The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-04-01
Or. Penooyer Making State Wide
Crusade in Favor Of Anti. Spit.
ting Law Before Legislature
SHOWS OPPONENTS FALLACY
Kenosha Physician Lines up Members
of Medical Association for Bill
Which Will Provide for Clean
illness in Railway Cars

DR. Nelson A. Pennoyer, one of the
proprietors of the Pennoyer SAM
tarium is taking a great interest in.
the fight that is being made in the
state legislature to secure the passage
Of a law which will prevent splitting
on railway cars. He has taken the
matter up with the members of the
legislature and on Saturday he sent to
every member of the Wisconsin State
Medical Society letter urging them
to at once add their influence to Sc
cure the passage of the bill which was
proposed by Senator Isaac T. Bishop
of this city. The letter from DR.. PEN
meyer is splendid presentation of the
purposes of the bin and the claims
made by it's friends The letter fol-
lows:
March 25, 1909.
Dear Doctor:
At hearing" given by the senate
committee on public health Senator
Bishops bill (No. 381S) favoring an
anti-spitting law, was strenuously OPP
posed by several representatives of the
railroad companies, both steam and
electric. The provisions Of the bin
embrace, with slight alterations
made by DR.. Charles Mccarthy, legis-
lative librarian for Wisconsin, by
whom all bills introduced are super
Used,) the latter part of the enclosed
committee report.
DR.. Harper who was present at the
hearing very strongly endorsed legis-
lation on these lines Two objections
were made by railway representatives,
namely:
Arbitrary placing Of cuspidors
breast-high.
2. Making conductors officers of
the law.
LIST have taken pains to inquire
about appliances for breast high con
tanners and find several which could
be placed in water closet doors( set in
paneD without in any way interfering
with the privacy and convenience of
the closets. The official of the North
western Railway who was present at
the hearing" said that cuspidors
had been removed from their smoking
cars; that accidents had occurred
through tipping and spilling of their
contents. 1t is evident that loose
floor cuspidors on crowded moving
cars can not be sanitary Fixed, covered
containers at either end of car
could be used as conveniently and in
conspicuously as the drinking water
founts.
End. Conductors are already con
stituted deputy sheriffs or constables
under two existing statutes (Chapter
SO, Laws of 1907. Section 1416-11 and
Section 4598a). These statutes are
practically unknown by the public.
The additional requirement (poliee
duty would not be burdensome upon
conductors, but obviously less when
each wears a star bearing the words
deputy sheriff. People rarely COM
NIT offenses in the presence of an
officer of the law The H'star" would
Immediately advertise and make eff
fective not only this statute, but facil-
itate other train regulations
Virginia has an anti-spitting law:
Wisconsin ought to have. Will you
lend your influence to carry this meas
ure through by personal letter to
the senator and assemblyman repre-
senting your districtg Your co-opera-
tion may mean better health, longer
lives and greater prosperity 70 our
commonwealth.
Very sincerely yours,
N. A. Pennoyer.