Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
April,  19 1 9. 
Editorial. 
193 
It  is  doubtful  if  the  authors  of  disparagements  often  give  any 
thought  whatever  to  the  influence  of  their  adverse  criticisms.  Their 
reflections  are  not  very  creditable  to  the  teachers  in  the  pharmacy 
schools  who  for  several  generations  gave  their  lives  and  services  to 
the  elevation  of  the  profession  nor  to  those  of  the  present  genera- 
tion who  are  continuing  their  effort.  How  can  pharmacists  expect 
to  gain  the  respect  of  others  so  long  as  pharmacists  do  not  respect 
their  own  position  in  society?  How  can  pharmacy  hope  for  the 
dignity  and  recognition  from  the  other  professions  when  in  its  own 
societies  and  journals  the  claims  to  such  are  discredited?  How 
many  promising  youths  with  laudable  ambitions  for  professional 
careers  have  been  driven  from  pharmacy  by  these  disparagers  ? 
The  importance  of  pharmacy  to  the  nation  has  even  been  minimized 
before  the  departments  of  the  government  by  unnecessary  and  un- 
called for  slurs. 
No  nation  can  exist  for  any  length  of  time  when  the  love  of 
country  and  patriotism  is  destroyed.  No  municipality  can  develop 
into  an  industrial,  commercial  or  educational  city  of  importance 
where  civic  pride  is  lacking.  Similarly  no  vocation,  either  trade  or 
profession,  can  expect  satisfactory,  progressive  elevation  without 
pride  in  its  accomplishments  and  whole  souled  support  of  its  votaries. 
Pharmaceutical  progress  demands  rational  constructive  criticism,  a 
change  in  tack,  and  adherence  to  a  chart  devoid  of  disparagements. 
G.  M.  B. 
THE  REVENUE  BILL  OF  1918. 
After  months  of  debate,  discussion  and  conference  the  Revenue 
Act  of  1 91 8  was  enacted  by  Congress  and  by  Presidential  approval 
became  operative  on  February  25,  191 9,  and  while  some  of  its  tax 
provisions  are  made  operative  at  fixed  dates  thereafter  the  main 
feature,  namely  the  income  tax  which  again  commits  the  Federal 
Government  to  an  extensive  system  of  direct  taxation,  is  retroactive. 
By  amending  the  title  of  the  Bill  by  the  addition  of  the  phrase 
"  and  for  other  purposes  "  Congress  legalized  the  introduction  of 
radical  legislation  entirely  foreign  to  the  main  purpose  of  the  meas- 
ure. The  question  of  prohibition,  with  its  recurring  battles  between 
the  "  wets '  and  the  "  drys  "  should  have  been  fought  out  in  some 
other  way  than  by  the  introduction  of  "jokers"  and  questionable 
legislation  in  such  an  important  measure  as  the  main  revenue  law. 
