The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-06-16
Performing Unpopular Duties

Performing Unpopular Duties
Health officers, food inspectors and
lsealers of weights and measures, oc-
cupy offices in which, if they perform
their duty, they musst necessarily do
things calculated to make them I'M
popular in some quarters; for which
reason in majority of instances their
duties are performed in perfunctory
manner and with deprecatory, apol-
ogetic air toward those they may Of
fend in their performance.
The result is, that to favor the few
rascals who give short weight and
measures; who manufacture or sell
adulterated goods; who maintain I'M
sanitary, often filthy, places in which
articles. for human consumption are
either manufactured or stored, the
the salary of the Off ;cials and trust
general public, the taxpayers, who pay
them to properly and effectively per-
form their duties are bunkoed and
villainy thrives.
The butchers and grocers form Of
fensive and defensive alliances. They
enter into gentlemen's agreements to
maintain prices; as to what they will
and will not sell; how, when and
where they will sell; and if those af-
fected don't like it they can go else
where to trade; but not in that town.
The result is that the sellers are
fully protected both legitimately and
|illigetimately, in things that are law
full and others that are unlawful.
They have all the protection; and
owing to the attitude of the weak
kneed officials they employ to protect
their interests, to see that pure food
and full weight is prepared and sold
only amidst sanitary environment, the
public has none.
These things are called to mind by
a recent copy of the Spokesman-Re-
view in Spokane, Wash, detailing
such doings of State Food and SAINT
airy Inspector Jones H. Wallis as are
never heard if in Utah.
During visit of couple of
days he closed up four eating houses,
two hotels, and number of unven-
tilated rooms in hotels; compelled
others to at once remodel their culin-
AIRY departments; made others hasten
to install fire protection; condemned
public halls having insufficient fire pro-
lection or doors opening inward; clos
ed up some butchers and grocers, con-
demned and destroyed some of the
goods offered for sale by Others, or
dered many sanitary improvements
made at once, and during his brief
visit caused panic amongst evil
doors in these classes, to the great
benefit of the public.
Fearless, painstaking and thorough
in his work, he has given other states
as we'll as his own an example of what
an officer of this class, clothed with
proper and full authority, can do for
the protection of the public. He
destroys without conjunction food
unfit for human consumption, and
overlooks no opportunity to search it
out in dairy, shop, hotel, eating house,
refreshment parlor, candy kitchen,
any and everywhere. He is active,
and to the violators of the law, seems
ubiquitous. He is here today, there
tomorrow, and wherever he alights
there is something doing" While
not oppressive or unreasonable, woe
to the one who, upon second visit
is found to have failed TO comply with
some requirement previously made.
The result is that in Idaho, those
who cater to the public don't have