Imperial Valley press., 1912-05-20

| Los Angeles Express.-Develop-
ments in the campaign preliminary to
the referendum election week from
next Tuesday on the tuberculin test
ordinance yesterday gave promise Of
the most heated and closely contested
non-political election in the history of
| the city.
Acrimonious accusations and recrim-
nations are being banded; both pro-
ronents and opponents are quoting the
same authorities to sustain their
views; one libel suit is threatened; !;
the whole serving to befog the issue.
The issue, according to the advocates
| of the tuberculn test to determine
the condition of milk cattle ds pro-
vided by the ordinance which was
| passed by the council last November
is simply ''the public health or dairy
mans dollars" They claim the oppo-
sition is being fomented by dairymen,
who fail TO see that the legislation will
ultimately benefit them as well as
purifying the city milk supply. The
tests will be made free of charge
The opponents claim the working of
the ordinance would be impracticahle
and inhuman. The answer is made
that similar legislation is being en-
forced in forty-two states and that the
tests are entirely harmless to healthy
COWS, and although the tests are III
no way inhuman, it would be better SO
than the resulting decimation of hui
mans resulting from infection of bo-
vine tuberculosis.
That the campaign has awakened
public interest was evident from the
telephone requests made or the health
department of the city, which is ac
lively supporting the legislation. for
speakers explaining the issue. Several
speakers will address church congre-
cations following the regular sermons
this morning, and during the week
others will appear before civic OrSanj-
cations, women's clubs and kindred or
ganiZatiOns advocating the approval of
the ordinance as drawn up. The op-
ponents will also send out speakers on
like missions
The opponents of the legislation
have circularized the city with four
pamphlets, which S. w. A. Carver of
the Crescent Creamery company de-
clares have won many supporters to
the views advanced. One pamphlet
attacking the tuberculin test may be
the basis of libel action if the re-
sponsibility can be established. The
matter is claimed to be derogatOry to
L. NJ. Powers, health commissioner. 1t
is unsigned. DR.. Powers will tomor-
row lay the matter before an attorney
to ascertain if the case would warrant
prosecution and if SO steps will i'm
roadiatalx- ha kan in learn who W9s
responsible for its dissemination.
The opponents term the ordinance "a
monument of stupidity" declare that
the remedy is wore than the disease
and is a "dScraded relic of primitive
ignorance" Mr.. Carver, who is lead
ing the fight against the ordinance. is
charged with inconsistency by DR..
George H. Hart, city veterinarian. Al
though arrayed solidly against the
tuberculin test, Mr.. Carver, Dr. Harl
declares, applied it to his herd of over
hundred head and later came to
him and asked him to repeat the test.
According to DR.. Hart, Carver was
contemplating shipping milk into
Pasadena which has required the test
or five years. Carver, in answer, says
the test was made simply for an eX-
pertinent, which was unsatisfactory to
him Going on he characterizes the
ordinance as vicious and the veternari-
ans, who under the ordinance, If
passed, would apply the test, bunglers.
Dr. Hart yesterday declared that the
issue was simply whether milk was
to be admitted free from tuberculosis
germs or not.
Both sides admit that tuberculosis
exists in local dairy herds" he said,
"and that raw milk from tuberculosis
COWS is being peddled in the city from
house to house today. The ordinance
is to cure this menace.
The chief opponents are dairymen
who do not realize that the loss by bo- /,
vine tuberculosis each year according |
to government figures is $23,000,000. |
Their literature is startling with mis- |
statements. Every effort is being made
10 scare the small dairymen in to |
raising money to help defeat the |
The election which will be held May |
2Sth is to express approval or disap- |
proval of ordinance 23,S17, providing |
for the tuberculin test of cattle supply |
TO thic nityr Tho council |