The suburban citizen., 1900-07-28
THE HEALTH OFFICE NOW BEING ADMINS
TERED BY Ar1ATEURS.
Darymen, Druggists, Cattle Dealers and Other
Business Men Being Needlessly Prose
Cuted and Prosecuted.

There is nothing at all surprising in
the fact that a large number Of the
business men of the District Of Co
lumbia are dissatisfied with the man
ner in which the affairs Of the Health
Office are at present administered. IN
deed, on the other hand, there would
be marked occasion for surprise if such
were not the case, and the well-known
and influential gentlemen who are at
the head Of the 1ourlshing dairy and
cattle interests of the District would
appear in the uneuyiable position in
which Mark Antony with admirable
irony declared himself to be upon the
occasion Of Caesars tragic taking off
namely, men without faction, utter
ance or the power of speech" There
Is. however. absolutely no warrant for
such an assumption, for it is well
known that the dairy and cattle men
of Washington and the several pros
porous suburban sections in which
they are represented are not only dis
tinguished for their BUSINESS activity,
but for their intelligent expression Of
opinion with respect to all questions
which affect the public welfare.
Standing together as a factor in the
community whose interests must be
considered with due care in the enact
ment OF laws Of general application, it
necessarily follows that the reckoning
must be of a much more painstaking
character when statutory steps which
strike directly a the business in
which they are engaged are proposed.
They feel that the District Health Of
ficer has aimed at them a blow which,
if it be permitted to fall, will have the
effect not only of permanently Grip
pling them i'm the pursuit of the legitt-
mate business in which they are en-
gagged, but OF creating mOnopolistic
conditions from which the people Of
the city will find it extremely difficult
to free themselves No question at
this time is raised as to the sincerity
of DR.. Woodward in proposing the new
dairy law. Admitting for the moment
that his purpose Is to protect and pro-
mote the health of the people Of the
District, the fact stands forth in terms
so plain that he who runs may read
that the bill strikes hard at an indus
try with which no fault worthy Of
serious attention, so far MS the pro-
duclng dairy men and the cattle men
are concerned, has heretofore been
found. A careful reading of the bill
will satisfy any fair-minded man that
its passage would result in ruin to the
darymen and cattlemen.
1t cannot be denied that some of the
provisions of Mr.. WoOdward's propOs-
ed law are all right, but there is not
one among them with which the pro-
ducing dairymen of the District and
suburban sections are not now COM
plying. They are selling pure and
wholesome milk, and their places Of
business are now, and were long be-
fore DR.. woodward took charge of the
Health Office, open for inspection by
any competent employee of the depart
ment or by any citizen. No complaint
has been filed against them 10y their
numerous customers. On the contra
ry. hundreds of families who are daily
supplied by them are satisfied with the
service rendered and are ready to offer
their testimony as to its excellence.
Inasmuch, therefore, as the local
darymen are uninfluenced by COM
pusOry mandates, seeking to promote
sanitary conditions IN the pfOSecu-
ton of their business which will at all
times insure the health of their pat
rons, it is difficult to see why Dr.
Woodward should insist upon the pas
sage of the bill to regulate the pro-
duction and sale of milk and cream
in and for the District OF Columbia.
The solution of the problem becomes
still more difficult when It is re-
membered that it is decidedly to
the interest of the producers to
keep the standard of lacteal stock-in-
trade, 50 to speak at the highest pos
sible point. Were they dispensing un-
wholesome milk no inspector from the
Health Office would he needed to as
certain that fact, for the sad but all
sufficient reason that the grewsOme
record of their work would be written
by the bony hand of Death. It is pos
sible, to be sure, in the course of years
OF traffic in an indispensable article of
food, in which hundreds of people are
engaged, to find here and there an in
diyidual in whose ears the tinkling of