Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-01-02

| OF weights and measures and annually
, each year seal all the weights and
measures of the township receiving
ed. For seyenty-five years town clerks
have failed to perform this function.
modern weights and measures law
should be enacted. AS the food inspect
Crs of the Dairy and Food Department
daily visit the stores of the state, the
law could be enforced by this depart
ment in very economic and efficient
manner.
Useless Boards: Obsolete Offices.
Vicious tendencies seem to have
sprung up not only in Michigan, but in
other states whereby numberless
boards and unnecessary offices have
been created. In not few instances
this tendency has been encouraged
in order to further partisan political
interests. Whenever party has
achieved victory, participants have
never failed to clamor for jobs as a
kind of reward for their recognized
enthusiasm. This tends to arouse sus-
picion in the minds of the people. No
longer can any political party afford
to encourage the old doctrine that
ITO the victor belong the spoils." |,
therefore, suggest that every possible
effort be made by this legislature to
with all Offices that are not essential
to efficient government
State Salt inspection.
According to the State Inspectors
report for 1910 (the most recent re.
port could get) over $4,000 was col
lected from the salt manufacturers of
the state for inspecting" salt that
never was inspected. For this $4,000
no service was rendered the manu-
facturer nor the consumer. BY all
means abolish the State Salt Inspec-
ton farce.
Inspection Of Oil.
Advocates of oil inspection say that
II costs the state nothing and returns
tc the state an income. In 1911, 60 per
cent of all fees collected was used to
pay salaries of inspectors and their
expenses; 4oQo went into the State
treasury. This is not an economical
system for raising revenue. In abolish
ing the present oil inspection system
provisions might be made for the re-
tention Of one inspector to be directed
by the Dairy and Food Department.
His duty would be to make occasional
tests and investigate complaints re-
lating to poor oil.
State Live Stock Sanitary Commission.
We have now State Live Stock
Sanitary Commission consisting of
three commissioners and the state vet
erinarian whose duties are to investi-
gate, when called on, infectious and
contagious diseases of various ami
mails. The commission has no Office at
any place or even a directing head.
It's members are scattered over the
state and not always readily accessa-
BILE In time of need. 1t would seem
ished and it's duties transferred to the
Dairy and Food Department or to the
Agricultural College and the Veteri-
nary Department OF the college take
charge of the same, thus saving a
duplication of Offices and at the same
time making the work of the commits
sion more effective.
Sanitary School Houses.
For more than a quarter of Gen.
tury l have made a careful study of
the school houses in Michigan. The
majority of them are unsanitary and
unfit for live stock" to occupy. They
rarely furnish adequate light, never
furnish a proper supply of pure air,
are not comfortably heated, and, on
the whole, are destructive to the
health of school children. 1t should be
remembered that the ordinary school
room, unlike the ordinary dwelling
room, is frequently Occupied by a very
large number of children. Probably no
one reform would exert gerater influ.
ence in reducing the death rate OF
children than would the construction
of sanitary school houses. Ordinarily,
school officers know very little about
modern sanitation. It is largely cues.
tion Of how large "pen" is required
to protect the boys and girls from in.
clement weather. A law should be en-
acted whereby all plans for school
bouses should be submitted to the Su-
perintendent of Public Instruction and !
Secretary of the State Board OF
Health. These officials would approve
of the heating, ventilating, lighting;
il fact, of all the sanitary ESSENTIALS
before the contracts could be entered
into for construction. In states where I
this plan has been pursued satisfa tory I
results have been realized.
School Boards.
So far as possible, our educd ,sonal
interests should be divorced entirely
from partisan politics. In Michigan, we
have not succeeded in doing this. sug-