
Jacksonville; w. A. Rawls, member
State Pharmacy Association, Pensa-
cola
found interest and satisfaction in the
Tampa Times of January 80 your pub
lie appeal to the druggists of F1ort-
da asking them to use all their in
fluence with the representatives from
their respective counties for an
amendment to the prohibition bill
passed at the recent special session of
the Florida legislature"
| note further that your statement
that the organizations of which you
gentlemen are the governing officials
claim that by placing the sale of
Whistles and brandies in their (drug-
gistsD hands. by means OF prescrip-
lions, opens the door toward convert
ing the drugstores into saloons
| note further that NJ. NJ. Taylor, a
we'll known Tampa druggist, an execu-
tive officer of both the organizations |
am now addressing says: THE first
class drugstores in Florida do not want
the responsibility attached to the new
law. and that most of the first-class
f1r~11r
handled whiskey for years Under this
act the drug men of the state have
been placed almost in the position of
policing the liquor dispensation."
we are not in favor OF the act as
ut now stands says Mr.. Taylor, and
we hope the next session of the legis-
lature will amend the present law
| have a two-fold purpose in adj
dressing you gentlemen, representa-
tives as you are Of your great profess
sion with which the public comes into
contact more often daily than with
any other. l perceive in your atti-
tude above described a fine moral
tone that it would be worse than
criminal for the legislature to disre-
gard. And by your said attitude You
have indicated my frequent reports
to Washington that the Florida drug
gIstS and their wholesalers have uni
formy exhibited the most commend
able spirit of cooperation and up
rightness IN the observance of the L.
;. explosives regulations. AS / have
moved among the druggists and
wholesalers l have had abundant OPP
portunity TO learn their mental and
moral and patriotic attitude toward
war measure that not only inconven-
fenced and annoyed them and their
customers in some instances but put
the acid test to their loyalty to the
United States. The druggists all
seemed drawn together by a common
purpose, a common vision of the coun-
trys danger from the sale miscellan-
eously of certain explosive ingredients,
an eager loyalty and q flaming desire
to do everything in their power to help
American weather the storm descend
ing upon her.
AS l say, the service demanded was
often distasteful drudgery, neCessitat-
ing the loss of some Observation-Disclosures
to stranger or to a friend, whether
day laborer. clergyman, physician,
banker or farmer, unless each and all
owned =. S. explosive license. and
exhibited it at every purchase. To
this rigid. may I say stubborn, adher-
ence to the letter and spirit of the
law, we attribute the tremendous fall
Ing off of explosions and fires during
the past fifteen months. The hard
ware merchants and handlers of dyna-
mite and other high explosives like
wise observed this law and saved I'M
counted millions Of dollars worth OF
property from enemy depredations.
Honor to all
It is part of my reward that in my
rounds found the druggists of F1ori-
da engaging cheerfully in observing
this measure for saving lives and
property here while our boys were
fighting our enemies over there. Hence
it would have disilIusioned me had
your organizations remained silent in
the face of the vile temptation that is