The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-22

that DR.. Ohage is possessed of the belief
that the Gil b . has been animated by
PERSONAL Ill will against him In its recent
criticism. He Is mistaken. His person
ality entered no more into the blame than
1t did into the praise which we have ex-
tended to him In his official character,
DR.. Ohage Is the responsible head OF the
health department.. That department, in
it's treatment of the dairymen, who re-
Gently defended their rights as citizens
with such success in the supreme court,
has been mantfestiy and painfully un-
just. This even DR.. Ohage will not now
deny. Having placed these men In the
attitude OF being willing to endanger the
public health through serving impure
milk, rather than consent to submit their
cattle to inspection, that department did
them the further wrong by published
statements imputed to It's officials Of
compelling them to publicly defend them
selves against the charge that they had
endeavored to practice imposture on the
department and the public by themselves
injecting tuberculin into their cattle. All
of this the G o e regarded with aston
ishment; but, recognizing In DR.. Ohage
an official who had rendered positive serv-
ices Of great value to the public In diff
ferent directions, and as an upright and
honorable gentleman In private and pub
Tic life, it reserved its judgment, and still
maintained its belief in his good faith
When, however, a list of the milkmen
who had consented to Experimentation
In ALL against ninety-siX whose cattle
had been inspected without their con-
sent-was presented at this office for pub
lication, with the sanction Of the health
department, and its publication strenu-
ously insisted upon, as representing the
only dairymen In the city who were en-
titled to the public patronage on account
of the unquestionable purity of their milk.
there was no conclusion left to the
G o but that Dr. Ohage was an active
party IN the courses pursued, and that
in his official character he was as little
entitled to respect or confidence as any
of the past masters In the questionable
arts of politics who now control in the
name of the Republican party every other
department In city and county govern
ment. Such q conclusion was inevitable
in the light Of the bold and entirely dis
ingenious methods resorted to toward
the recalcitrant dairymen, both by the
health department officials and the city
comptroller. The intense earnestness of
DR.. Ohage in his disavowal satisfies
the G 70 9 that he has been made to
bear the burden of others offending. That
the dairynen who refused to pay inspcc-
ton fees have been deeply wronged il
indisputable. If the G b e, in resent
ment or their wrongs. INDUCED In too
sweeping condemnation by identifying
the head of the health department with
the dishonorable, oppressive and tricky
methods which distinguish public admin
istration in this community, 1t deeply re-
grets the circumstance. We believe that
in mistaken official zeal DR.. Ohage has
been imposed on, and has been misfed
into unfair and injurious treatment of a
deserving class of our citizens. The full
est consideration Of the entire unfor-
tunate affair satisfies the G o b that
the health commissioner is personally
now no less entitled to the confidence of
the community in his official conduct and
character than heretofore. We sincerely
hope to find ample occasion in the future,
as we have in the past. to certify unqual-
ifiedly our faith in his high ability and
great zeal in the advancement through
his official position OF the public welfare.