Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-10-05
RESULT MAKES
RAMSAY HAPPY
Decision Brings Drinking Cup
Law Into Popularity.

Thre is perhaps no happier man
in the United states today than DR..
| William f. Ramsay, or this city, who
has been instrumental in the intro
duction and passage of more import
ant health measures in the legislature
of this state during the last five
years than any other man.. Ills
usual broad smile is broader today
than at any time since his advent
into public life, simply because the
supreme Court of this state handed
lie Utility Commission requiring that
down a decision yesterday TO the rub
all railroad corporations must sup
ply drinking cups to passengers on
passenger trains running through
New Jersey.
The appeal by the commission to
the court, for an order affirming the
decision Of the commission in the
case against all the prominent rail-
roads of the state, was brought about
following the passage of the Ramsay
Drinking Cup Law, which passed the
legislature in 1911 and took effect
on July 4, asst year. The drinking
cup law was drawn up and introduced
by DR.. Ramsay, of this city, who
achieved success with his measure
after meeting almost insurmountable
difficulties. The railroads worked
tooth and nail" as the saying goes
| against the bill, but DR.. Ramsay
| worked untiringly in the assembly
and among his friends in the senate
for support Of the great sanitary
| measure.
At the time the bill was written,
DR.. Ramsay vas advised not to in
| clude in the text any reference to the
question of requiring the railroads
to provide drinking cups for pas
sengers, on passenger trains, mas
much as the Ease could be taken
by the utility commission before the
court for a final decree. DR.. Ram
say has expected the decision for
months, and, if it had not material
lied at this time, he had intended
to add such a plank to his plat
form on which he Is conducting bis
present campaign for election to the
state senate on the Democratic
ticket. He had informed intimate
friends that one of the measures he
would advocate, if elected, was one
movement for sanitary drinking cups
pertaining to the final step in the
in public places.
DR.. Ramsay laments the fact that
the railroads took the question to
the courts for decision; IN the West
he states, the railroads have accept
ed conditions without a murmur and
have provided drinking cups for trav-
| ellers without orders from the courts.
In many places In the west the drink
ing cups are used by the railroads as
a method Of advertising. Twenty
three states in the Union have
adopted the drinking cup law, and
many more are expected to follow
| slut during the coming winter, DR..
Ramsay states. 1t is considered
one of the most popular measures
benefit Of the public health, although
at the time if It's enactment made
expressed hardship because of the
sudden change in conditions.
At the present time New Jersey
leads every other state in health con-
d~itions, DR.. Ramsay declares, and
bears out his statement with an edi-
torial clipped from the American
Journal of Hygiene and Public
Health, as follows: "The legislation
In New Jersey during the past seven
years has advanced that state into
the lead Of every other state in the
Union in health conditions, If not the
equal to any state in the world
David s.. South, State Registrar OF
Vital Statistics, recently published q
report showing that the deaths In
New Jersey during September were
only $3.50, of lower than any Sep
tember during the last Ave years, de-
spite the heavy increase in popula-
ton.