Evening journal., 1911-07-19
WEDNESDAY. JULY 10. 1911
pAss NE FooD ORDINANCE.

I'm ALL questions of public policy 1t is we'll to
4 remember that the welfare of the community
is paramount TO the ease and convenience of ndi-
vdual or private interests. An opportunity to test
how far this generally accepted maxim applies to
Wilmington will he placed before City Council
when il considers the ordinance proposed by the
Board of Health which is designed TO protect the
health Of the people by requiring that proper pre-
cautions shall be taken 70 prevent the contamna-
ton of meats and other foods sold in the public
markets. especially in the street markets.
For some time this subject has been agtated.
Fortunately as members of the Board of Health
we have men alive and alert TO the matter OF food
protection in hearty sympathy with the best and
mos advanced thought of sanitation experts.
They have proposed an ordinance requiring that
The meats and other food products shall be screen
ca to prevent contamination by Hes and by dust
and dirt and other filth.
We should think that a casual walk along King
street, for instance. or along any of the other
street markets would convince an unbiased per
son that the law proposed by the health officials
is necessary IL IL is not all the opinions of health
officials, not only in this city but in other cities
are worthless. II il is pot. the arguments of old
timers arc correct-that because food products
have been exposed TO contamination for years past
they should be for years to come.
Ii is odd that the dealers do not heartily APP
prove the proposed ordinance instead OF opposing
it, as some do. Discriminating persons who do not
want TO eat contamination with their food pur-
chase from dealers who voluntarily take the pro-
per precautions against contamination. But uu-
fortunately all purchasers do not do this, they
,r-rnot do a. 1t is TO protect this latter class
especially that the ordinance is designed.
Almost every newspaper we pick up has articles
about the contamination Of food, about the dan
ger and peril of flies, and the poisoning of the
human system that comes from eating contaminat-
ed food Although these facts are clear there is
violent opposition by those who would be affected
by the ordinance
The opponents give no good reason why the
ordinance should not be passed. Their only rea-
son is that il would put them to some additional
expense and inconvenience This reason, very
poor one should not stand in the way Of the ef-
forts of the Board of Health to protect the people.
Council by all means should support the Board of
Health in this matter.
The same thing applies to the efforts of the
Board to enforce strictly the law as regards the
garbage carts There is opposition to such en-
forcement on the part of the garbage collectors
and their friends. Obeying the law would entail
Inconvenience upon them. The people to suf-
fer the dscomforts of stencil in order that the gar
bage collectors may violate the law. This attitude
is so ridiculous that it is hardly worth talking
about, but nevertheless the advocates Of foul
odors are using every kind of effort to have il
made easy for the garbage collectors
All this opposition should not deter the Board
Of Health from vigorously prosecuting the violat
ors of the garbage laws The welfare of the PEG
pie in this respect is more worthy of consideration
than the ease of the garbage collectors The law
is plain as to this garbage matter and when it /,
violated, whether such violations take place in tn,
poorer parts of the city in the richer regions
the collectors should be called to account in wa,
that will prevent them from repeating the offences
If City Council wants to have a creditable re
cord, it will support the Board of Health in il
efforts to make Wilmington a cleaner city and
city free from nuisances Of ali kinds
Wilmington won two games yesterday, and OF
the home grounds. Hope the home team will con