The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1907-05-01

the doctors in stamping out disease,
but it is their duty to try to do it. and
surely there are a majority Of intel
hgent, broad-minded, honest men in
this State who Will hold up the doc
tors hands in this effort-nen big
enough and high enough to recognize
and appreciate honesty and unselfsh-
ness when they meet in broad day
light, and who are not suSpiclousiy
peeping out Of the corners Of their
eyes to locate graft" at every point
and turn.
So far as the strength Of the Med
ical Association is concerned, little
valuable information is here attached
for the benefit of the editor Of the
Post and his coadjutors. There are
about twelve hundred physicians in
the State. Approximately, eight hun
dred are association members, the
great majority being country doc
tors and practically all Of the bal
ance are in full sympathy with It's
policies. The organization is rapidly
growing, and is but just beginning to
feel its strength. The Post evidently
does not Know these facts or else is
n1agnifcently ignorant of the trernen-
dous influence of the country doctor
in his community, being often the
arbiter of every question from that
pertaining to a darning squash or
stumped toe, to the seriousness Of
DR.. Stork. or maybe a murderous as
sault. Nobody would expect or try
to get these doctors together on
question of general or partisan poll
ties. but when it comes to the neees-
sites of medical legislation they will
be found in future standing shoulder
to shoulder in the great cause, and
using all their influence to prevent
the election CT dangerously ignorant
candidates. They have recently dem
onstrated what they could do in Ken
lucky and ~ New York (the reorgan-
ization has been national in scope),
and they are about to show Senator
Foraker what they can do in Ohio.
The astute politician is waking up to
these facts while some antique and
sleepy editors are nodding and dream
ing of the subject Of their next daily
grind. Wisdom is worth more than
wit, and facts more than fscetious-
ness.
AS to Mr.. Stevenson's "enlighten-
ment at this late day" concerning his
defeat by the doctors when he ran
for attorney general, that is a bit of
editorial naivete truly delicious. Ev-
ideutly the Post has no monopoly OF
information as to political affairs.
That incident is matter OF political
history, which we are inclined to
think Mr.. Stevenson himself will
probably admit, if politely approach
ed by the Post on the subject. In the
defeat of Mr. Manning for governor
last summer the doctors had heavy
hand, and it is not at all unreasona-
BILE to assert the probability that the
labors of hundreds Of influential men
in the profession whom he. had de-
Iberately antagonized in the legis-
lature, could have turned the tide Of
votes against him. Of course, every
sensible man will admit that the dis
pensary was, to the public, the para
mount issue, but not so to the doc
tor. And the Post IS strangely for
getful or ignorant Of another factor,
, perhaps transcending either Of these
in Importance so far as vote getting
| was concerned, and that was-the
personal popularity of the present
Governor Martin F. Ansel.
]. W. Jervey, NJ. D.