The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-10-12

Salem people at a page cartoon and
attempted humorous reading matter
at the expense of the Salem water sup
| ply, in connection with the charge
that II has been the cause of typhoid
fever. People generally took it for a
deliberate slap at this city, and a
wholesale continuance of the agitation
that stamps Salem as an unsanitary
community, anything but funny, and
showing utter ignorance of what is
proper to attempt to be funny about
The honor Of a woman, the attributes
Of Deity, the character and reputation
of a whole community, are supposed
to be out of the domain of humor. But
what are you going to do about it?
People asked themselves in vain, be.
cause no other paper can reach the
public as the Oregonian does, and as
II employs a large number of persons
on its stan, and the Almighty cannot
furnish all with intelligence at 800 a
week. there was a disposition TO look
upon it with charity. But the people
were mad, and are getting madder.
The Sunday Broadside.
The Oregonian devotes a full page
to the subject Of salem's water sup.
ply; fully illustrating germs. bacillus
and microbe of measles, scarlatina, ty-
phold, chickenpox, and whatever else
the fancies of artist, poetaster, histor-
ian and dog might suggest. AS lit.
erary skit It might be passable, but
it's history as all contemporaneous
histories are, is false. its jlngles rather
uncertain on their feet. and it's Illus
trations the dellrium tremens of out
building art AS for the dog-well.
she couldn't choose her company.
The Facts Admitted.
AS TO the conditions, Il is frankly
admitted that there has been a mum
Der OF cases OF typhoid fever in sa-
lem; more than there should have
been. yet is this not true Of the valley
generally. OF all the Pacific coast and
Eastern states. and also of Portland.
regardless OF water supply? And II
true, Is that any reason Portland's big
daily should undertake 10 wipe the
city OF Salem OF the map? Is il any
excuse for publishing the statement
that Salem's water supply is impure?
There has never been. and there is
not now, a scintilla OF evidence that
will bear out the statement There
has never been an analysis of the
clty's water, or none made public, at
least, showing that the water is not
pure and wholesome. There has not
been. and Is not now, a case of typhoid
fever in this city, that has been traced
directly, or Indirectly. to the water
supply. There has been nothing TO
show that the water supply is respon
sible for such cases OF typhoid fever
as have appeared, any more than there
has been 10 show that the hundreds OF
copies OF the OregonIan coming 20
this city are responsible for them.
There is absolutely nothing but the
naked assertion OF the state board Of
health. that typhoid existed here. and
that the water supply Is responsible
therefor II II is true, the state board
of health has not shown II. or at
tempted TO show It, Il has simply
made the assertion.
State Board PreVarleators.
We might add here for the consld-
Grafton OF both the board OF health
and the oregonlah that the axiom OF
the law is. that "He who swears TO
that which he does not know to be
true is as guilty OF perjury as he who
swears 10 that which he knows to be
not true" II either party can derive
any consolation from that view OF
tho case, they are welcome to Il with.
out charge
That there has been and Is typhoid
fever is frankly admitted. That the
water supply is responsible Tor Il Is
emphatieally denied. The board Of
health has asserted It, but It win
please remember that large immi-
grafton from Missouri settled In this
nelshhorhood.
The oregonlan's Attack
On this city Is without the shadow
Of shadow Of excuse. That it was
moved BY malice We cannot conceive;
Il had nothing to envy and nothing 70
gain; and things are not done BY busi.