AFebSyfSr-}  Pharmacy  Legislation.  69 
legislature  when  any  opposition  is  manifested.  Assuming  that  this 
assemblage  is  more  interested  in  practical  results  than  in  literary 
composition,  and  at  the  risk  of  being  prosy,  the  writer  will  attempt 
to  formulate  a  simple  plan  of  campaign  which,  in  his  opinion,  should 
be  followed  by  those  who  attempt  to  procure  the  enactment  of  a 
pharmacy  law. 
LEGISLATION  SHOULD  BE  UNDER  CONTROL  OF  THE  STATE  ASSOCIATION. 
Without  stopping  to  argue  the  point,  it  is  taken  for  granted  that 
the  State  pharmaceutical  association  should  assume  the  initiative, 
and  should  have  full  control  and  direction  of  all  legislation  affecting 
pharmacy.  This  organization  is  properly  regarded  as  representing 
the  best  elements  of  the  profession *in  the  State,  and  as  probably 
expressing  in  the  measures  prepared  by  it  the  consensus  of  opinion 
of  the  druggists  of  the  commonwealth,  and  its  representatives,  if 
they  proceed  discreetly,  will  be  accorded  a  degree  of  attention  by 
legislatures  and  by  legislative  committees  that  individuals  or  local 
societies  could  not  expect  to  receive. 
AROUSING  THE  INTEREST  OF  THE  STATE  ASSOCIATION. 
The  first  great  effort  should  be  to  thoroughly  enlist  the  State 
association  in  favor  of  the  proposed  measure.  This  can  best  be  ac- 
complished by  calling  a  special  session  for  the  express  purpose  of 
considering  a  draft  of  the  law,  at  which  session  all  other  business 
should  be  tabooed.  Preferably  this  meeting  should  be  held  just 
before  or  just  after  the  opening  of  the  State  legislature,  in  order 
that  the  measure  approved  by  the  association  may  be  put  in  in  time 
to  secure  a  good  position  on  the  calendar. 
The  draft  should  be  presented  to  the  association  by  some  one 
who  has  made  a  thorough  study  of  its  provisions,  and  is  therefore 
qualified  to  answer  the  objections  which  will  invariably  be  raised  by 
those  who  have  not  studied  it,  and  will  naturally  want  to  know 
why  this  or  that  provision  has  been  inserted  or  omitted.  Gener- 
ally the  association's  endorsement  can  be  obtained  with  very  little 
discussion,  but  as  the  prime  object  of  the  meeting  is  educational, 
the  fullest  possible  debate  should  be  encouraged.  The  draft  should 
be  read  and  discussed  by  sections,  and  every  person  present  should 
be  invited  to  participate,  so  that  every  member  shall  go  home  an 
advocate  for  the  bill,  and  prepared  to  meet  and  answer  the  objec- 
tions which  may  be  brought  against  it. 
