The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-05-07

the health department of Oklahoma
were filled by partisan republican
physicians Ed O. CASSIDY chairman
of the democratic state executive
committee, I'm an interview today al
legged that these territorial political
republican doctors. who practice
more politics than medicine. are using
the positions they obtained as officers
OF the various local medical societies
/ through their connection with the ter.
/ ritorial board OF health. to secure
/ the adoption Of resolutions condemn.
ing the dispensary system and piodg.
ing the members 10 prescribe no
whiskey in any case.
That these resolution Goo the few
instances whore they have been
adopted. have been passed IN exec.
utivc' session by the officers of the
society without proper notice having
/ been given of such meeting to the
general membership aud that purpose.
| ly false and mislcadue statements
are being given out %, these politl
cal doctors for the purpose of dis.
crcdit'ng the prohibition and dispcn.
sary law, is Cassidy's further con.
/ tcntion.
During the old territorial regime"
said Mr.. Cassidy. "thc several leg.
isatures passed an act. amending the
same on several occasions. creating
and defining the powers and duties
of the territorial board Of health
This law was placed in operation
at the time when the republican party
had the federal patronage of the ter
ritory OF Oklahoma, and the members
constituting the state board of health
were selected by the governor of the
territory. who was a republican. and
federal appointec This resulted in
the territorial board of health being
controlled by the republican party
All of the workings Of such board
in regard to its relations with the
county boards of health were under
the direction and supervision of the
republican appOintees. with the result
that when the territory became
merged into the state of Oklahoma
the health department OF the govern.
ment was in full charge and control
of the republican doctors Of the state
That the board of health, ana it's CO.
relative adiuncts were thoroughly
organized is best evidenced by the
strenuous campaign put up by the
republican doctors during the demo
cratic state primaries, and during the
state campaign
Their efforts were mainly directed
in the organization of county ana
city medical societies and obtaining
the election of the executive officers
of such local societies from among
the republican members, so that on
the 10th day of November when We
became state all the important
medical societies and counties ON
the Oklahoma side We're in the cor.
troll of officers, who were republican
doctor politicians.
Immediately after statehood. the
leading spirits in these societies call
ed several state conventions, or meet
ings, of the various medical associa-
tons, and prepared and drafted bills
and had them endorsed without eX-
PLANTATION, under the guise of pro
fessional interest and benefit to the
people for presentation to the legis
lature. A careful examination OF the
principle bill disclosed 1t to be
most unique piece of legislation, de
signed TO continue in force and power
the old republican gang and leaders
among the doctors, and give them
control of the health Of the state,
and to deny to the people the right
through their chosen representatives.
TO select the men TO have charge Of
this department Of the government
on this question a bitter fight was
waged Several bills were presented
in the Legislature among them Sen
ate bills No. lNS and lS9, the first
being bill which created a board
of health, defined its powers and
duties, and created a perfect organl-
cation. This bill had for its only pur-
pose the interests of the people The
second bill created a board of medi.
cal examiners, and thereby separated
the state board Of health from the
medical examiners board, which is
the most approved and modern way
of legislating upon that subject, as
evidenced by the leading states in the
union, and dealt solely with the pow.
ers and duties and practice and quail.
ifications II was drawn In the in.
terests of the peODle In order 10