The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-01-12

only such legislation as there ia no pub
4 lie sentiment to support. Such was thu
! platform OF the party that prevailed at oul
: last election. II was clearly announced
and emphatically endorsed. There should
a be, therefore, an immediate enactment o.
\ efficient measures to prevent and sup
!. press the evils Of intemperanCe, including
, the Imposition Of tax upon the business
, wherever carried on, The eo-Called Scott
/ law was wise provision Of this ChAraC,
ter. The decision Of the Supreme Court
, declaring 1t unconstitutional was founded
on only one feature OF the statute, The
constitutional right to impose the tax was
. not, and cannot be successfully ques.
toned. The difficulty Is removed by sim
ply emitting the Objectionable feature.
Such measure has the merit Of being
practical; no constitutional amendment
q necessary; 1t is immediate in its bsne-
titsi public sentiment will uphold and
enforce 1t; 1t will greatly diminish the
number OF places where this business is
carried on, and II wisely administered it
will in large degree suppress the evils OF
all, and at the same time yield q much
needed revenue and leave the people free
to deal with 1t further as they may ulti.
mately see ht,
Il THE CANALS,
There has been much said recently, Of
Gcially and otherwise, in favor Of selling,
leasing, or in some way abandoning the
canals, The ground for this Is alleged
economy, the fact being relied upon to
maintain the claim that the receipts from
this source are less than the expenditures,
1t iR always both right and duty To be
economical in private as we'll as public
ahairs, but 1t does not follow that all
should be done that may be asked In the
name OF this virtue. To determine
whether or not economy requires the
abandonment Of the canals you should
look beyond the receipts and expendl-
lures Oh their account, II must be re-
membered that there are millions Of dol
lara invested 10 manufacturing establish
nents that have been built up along their
banks because OF the cheap transportation
and valuable water power they afford,
from which property the State derives a
large annual income by taxation. By
there industries thousands Of labor.
ers are given remuneratiye employ.
ment and all the surrounding
farm property 10 greatly enhanced
in value by the home market thus created
Tor agricultural products. There Is also
established large domestic commerce,
and there Is oCcasioned a vast Cheapening
oil the rates OF freight transportation that
Ia felt not simply along the lines OF these
waterways but throughout the State. The
abandonment Of the canals would mean
IN y large measure the loss OF all this, and
such loss could hardly be overestimsted,
1t is manifest that 1t would bs many timss
greater than the difference between the
sacetps and expenditures referred TO
above.
IL this be true, 1t would be we'll to stop
inch discussion by Btraigirtway putting
our canals in thoroughly good repair and
tirst.claSs order In every respect and caus.
ing II 10 be distinctly known that they are
not to be sold, abandoned or given away,
but permanently continued. Such pol.
icy will involve some expenditure Of
money, but 1t will be true economy to
spend 1t. There would not be full value re.
teived In the improvements made, but
the assurance OF permanency thus given
would infuse new lilo and development
into all the business upon and along these
lines that would b. oil far greater benefit.
There has been q special effort to secure
the abandonment Of that portion OF the
Miami canal that extends east from
Brighton into Cincinnati. II Is com
planned Of as unhealthy, and the charge is
made that all kinds Of filth and impurities
are cast into 1t. II is sid II 10 unSightly,
and Of but little general utility. Il has
oeen urged that railroad or a boulevard
should be- substituted. It Is true that this
portion OF this canal Is made the recep.
sacle Of much filth and impurity, but all |
this can, and ought to DO prevented By the
health and poliCo officers. II the law
does not now require this oil them Il |
should be amended so as to do so. With
proper watchfulness In this respect and
With only moderate expenditures for re-.
pairs and improvements, this portion oil
this canal can BIZ made clean, healthy
and pleasing terminal for an important
commerce, and rs such Of the greatest
utility and value, not only to Cincinnati |
but TO all who ship to that port.
The duty OF the health officers, above
spoken OF, with respect to the canal, and
the important service Ia the public which
1t is In their power to fender, is typical OF
the Importance to the State at large, Of q
r STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
As we grow in population, the necessi. |
ty for such board increases. Our gen,
eral Danitary condition 10 always impor.
tant, but 1t is probably more than usually
so at this particular time. For In addition
70 tho ordinary Infectious and Contagious
diseases to which we are constantly Ak.
posed, there are many who fear We will
be visited by cholera during the coming
summer. Others think there is no such |
danger. But however this may be, Il IA
both prudent and duty to provide as |
well al possible against probable danTefS,
Tor the protection Of the life and health OF |
the people. 1t Is bad policy to DELAY
such legislation until emergencies agGlnst
which Il would provide shall have aPisen.
Such board ought to 10 created at once.
1t should be given q general supervision |
Of the public health, have authority to |
adopt and enIofee proper quarantine re.
gllati0n5, when necessary, and BIO afford. |
cd facilities for studying and aacertaining
the cause. Of the disease and 10 provide |
for their abatement and removal.
They should also in like manner be |
empowered Ia nfetept and proinote he |
health and Lie Of the stock Of the State, |
Our farmers annually sustain great loeses |
from liseRse Of cattle, hUrues, hogs and |
and sheep that might BIO avoided, at least
In large. part, through the knowledge OF |
such diseases and the proper mode OF treat. |
ment that would be ascsrtained and diSse.
minated by such board
An investigation pt thls subject will dis.
close. the fact that there are many import |
ant duties that might he appropriately en-.
trusted 10 such an authority.
The several matters that have been men.
toned are not all that will need attention,
But they are all 1t is deemed necessary 10 /
speak Of at present. Should occasion
seem 10 require u other communication
will be her6AttermRds 10 you. II Is de.
sired, however, to express the confident
hope that In all your deliberations and