Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-06-08
OPPONENTS OF DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH MEASURE IN CON.
eREss RELY ON ARGUMENT.
MEDICAL FREEDOM AN ISSUE
COMING NEXT IN IN
PoRTANcE.

ger of coming to naught at this ses-
sion. Its opponents say its enactment
would be direct violation of the I'M
Outstanding between President Taft
and congress, to say nothing of the
republican pafty's promises to the
people to make this an administration
of economy.
II is this view of the situation, per-
haps, that will have the greatest
weight with the republican leaders OF
both the senate and the house, if they
are called upon to pass Judgment on
the owen bill. For this reason, if for
no other the democrats at both ends
of the capitol are inclined to oppose
the measure.
II is being repeatedly asked by
members of congress what it is pro-
posed to accomplish by the expensive
machinery of new department that
is not already being adequately done
by the public health and marine hos
pital service of the treasury depart.
ment and several of the bureaus oI
the department of agriculture.
Appropriation Scares.
They are picturing to themselves
the big appropriation bills hat doubt
less will be passed for the proposed
department in few years, should it
be created along the lines of the
Owen bill They have before them
the evidence of the department of ag-
riculture and of the public health and
marine hospital service, to say MOTH
ing of tle department of commerce
and latnr
The bureau of animal husbandry,
which doubtless would be transferred
to the proposed new department, cost
the government $336,S40 in 1900.
This year it is costing 81, 427,S30
The appropriation for the depart
ment of agriculture in 1900 was $3,-
726,022. For this year it is $780,
036.
For the marine hospital service and
the quarantine service in 1900 the
total appropriations amounted to APP
proximately $4,000 For the public
health and marine hospital service
and the quarantine service this year
total of more than s2,O99, 900 has
been appropriated.
Fred A. Bangs of Chicago, in be-
half of the Illinois Voters and Tax
payers association, dwelt upon this
phase of the question before the SEN
ate committee on public health and
rational quarantine, to which the
owen bill has been referred
This contemplated legislation is
needless and extensive" said MIR.
Bangs. 1T is SO apparent that there
is no need for the passage of this law.
and YOU have heard so many argu-
ments against the law that to here
present arguments of its. needlessness
would be an act of supererogation
This is no exaggeration and is
really a conservative view. 1t would
require an army of employees 10 en-
force the law The health department
of the city Of Chicago is but one OF
many such organizations, and 1t ex.
pended in the year 1908 more than
100000.
What would the national health
board, or bureau, spend? Can it be
estimated? Are not my clients Justly
alarmed at this contemplated invasion
of their pocketbooks? | do not want
to be understood as opposing any
meritoriops bill with resulting bene
fits TO the people under its operation
solely on account of the expense Incl
dent to its enforcement, for no matter
what the expense following from a
good and just measure, the benefits
are always more than commensurate
TO the expenses, but can it be shown
by any one that there will ensue tc
the people of the United States great
and enduring benefits under this bill?
The taxes-federal, state, county
municipal school, medical and park
have grown each year until now the
creation of additional tax has become
a question which needs serious, act
We and alert attention, and it is the
Intention of the members of the as
ISOLATION that l represent to com
mence at the fountain head and en-
deavor to prevent by all proper
means the passage of any and al
bills, either national, state or munic
ipal, looking to the creation of expen
sive departments or bureaus ant
thereby increasing the general tax.
They feed that the country is nov
suffering from an overdose of legisIa
ton, and are they far wrong? Would
it not rather be more advantageous 1,
the citizens to revise and repeal ok
laws than to create and enforce new
and needless laws?"
Other Folk Stirred Up.
4 have had citations Of more thai
2,000 fatalities in the use of the anti
toxin for diphtheria alone" declare,
one doctor. This bill provides il
section eight that the department I,
be created shall have authority to fl
various standards, and it might Il,
standards and requirements along tn
line Of serums and antitoxins whicl
in a short time might be proved to b
wrong and be abandoned by all thinE
ing physicians, exactly in the va
that the pasteurizstion Of milk /
being abandoned.
The wheels Of the government d.
partment are so hard to stop whe
ones. started that various standard