76 THE ALUMNI JOURNAL 



Progress however demands, that while followhig tlie paths of 

 honor and courage, we discontinue long roads and take short cuts 

 to the. goal. 



That is where the brain-work conies in. To accomplish some- 

 thing l)etter than our neighbor does, with less effort and less waste. 



I would charge you, gentlemen, to take an interest in pul^lic 

 affairs, especially matters pertaining to your profession. You are 

 more or less public servants, the same as the physician and the 

 lawver. Your duties and responsibilities are intimately associated 

 with the public health, and as such in a great measure are regulated 

 by statute. Many wise regulations are made and many unwise 

 ones attempted, and if you find the principles, which govern such 

 regulations, are truly fraternal to your l:)rother pharmacists and act 

 unitedly, the public and the profession will benefit. 



Under the common law any person could practice pharmacy, 

 sell drugs and medicines. Any control, that was exercised over the 

 profession, was exercised solely by custom of the public and not by 

 virtue of law. Our National and State constitution provide, that no 

 l)crson shall be deprived of life, liberty or property without due 

 ])rocess of law. The right to practice pharmacy is a property 

 right. Involved in the right to own property, is the right to sell 

 and barter it, and when the owner is deprived of that right, he is 

 deprived of his property within the meaning of the constitution. 

 A person can only be deprived of that right by what is known as 

 the Police power of the State, and it is under this Police power of 

 the State, that the practice of Pharmacy is regulated. The Police 

 power however, can only be invoked to protect the public health, 

 public morals and public safety. Therefore, if the legislature en- 

 acts a law depriving a person of his property, or one of the incidents 

 of his property, such as regulating the sale of medicines and poisons 

 under the guise of protecting the public health, such is invalid un- 

 less it really tends to promote or protect the public health, public 

 morals or the public safety. 



Having these principles in mind, it is your duty to unite with 

 vour brother pharmacists in securing the enactment of just and ap- 

 propriate laws, and in opposing unjust and unwise legislation af- 

 fecting your profession. 



In the City of New York, to-day, there are at least 15 or 20 

 drug and pharmaceutical clubs and societies, some acting in har- 

 mony with others and some in discord. It remains for some pub- 

 lic spirited man in your profession to unite these different clubs and 

 associations in one central organization. Such an organization 

 would have tremendously more weight than the dozen small ones, 

 and it would be a potent factor in securing the enactment of fair 

 legislation in the interest of pharmacy and the public health, and 

 in suppressing the many vicious stabs, that are annually made at 

 your profession. {To be Continued.) 



