The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-09-22
RETAIL D R j c
GROUP SHOWS
GROWTH
Association, Formed in 1898,
Devotes Itself to Pub
lie Service

The National Association OF Re
tail Druggists, now holding In
Washington the, largest convention
In its twenty-six years Of activity
as an organization, was formed tt
protect the interests Of the public
aIc to throw every possible safe
guard about the retail pharmacists.
1t was organized in st. Louis
Mo-, in\the fall of 1898. At that
time the weakest link in the chain
Of organization in the drug field
was that of the retailer.
The American Pharmaceutical
Association had then been in exits
tcnce for almost a half century and
while much had been accomplished
for pharmacy and the drug trade
through that organization, its stand
upon controversial matters existing
between various branches Of the
drug trade was necessary neutral.
Prior to the birth Of the National
Association Of Retail Druggists, the
National Wholesale Druggists AS.
ISOLATION, the Proprietary Associa,
ton Of America and the American
Drug Manufacturers Association
came into existence.
Unsuccessful Attempts.
There were then several unsuc
eessful efforts made to organize the
retail drug business until 1t became
increasingly apparent that the re
taileFs were at a decided disad
vantage in their dealings with the
manufacturers and wholesalers be
cause Of their lack Of organization
The lot Of the retailer fell from
had to worse and then, to cap the
climax, came the imposition Of the
stomp tax upon proprietary medi
c!nes and toilet articles, during the
Spanish.American war period.
The entire burden Of this war tai
fell upon the retailer. It proved t
be the lest straw, being quickly fol
lowed by a call for the st. Louis
meeting which resulted in the eff
fecting Of the permanent organlza
ton.
The outstanding figure Of the or
ganization in its early days was thu
late Simon N. Jones, Of Louisville
KY, now known as 1.-THE Grand
Old Man Of the N. A. r. D."
The organization meeting was
held in connection with the annual
meetings Of the National Wholesale
Druggists Association and the Pro
prietary Association OF America
meeting in the some city. The re-
suit was a series of joint confer
ences which paved the way for q
lasting friendship and harmonious
relations between the retail trade
group and the Blder wholesale or.
CARNATIONS.
Equal Prices.
The first step taken looked to.
ward the Standardization Of prices
which had fallen to disastrousIy
low levels Though the uncontfolled
policy Of cut41hroat sales and I'm,
principled competition. The three
branches of thu trade entered into
an agreement, at this organiZatio
meeting not to- sell to those who
would not maintain the established
retail price.
This agreement to enforce the
maintenance of resale pricas was
later dissolved by the courts and &
restraint order issued to put an enc
to this method Of price control. Eff
forts are now being made TO legaIIze
this form Of control and the asso
citation Is now preparing a cam
paign to secure from Congress legis
lation to this end.
The association. soon after its
organization, began the publication
Of Monthly Therapeutic Topics" tC
further the prestige of pharmacy
and to educate the physician tC
wider use OF pharmaceutical
products.
More than ten years ago, the as
ISOLATION joined hands with other
pharmaceutical bodies in an effor:
to put to an end the abuses that had
grown up in the distribution and
use of narcotic drugs. This led
to the organization Of the National
Drug Trade Conference, which drew
up and secured the passage by Con
gress of the Harrison anti.narcotic
law.
Since the enactment of the Harri
son law the association has main
tanned constant vigil over the en-
forcement Of the act.
When the United States entered
the world war. the association sue
ceeded in having the tax which was
Immediately applied to proprietary
medicines and toilet articles imposed
upon the consumer, rather than
the retailer and also succeeded in
having these taxes repealed among
the first Of the war taxes with
drawn at the close Of the war.
The passage of the national. pro
h1bltlon act created many serious
problems for the association. The