New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-12
THR PEOPLES COLUMN.

TAE PEOPLES COLUMN.
brief Communications Pubhshed-Lon.
Ones Invariably Rejected-IAe Editor no
Responsible for the Sentiments Expresses
| IN the Communications.
Communicated
Public Wnrkets vs.. Private or Free Mar
kets.
In an article Published in the REPUBLI
CAN on Tuesday last, a writer over the sig
nature OF I'D. P" attempts to prejudice the
public mind against the private markets by
pleading that they endanger the public
health, and to strengthen his arguments
cites call the larger cities of Europe and
America-London, Paris, Berlin. Vienna
and others instances where the sale of
meats and vegetables are strictly confined
to public markets. SO that they can be
properly guarded by public officials.
This writer certainly exhibits either q la
mentable amount OF ignorance of both the
laws of this State and the customs of the
cities he mentions or bare faced effrontery
and contemptuaus opinion Of the public he
&s"GAoSoCo ~ eAo OAPCOeo W 10 cuOOCo540A ~
palming off his statements for facts.
For he should. and doubtless does know.
that the laws OF this State have made
ample provisions for the protection of the
citiZ an from the sale Of unwhOlesOme food,
by any person or persons whatever. by tho
establishment. with full powers to act in
all necessary cases, of the Board OF
Health. He should be aware chat this
board is composed of men who are in overy
way competent to perform their duties,
and who, during the last five years in par
ticular, have elected the highest praise for
the energy, talent and devotion they have
displayed. He should also know that this
board would close up in twenty four hours
any private market in which decayed or
unsosnd meats or other food were exposed
for sale, and would also cause the keeper
thereof to be severely punished. He should
also be aware that to THU, board is exclu-
sively intrusted the supervis ion of all mar.
kets with a view to their sanitary condi-
ton, and that to il, and not to city officials,
is due the credit when such places are
clearly kept.
And he must have travelled very little in
Europe or America" or sojourned but
brief while in the ''large cities" he mentions
if he did not discover that private markets
were as plentiful as they are here, in Lion
don, Paris, Berlin, Vienna and others.' and
that they were patronized oven more
literally.
Here we see that this volunteer aid of
Mr.. Turnbull and the jessees of the public
markets is either very ignorant (which We
do not believe) or very much inclined to
manufacture the facts to suit his case,
which is very probable.
Why does he not openly tell the public
that the Board of Health can not be relied
upon to perform its duty! That il there is
not the greatest openness in the exposure
for sale OF meats, vegetables and other ar,i-
cles Of food, there will be daily infraceions
of the law winked at and covered up by
the health officers; that, in fact, the only
honest dealers In the city are those who
have stalls in the public markets-a set of
men who know more of its sanitary necessi-
ties than any legally constituted body Of
men can, and who must, because they keep
stalls in the public markets, be above sus.
picion:
Why does he not, also, cite hundreds of
cases, nay, even one case. where the keeper
of a private market has ever been charged
with selling unwholesome meats or yegeta.
bles! And furthermore, let him produce a !
single petition signed by the surrounding
property holders against the continuance
Of one private market in any neighborhood.
This would be q kind of work that he !
1ares not engage in. or We are much mis-. |
taken, for he has weak ease to work up,
and he knows it better than anybody else. |
He therefore prefers to excite base!ess |
prejudice than to attempt to prove facts.
We tell him and all other aiders and |
abettors of this monstrous scheme against |
he public interests. that before they can !
expect even to have the approval Of their J
'wn consciences in abolishine the private |
markets, they must disprove the following
acts:
That private markets have existed in this
y
'een closed by the Board of Health, or any
ther authority, for violating its regulations
r the sanitary laws.
That the meats, fish, vegetables and fruits
old in them DO not compare favorsbly with
hose sold elsewhere.
That a single case Of cholera. or other
isease. has ever been proved to have been
from one Of them.
That they are not generally kept az clean
? as the public market stalls.
That they do not improve the value Of
roperty in districts remote from the public
larkets.
That they are not popular with all who
ave no desire to make money by forming
ring to get them out OF the way.
And lastly. that as the public markets are
lready sold fo. tits year, the city would
My lose money by their being abolished.
MEAT AND PROVISION DEALERS.
What the Grand Master Snys.