Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1909-05-22
DEMANDS TO KNOW
WHERE WE STAND ON
M0MENT0US ISSUE

Ed. Journal: / beg to call your
attention to the effort now being
made by the health authorities in
Chicago regarding the determination
of the housefly in that wicked city
Commissioner Evans has sounded the
alarm, and not any too soon, that
death turks on the feet and wings
of the ubiquItous fly, and he calls
upon the citizens to declare an un-
lrelenting war against this insidious
enemy of mankind. IL is singular
that our medical and scientific men
are the last to discover what many
laymen like myself have known for
a long time And it has always
been so. IL is not so very long since
the practice of bleeding has been
discontinued and this reform was
brought about by the protests of the
common people. You and can recol-
lect when we were forbidden to give
a drink of cold water to a poor fell
low burning with fever. But one
night a patient crazy with fever
jumped out of bed and drank a pitch
er-full, and the next day he was
welli And now we are allowed to
drink all the cold water we want, no
matter what ails us. The same is
true of appendicitis. This disease
used TO go by the name of inflam-
nation and thousands died from II
never suspecting that they owned an
appendix. But when the little thing
was no use for anything and now
consultation ana concluded that IL
wa sno use for anything and now
when a man feels pain in the bowels |
the doctor whips out a knife, cuts Il |
ttN nd . 30. h. |
the sufferer feels better than he ever
did In his life.
Well, now, Colonel, you know that |
have been fighting the fly nuisance
for the last 10 years, and am still
at Il. / didn't make much headway,
as had too much territory to cover
In other words, there was too many
of them and not enough OF me. Had
| been assisted by a great man like
you. with paper at his back,
might have succeeded But there
you stood, poking fun at my efforts
and employed your talents raising :
cats and strawberries while ! set :
traps, sprinkled powders and put out
'lypaper In my office and home. IL
Is true that ] caught and slew thou
lands Of flies, several cats and one
Or two loafers, besides putting up
IN unequal contest against one of
he most persistent and insidious
'nemies that ever sought the destruc-
ion OF the human family. But there v
s much work still to be done.
To deviate little from my story =
fou doubtless remember MIR. Smith,
m agent for one OF the boata. Well,
le was In the habit OF loafing n good "
leal around my office. One day /
pread sheet OF flypaper on a chair :.
md Mr.. Smith came round as usual
md sat down upon II. | kept very y
Iuiet lest he might charge my being .
he perpetrator of the trick. Finally
he got up and walked out. And still
said nothing. AS he walked down y
he street TO the wharf | noticed that y
very pedestrian on the street turned
lround and looked after him, won
lering, | suppose, where he captured
he badge. 10 was several days be-
ore he came around again. | still D
ooked as innocent as | could; but v
noticed that he must have spent a u
ot OF time and energy making the
I'D pair of pants presentable again. II
Now, Colonel, let me urge upon N
ou to take a firm stand on this p
question. Get the Weekly el
,ulleun issued by Health Commits Il
ioner Evans OF Nalcago and notice al
he many suggestions he offers for
lighting the enemy We must re-
ouble our efforts un,l there Is not
fly left TO tell the tale. Put out ~
iquid poison and sticky flypaper. y
'our kerosene into the drains and ~
,oep your sewerage system in good u
rider. Sprinkle chloride of lime lo
yer the contents of garbage boxes n
nd other refuse. Never go unarmed %
nd allow nothing with wings es- y
ape. | am glad the last legislature y
iassed no bill for the protection OF
he housefly. They devoted their at
ention to hat pins, bed sheets and
fertilization exclusively. so there is no is
losed season for the fly. Call the s.
ttentlon OF the development league al
o the necessity of abolishing this In rC
ernal pest, II they wish 90 have this n
ountry place tit to live In. Now
et war be declared, and the day will
lot be far off when you and I can is
II down and discuss politics without h
'eing annoyed by either mosquitoes W
lies or other "yarmints," Now, y
'olonel, up and at them" 81
Your old friend n
j. III. FLETCHER. q
- IL 20