The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-02-10
new MILK BILL
THOROUGHLY AIRED
House Committee Hears Many
Who Oppose State Inspection
Plan.
IT'S MERITS EXPLAINED
Charged With Being Great Politi-
cal Machine for Control of All
Appointments.
IT'S MERITS EXPLAINED

Every phase of the milk situation
was aired Wednesday night before
the House committee on Agriculture
and Mining when that body took up
the Throckmorton bill. which is
designed 10. place ultimate power in
the hands of a State dairy commits
sion to whom appeals may be made
from the rulings OF local health
officers.
OF the House. Every seat was occu-
commercial delegates and represen-
tatives OF mothers clubs being
present
1t was soon evident, however, that
large proportion of those who OPP
posed the measure did not really
know what IL was They were fight
ing -bceaase-thAS- "aelieyed"- II to
be bad. but when the bill was read
and explained by its patron many
admitted that it was not nearly SO
revolutionary as their informants had
told them.
Favored by Mr.. Bcliwood.
Major James Beliwood, of Chester
field county. opened the discussion.
average dairyman. The city health
board with its milk inspectors had
done the city great benefit. he de-
clared. and he believed DIR. Levy,
chief health officer of Richmond, sec
ond TO no man on sanitary matters.
but he did not believe 1t right or
just to the dairymen to allow condi-
lions 10 remain so that any inspec-
tor, incapable or biased. could ruin
LIT k.ypi re ..f tynz @
the dairyman the right of appealing
just before the conclusion of Mr.
BelIwoods argument Mr. Throck-
morton precipitated the Curtis
trouble by asking if MIR. Curtis had
not recently been in charge Of many
dairy inspections in this vicinity. and
If his inspections were always salts
factory.
Mr. Bellwdod replied that Mr.
Curtis had inspected many diaries.
and had brought about the most utter
dissatisfaction generally. Mr.. Curtis
had gained his experience as dairy
inspector as Il dairy. he said and
had maintained a dairy which was
known to be so filthy. Mr.. Beilwood
declared, that an association which
had been handling milk from the
Curtis dairy refused to sell it longer.
as it was considered unclean and en-
tirely unfit for drinking or cooking
purposes
Would Improve Conditions.
No capable inspector 1t was shown,
objects to having his decision brought
before a higher authority. Only the
incompetent inspector fears tnyesti
cation A general State supervision
would strengthen the. position of the
best health officers and inspectors. 1t
was declared, but would show up the
incompetent inspectors, who could not
afford to have their rulings -snFIsti-
gated. Therefore. Mr. Bellwood de-
clared-and in this argument lac won
many strong suppOrters-State in
spection would not only benefit and
improve conditions everywhere In
Virginia, but would entirely eIimi-
nate the inexperienced inspector Giid
thus insure a higher and purer grade
of milk in every city and town.
Would Build Up Machine.
City Attorney Pollard replied To
this argument. His talk was com
posed largely of statistics. During the
year 1908 there We're 234 permns
granted, Twenty-four of these we,e
revoked. Twenty. however. were
later restored.
Mr. Pollard showed that the
Throckmorton measure was. in his
Judgment. a great political lever.
1tatt all 81 tttt inspectors were 10
he passed by one man. Such condi-
tions would build up a machine pos
sible of much corruption, he de-
clared, and could be used for political
preferment.
Strong Opposition.
Col Murphy. of Gordonsville, next
introduced, was in favor of the pas
sage of the bill. He thought dairy
men should have the right OF appeal,
and did not see how local communi-
ties could be injured by such appeal,
since every appeal would more thor
oughly and fully explain the con-
ditions to which the dairymen must
conform.
Col. James r. Gordon. DR. Manfred
Call. Miss Guiley. OF the visiting
Nurses Association, and DR.. E. T.
Levy opposed the bill. They would
uphold the local health departments
and make them supreme. inasmuch
as each best understood its own local
conditions, while none believed that
a State commission. however capable
and versatile could possibly keep ia
miliar with the multiple dairy COM
ditions scattered over the whole
State.