The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1915-01-14
Sc. A COPY; $3.50 A YEAR
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH
Should Have Confidence of Peo-
pie of Florida-Has Fine
Record to Point to

!
that are Caesars. F"
Every American possesses the
inalienable right (or he thinks it
is his) to cast his ballot as he
chooses, to spend his Sundays as
the mood strikes him, and to criti-
cize his neighbors. The average
American citizen--and that means
you and me-has a ready opinion
on every subject and no fear OF
lese majeste penalties deters him
from expressing it. He feels him
self fully qualified at a moments
warning, and without previous
preparation, knowledge or con-
sideration, to tear to pieces the
minister's sermon or his theology,
the Presidents Mexican policy or
the way the woman next door is
bringing up her children. He
finds fault with the weather bu-
reau man because the predicted
local showers" fail to arrive and
bright sun shines out instead. He
complains to the postman because
the mail train was two hours late,
and he kicks the dog because he
himself has eaten more dinner
than was good for him.
And yet this same average A
merican rightly expects and de-
mands all due respect for his own
worthwhile accomplishment.
Criticism-knocking is the other
word for it's a habit rather
common among us and it s habit
that is demoralizing both to the
possessor and to him whom it hits.
Criticism here is limited to the
habit of finding fault with persons
and things that you don t know e.
nough about to qualify yourself
as their critic. It's a habit that
grows on him who indulges in it.
1t leads him to question the man
whom and whose motives, he
trusts. 1t fosters a tearing down
without adequate, or any, reason,
worthy and beneficial accomplish
ment. 1t attacks without cause
the man and his work that are a.
bove and beyond the carping Of
such incompetent critics, but it
hurts and discourages. Big men
rise above it, but it embitters
them.
Every man who is worth the
space he occupies in the world,
earns his right to it by doing
something worth while, something
to make the world better. He is
an expert or specialist in some
direction, who wins his right to
credit by some real accomplish
ment. He is a Caesar to whom
his fellows owe some tribute of
praise.
The man or the organization
that has written the record of
things done is entitled to public
confidence, 1t has the right to
expect that its acts shall be ac-
cepted as proper without announc-
ing III advance the reason for
them. The record is the guaran-
tee on which is based the right to
public confidence.
1t is on its record covering the
last quarter Of a century or more,
that the State Board of Health
bases its right to the confidence
Of the people Of Florida. 1t has
accomplished tangible results that
the whole world knows and prais-
es. 1t has made Florida a better
place to live in. 1t has built up
barriers against disease from 9TH
er lands. 1t has waged success
full war against the ills that start
nearer home. 1t has won the
confidence of Florida s people, ev-
en- of those who unreasoningly
criticise it.
1t is waging campaign to edu-
cate these same people how to
ward off preventable disease, how
to lower the ratios of sickness and
OF death, how to use the means
within the reach of all to make
Florida the most healthful state in
the Union. In this campaign
is done in the dark, there
is reason for every move and this
reason is not hidden. 1t may be
known to all who will take the
trouble to ask, even to read the
of the State.
And in view of its record the
Board asks and seeks the cooper
alton of every loyal Floridian,
and it asks that criticism shall be
withheld until the reason-the
known. And it feels that
in this Il 10 nclrinnr n,nlrr ,,-hn4 =; =