Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-24
AN ANT|-SP|T TING LAW
Hearing Upon Proposed Reg
ulation Given Today.
BOTH SIDES HEARD
RESOLUTION RECENTLY ADOPTED
BY BOARD OF TRADE.
Arguments For and Against the Meas
ure-Commissioners to Come
to Conclusion Later.

| The District Commissioners today granted
| a hearing to the committee on public
| health of the Washington Board of Trade,
in advocacy Of a regulationu which would
prevent splitting on the sidewalks OF the
District. The committee was supported in
its advocacy Of the proposed measure by
| a large number of representative physt-
clans. business men and ladies. Three gen.
tlemen appeared in opposition to the sug-
| gested legislation.
| The form of the proposed amendment to
| the police regulations as read by Com
missioner Mcfarland at the beginning Of
| the hearing, is as follows:
| Section SO. No person shall expectorate
| or spit in or upon any paved sidewalk or
| foot path in the District of Columbia. or on
| any part of any street railway car, or other
| public vehicle carrying passengers for hire.
| or in or upon any part of any public build
| ing under the control of the Commissioners
Of the District of Columbia. Street railway
companies, and the other public vehicles
carrying passengers for hire. shall keep
poster conspicuously in each and every one
| of their cars and public vehicles notice for
bidding expectorating or splitting.
| Section a. Any person violating any of
| the provisions Of any section of this article
| a penalty for which Is not heretofore pro-
| vided, shall. on conviction thereof, be pun
| ished by fine of not less than one dollar
| nor more than forty dollars for each Of
tense.
DIR. Hickling's Comment.
| The hearing was conducted by DR.. D.
| Percy Hickling. chairman of the committee
| Of the Board Of Trade, which had re-
| quested the opportunity for public state
ment Of facts in connection with the de-
| sired regulation Dr. Nckling said the re-
| quest for the regulation was part of a set
| tied plan undertaken by the Board of
| Trade to prevent the spread Of consumption
| in this city. Every one, he said. admitted
| that splitting Is a filthy habit, and all agree
| that the practice Of expectorating on the
| sidewalks and streets should be stopped.
| There was some difference Of opinion as to
| the manner Of stopping 1t, however, he said.
| The chairman then referred to the facts
| that have been adduced by scientific re-
| search showing that the spread Of con-
sumption Is largely due to the promiscuous
expectoratiOn of persons afflicted with the
| disease. He spoke of the increase Of con-
| sumption from year to year, and declared
| that one Of the best means of checking this
| increase was to prevent splitting on the
| sidewalks. The germ Of consumption Is
| long lived. It Is not affected by the or
| binary temperatures Of the atm osphere, nor
| by dampness nor dryness. When dry the
| germ floats in the air and Is breathed into
| the lungs producing pulmonary tubercu-
| losis
! Dr. Hicklfng said he would divide the ad-
| vocates Of the regulation into two classes
|
| laymen were many prominent business peo-
| pie and good citizens, who would speak for
| the cleanliness of the city, while the others
| would speak Of the danger lurking in ex-
| pectoration. DIR. Hickling first introduced
Mr.. NJ. l. Weller who appeared as mem
| Der of the Board of Trade and also as vice
president of the East Washington Citizens
Association. Mr.. Weller said he did not
| see how the Commissioners, the representa-
| tives of the people, could resist the over
| whelming sentiment that has been develop
| ed in favor of the anti-spitting regulation.
| He said the proposed measure was well
| worth trial. If In years time the law
was not a success, it could easily be re-
| pealed.
Resolution From the Board Of Trade.
Mr.. W. NJ Shuster, assistant secretary
| of the Board of Trade. presented resolu-
ton adopted by the board some time ago,
| directing the committee on public health
| to use its best endeavors to secure the pre-
| vention, by law. of expectoration on the
| sidewalks Mr.. Shuster spoke of the adop-
| ton of the regulation in other cities and
read in detail the laws on the subject in
| the cities of New York and Philadelphia.
| The proposed regulation, he showed. was
| in the power of the Commissioners and was
demanded by decency, good health and
cleanliness
| of Trade and president of the North Capitol
| and lexington Citizens Association, was
| next heard Mr.. Henderson asked why a
! few iAconsiderate people should be allowed
| to do that which would Inconvenience and
| jeopardize the health of the many. He de-
| clared there was no reason why any one
should spit upon the sidewalks. as the
street cutters were but few steps away.
| He referred to the fact that the Commits
sioners had promulgated regulations against
| the dropping of offal in the streets and
| against the scattering of waste paper.
] Clearly the anti-spitting regulation was as
| much required as were the measures re-
| ferred to.
| II have yet to hear a word" he con-
| tnued, ''in favor of allowing free expecto-
| ration upon the sidewalks I hope the reg
| ulation against it will not only be adopted.
| but will be enforced. There is no reason
| why it should not be easily enforced The
mere knowledge of there being law on the
subject will do much to deter the spitters.
It will not be necessary to take many peo-
nal of fines would suffice
| Mr.. Smith Thompson, tr.. secretary Of the
committee on public health of the Board
of Trade, spoke briefly: He said man
| of his own home. yet he would go upon the
sidewalks and make them nuisance Peo-
| pie should be as considerable of the Side
| walks as they were of their homes The
matter is largely one of education, he de-
clared, and he felt that the adoption of
regulation by the Commissioners would DO
convincing without the necessity OF many
prosecutions.
The Medical View.
| DR.. Hickling. at this juncture. announced
| that he would present the medical side OF
| the case. DR.. Hickling had requested the
| Commissioners to invite DR.. Walter Wy
1 man. surgeon general OF the marine hos
/ pital service. to be present. A letter was
read from him regretting his inability to
attend on account Of Illness. He sent as
| his representative DR.. II. B. Geddings, as
| sistant surgeon general of the service, who
| read communication from Gen. Wyman,
| In which he advocated strongly the pro-
! posed measure.
| 'As an administrative officer" wrote
/ Gen. Wyman. II realize fully the necessity
| of conservatism in enacting into ordinances
/ new or unusual measures. however thor
| oughly they may be based upon scientific
principles or however much to be desired
on other grounds. With regard to the