The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-01-10

A RrSDCrED OPPORTUNITY.
In our opinion the Board Of Coun-
" Commissions made tie great
est possible mistake In r..
fusins to accept the proposition OF
State Health onicer Hayne to have
. complete health survey or Sumter
county made under the supervision Of
tho state Board OF Health. on con-
dissen that Sumter county appropri-
ate $1,000 to supplement the $4,000
that the state Board Of Health II In
position to appropriate for this wol k.
We believe that the majority Of the
taxpaysrs OF the county. as much a.
they object to the steady increase In
fa1ation. would have urged the &C.
osptAnos Of the proposition. had they
ben made acquainted with the facta
Two thousand dollars could be spent
70 no better purpose tinan In improv-
ing the health conditions Of the
county and In educating ths people
how to safeguard their health by the
oessrvance OF sanitary laws that all
people should know. Two thousand
dollars would bs small valuation 20
place on the life Of T. single resident
of the county. and IL ID no a.caggera.
ton to assert that health survey
could reasonably be expected to re-
suit In 20 decided Improvement in
sanitary conditions that not one. but
. number Of lives would bs saved
annually BY teaching the people how
70 suard themselves from prsysntabls
d)DonDo6. ~ -Sie-a 1. 4i. 49, =, 49,.
Thsrs y such thing q being PEN
~ ~ ana pound Soollsh. and with
90 ~ rsspsot 10 tbs County com-
qlp1os I'm. appear to have
e9epted The psnny-wiss policy In
nis inseance. They are eyi-
lsntly not afraid Of higher taxes or
of spsndins money In large sums. for
they endorsed the suggestion tha. the
sevsrai townshlps be empowered TO
vote bonds for building permanent
highways: which suggestion. if enact.
Cd into law and then put into ehIest
BY the taxpayers Of the townships,
would entail the expenditure of sew
sral millions OF dollars.
Good roads are certainly desirable
and greatly needed. but good health
and sanitary conditions throughout
the length and breadth Of the county
are equally a. desirable and moro
necessary to the people than paved
highways. A healthy people can
manage to set along with poor roads,
II they must. but the best OF high
ways cannot compensate an unhealthy
people for sufYerings that could have
bssn prevented by the observance of
simple sanitary measures which they
would have observed. had they but
been taught what to do and how 10
keep thsir premises In sanitary con-
dition.
OF course the average run of tax
payers knew nothing about the propo-
sition that state Health Officer Hayne
would make the county comm.ssio
ers and they. therefore. could not ex-
press an opinion on the matter for
the guidance Of the board, but we
feel confident that majority would
be In favor OF spending $4,000 this
year for this purpose. even though 1t
We're necessary to curtail expenses In
some other department Of the county
government. We would like to hear
what the people Of Sumter county
really think Of the matter of a coun-
ty health survey by experts of the
United States department Of health,
for which the county Is asked to pay
only one-third OF the cost. II the peo-
pie are willing to pay for IL. they
should not be bashful about expressing
themselves. We will publish all COM
mupications from those who have
opinions on the subject-whether for
or against the proposition. The only
condition is. that all communication
must be signed.
All Of the State colleges and prac-
tically all other State institutions and
departments are asking for increased
appropriations this year. II their re-
quests are granted the total appr opria
tions will exceed the appropriations OF
last year by more than three quarters
OF q million dollars. A tax levy OF ter
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