The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-09

aggregate about thirteen thousand pages in the va
rious States, with about five hundred pages more OF
Congressional work, u volume OF legislation from
which the courts are to fish out the unconstitutional
after an infinite amount OF mis-
chief and violation OF rights has been done.
Mr. Sterne attributed the backwardncss OF our ma
teral development to the fact that have allowed
private legislation TO assume such huge proportions
that special interests created themselves into
monopolies, which in their turn have con-
troll of our legislative halls. and directly
and indirectly tax the community at their
own sweet will. There is much hope for us. he
said the fact that have not exered ourselves as
yet to remedy this evil. unconscious OF its source
Since the organization of our government we have
improved i'll all other things We have carried divi-
sion of employments further than it is done else
where; we make cotton cloths machinery, watches.
pianos well as aud better than anywhere
on the face OF the earth. But IN legisla.
tion-the most important and farreaching
Of all occupations to society-we are still in u
cross road country store condition whose proprietor
sells silks and molasscs the counter; does
little cobbing and little doctorng is in cor
ner Of his store druggist and in another halter
AS civilization and population increase these func-
tons become the business OF many indi-
viduas. each ono performed with greater
skill than this crossroad country storekeeper
attended to them all. Thus with legislation.
Assuming IL to be well mentioned, which is violent
assumption, in many cases it is cross-road leeis-
ation, and its consequences are to be found in the
wasting of our resources in the over-taxng of our
communities, in the trampling upon private rights
and in the confusion of the moral sense of the COM
munity by giving to spoliation and coniscation the
form of law which, but tor this government of legal
justification. would be recognized unmitigated
robbery.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
Mr. George I. Ange Of this city, read an interest
ing paper on Public Health Associations" After
eminent the sale OF poisonous medicines drugs
he said Perhaps no stronger evidence of the COM
paratve freedom in this country can be adduccd than
that millions of dollars worth Of quack medicines.
which respectable physician would prescribe
are widely sold; that most dangerous poisons
be bought at hundreds of places in any of our
large cities, without restriction, and that it was
shown to a committee Of the Massachusetts, Legis
la<,,r in Eorv hat f,a thrae
hundred ignorant and uneducatcd persons
practising medicine ut that time in the city of
were on the doors or walls Of houses OF ill-repute
Speaking of the adulteration of milk Mr.. Angel said
thousands T Of gallons. and probably hundreds Of
thousands are sold in our cities which have
passed through large tins or watts in which it has
been mixed with various substances am told
that after being drawn from these watts 1t tastes
better and will keep longer than pure milk. Re-
cepts for the mixture can be bought by new
mikmen from old on payment of the required
I am assured, upon what believe to be
reliable authority that thousands OF gallons OF So
called milk have been and probably are. sold In this
city which do not contain one drop Of the genuine
article Probably this kind is principally sold to the
After still further celebrating the authorizations Of
milk. butter, meats, &C.. the essayist proceeded to
discuss the WINE ahE SnS hsr me "ss
has become common in ladies' dresses, in wells. in
sewing silks. in threads in artificial dow
gloves, in hat Innings, IN Innings Of boots
and shoes, in paper collars. in colored enameed
cloths and doubtless in many other articles. child
in Troy N. Y. recently died in commissions by TAX
ing arsenic from a green veil thrown over its
crib to keep off the flies. He had moth
ing but the severest penalties to recommend
for those dealers who, in ninetynin cases out OF
hundred. would prefer to sell dishonest goods and
enrich only those manufacturers and adulterators
some of whom regardless of the laws OF God and man,
little if any better than the pirates that plumber
our ships on the ocean, or the highwaymen who rob
and murder the land. Laws should be enacted
aud enforced prohibiting the manufacture and sale of
these poisonous and dangerous articles under
penalties. and compelling the manufacturers and
sellers OF adulerated articles to tell buyers the pre-
else character OF the authorizations.
ELECTION OFFICERS.
The following officers were elected for 1875
Prtsident-Daniel e. Gilmore, OF Baltimore
vce Observation-Disclosures Pierce. OF Cambridge;
H. y. Lee, of Philadelphia; +. d. Woolsey,
of New Haven; NJ. b. Anderson, Of Roches-
ter j. NJ. Bernard, of Boston; j. W.
White of Wyoming; Isaac Sherman, of New York;
Rufus King, Of CINCINNATI w. II. Rutfner, of Rich
mond, Va; H. L. Trenholm, OF Charleston, S. c.
characterization A. Hill, of Boston
The nomination OF secretary was referred to the
Executive Committee. Mr.. Sanborne declines q re-
election.