The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-01-07

49,. xsz.s.s - tssS ~
peness increase IN salRrtes, etc. You
VIII note thar have on hand bal
Ance Of the appropriation nnoxpend-
ed Of $f0.e91.09. and the question
naturally arises "if the necessity for
| funds il so great, why do you not
use that which IL at your diEposal?"
! and. why did you not use all OF your
appropriation last year," The sur
plus last year was saved to protect
the department in litigation. which
was anticipated, but. which happily
has been avoided by an amendment Of
The law, which amendment hoped
for but could not be assured of. and
while the law appropriated the bal
ance Of last year for this year by over
sight j was not included specifically
in the appropriation bill and. there
fore. reverted to the treasury. This
year 1 have accumulated the surplus
reported herein, for the purpose of
anticipating other litigation--mainly
the prosecution of my inspectors by
persons who have been arrested for
violation OF law, who seek 10 wreak
their vengeance on these brave men
| in this despicablc way. and II ! did
not protect them would be unable to
men In the service, and would not
deserve to retain them. But the
greater part OF this surplus has been
accumulated in anticipation of the in
tensity of the struggle to prevent the
introduction of whiskey into the state
during the period between December
/, 1918, and July 1, 1919. a period of
seven months before national war
prohibition becomes effective. Dur
ing this period It will be necessary
greatly 10 enlarge my present force
Tor the advanced price Of whiskey and
the prohibition OF its sale in Baiti-
more will stimulate the enterprise of
biockaders, who during this period
will be especially numerous and des-
perate- After July /. 1919, think
mat the transportation of spirits into
the state by automobiles. boats and
railroads will subside and that most
OF our trouble will be with small
"Moonshine" distilleries. But against
this strenuous period have husband
ed the funds. and from now on there
VIII be necessity for the greatest ac-
tivlty by this department.
The encampment of sailors and SOL
dlers a sundrN naval bases and army
camps on the seaboard. throughout
all OF the past year bringing within
our borders an increase Of nearly 20
per cent of Virginia population and
the inevitable strain upon local au-
thorities has made the enforcement
OF the law in Alexandria, Hopewell,
Petersburg. Richmond, Newport
News, Norfolk, Portsmouth and ad-
1acent communities exceedingly diffi-
cult, and any criticism Of local con-
stabuiary in these communities. which
does not contemplate the abnormal
conditions Is very unjust. These Of
hcers really deserve much credit for
the order which has been maintained
under circumstances suddenly thrust
upon them and for which they were
so III prepared. have given excep-
ionai assistance TO these communj-
ties at the expense Of other communi~
ties where conditions were normal
Drug Stores.
The number of drug stores re-
mains substantially az last year
nave not, therefore. listed them by
counties and cities as in my last re-
port. and as they were all inspected
twice last year and as my force is
depleted have inspected all of them.
but once this year; when complaint
or suspicion arose ] have promptly
inspected the stores in question more
than once as occasion required.
Many of the drug stores, notably in
Petersburg and Alexandria. which
took out licenses to sell ardent spirits
on physicians prescription have
abandoned the privilege on account
Of its unprofitahleness and vexation.
There are very few druggists who will
consent under amy circumstances to
-disucnse ardent spirits They say that
! M4ekey has sbeen taken out of the
national pharmacbpias. that ii is not
necessary as medicine and that they
do not care to be vexed with Ii. They
further say. and very justly. think.
II one druggist in a town or city con-
sents to dispense 1t, that this gives
him competitive advantage over
those who for professional and ethi-
cat reasons will not dispense ii, Like
wise many physicians who never pre-
scribe IT, feel that il prescriptions for
ardent spirits may legally be filled IL
is unfair to them, because of their
competitors Swhs have. no scrupIes
about prescribe It. but in tho minority
who do are many noble honorabl
men who feel that IL in vital In a few
cases But the profession as a whole
II improving and Virginia is rapidly
approaching time when she will not
longer recognize In whiskev any
medicinal value. There was no drug
store between LSnchburg on the West.
SUFFOLK on the East and Washington,
u. c. on the North. Emp.ria on the
south. wherein prescy ipfion could
legally be filled. and in this vast ter
ritory there was great irritation
among the people and a few of the.
physicians. because of the inconveni-
ence OF obtaining ardent spirits on
prescriptions. I. therefore. reluctant
~ approved the application of drug
gist in Richmond for a license from
the court This applicant was highly
endorsed by the profession and + have
never found him indifferent TO any
suggestion | have made him. His
business has been closely checked and
observed by this department and he
has fully complied with the law. But
! am satisfied from this experiment
that the law is abused by some ply
sicians who will almost invariably pre-
scribe quart OF whiskey when only
a gill or less IL required for the pur-
pose, and many physicians fear from
mistaken kindness, yield to the i'm
portunittes OF their patients for whis-
key. when II ia not really neces-
sary. This abuse is very hard to lo-
cate and equally difYicult to restrain. |
l have sent circular letters to physi- !
clans calling their attention to the
shirts OF the law. but I am discour. |
aged and feel that unless abuses stop
this convenience should not be re- !