The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1916-02-25
URGES ENFORCEMENT
Of LAWS FOR BETTER
SAFtGOakUIAGhEALIH
JUDGE TURNER DECLARES THAT
DEATH RATE CAN BE THERE.
BY REDUCED.
ALSO StVtRE IN GAMBLING
Defines Law On Subject And Calls
For Prompt Action In Cases Of Vic.
lations-Pure Food Laws and SAM
tary Regulations.

In his charge to the grand jury
Judge Turner laid especial stress upol
the laws for safeguarding the healtl
of the community. Declaring tina
about One-third of the deaths In thiI
county were due to prevent able dis
eases, he said that 1t was apparen
that by proper care and rigid exc
cution of the laws conditions coulC
be vastly improved. Judge Turner
also called attention to the laws
against gambling, urging their strict
enforcement. Upon these subjects
he said:
1T is a violation of law to engage
in any game of hazard or address for
money, or other valuable thing, or
make any bet or wager for money or
other valuable thing, or to aid and
abet therein, and it is likewise vic.
lation of law to keep any gaming
house, or gaming table or gambling
devices. Public profanity, public
drunkenness, lewdness, running a
bawdy house, disturbing public wor-
ship are misdemeanors. The law
should be rigidly enforced with res
pect to these offenses, as they have
q great tendency to create disturb
ances of more serious character, to
impair the moral character of the
young and those who engage in them,
and TO provide an unwholesome in
fuouce in every community in which
they occur.
"The laws for the protection of
females should be enforced, and also
those which make it unlawful the
abandonment of the wits and chill
dren.
"You should give careful attention
to the enforcement Of the laws against
carrying concealed weapons.
There is a class of laws which
pertain to our economic and social
affairs which are of the greatest i'm.
portance, and / am of the opinion
that we do not give to their enforce
ment a proper proportion of our at
tention 1t is intended by these laws
to improve social and sanitary condi-
tons and promote economy in pro
ductIon use. The accomplishment of
these results tends to prevent crime,
disorder and distress 1t is far bet
ter by appropriate means to prevent
crime and correct social conditions
than it is to undertake to suppress
1t by punishment after it has occur !
red. In other words by the enforce
ment of appropriate laws we must
to improve social conditions,
and environment of the people.
1T is therefore important that the
laws enacted to prevent the spread
of contagious and preventable dis.
eases be rigidly enforced, and that
vital statistics be carefully collected
as provided by law. About one-third
Of the deaths of this county are
caused by preventable causes, it is
apparent that by proper care condi.
tons can be improved. The pure
'ood and drug laws should be enforced.
and the unlawful distribution of habit
forming drugs should be punished.
The pollution of streams is unlawful
as is also the improper disposition
IF diseased carcasses. -
"The laws for the prevention Of
diseases among domestic animals, and
he sale Of adulterated feed stuff,
md the misbranding of articles OF
God for man or beast should be en-
orced. You should also see that the
avs regulating bakeries. canneries,
butcher shops, dairies, and weights
md measures are being observed"