The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-08-14

diseases, and to dfe prematurely TO,
lack Of information about how ti
protect individual and public health
IL only we can save few cents or q
/ few dollars. per capita, taxes, for say
one year.
These same kind of men could keep
from drinking whiskey and induce
thousands OF ignorarl negroes and
many intelligent white men to con-
! sumo whiskey in order to make mon
ey for the county treasury. But these
cheap skates can't keep flies from
swarnling over typhoid contaminated
filth and entering their homes ant
bringing communicable diseases 'tc
them and their loved ones. Or pre-
vent communicable diseases other
wise injecting the rich mans family.
Communicable diseases among the
poor means disease and death, to tbs
rich as we'll, sooner or later. Dis
eases and death are no respecters OF
persons or conditions Of worldll
wealth, color or social standing.
A few cents, per capita, taxes saved
r1ay mean much suffering, much
az Iy, much loss to the we'll to do as
wei; as to the poor.
Some few men say that this is no;
the logical time ito put on county
health survey and campaign of edu
cation" Some men said that same
thing two years ago. Hundreds OF
taxpayers and voters said the same
thing about prohibition, many sal
that the time was not ripe to vote
out the liquor dispensary, but no.
one man in one hundred would vote
to have the dispensary back again
The dispensary advocates meant by
the statement that this is not tht
logical time or ''the time is not
ripe to vote out whiskey and vote
in law and order, and prosperity, and
vote out crime and poverty, that they
thought the voting out Of the dispen-
sarg and its revenues would increase
taxes a few cents to few dollars
per capita, but they didn't have grit
to say that they put dollars above
mora]s and above sobriety and above
decency.
The time is never ripe" to hin
who opposes reforms, which nigh
cost a few dollars extra taxes, or con
tributions whether the proposed re-
form means better schools, better
public highways, better public health
better churches, or any thing else
that will cost a little. The time Is
always ripe and we'll seasoned
which brings about better health
better moral, and better mental con-
ditions.
Organization and leadership will
yet secure the necessary two thous.
and and five hundred dollars needed
Tor the county health survey.
The white citizens Of Sumter coun-
ty could raise that sum in a two-day
popular subscription campaign, o.
see at fifteen hundred dollars o
that sum is subscribed, and surely the
Sumter Legislative delegation will SET
that the balance-one thousand dol
lars-is taken care of in the county
supply bill. The tax money belong:
to the people, not to the county coms
nnissioners or to any one of them.
The state Board OF Health must know
by October 1st what Sumter county
IS going to do, as the annual appro=
pirations by the Rockefeller Founda.
ton are made up at the fourth quar-
terly n1eet::T Ct this association every
October county health surveys
and O. 4ree surveys are allotted
each yea, for each state.
Who will volunteer as leaders o.
the '.white folks" side of this bi;
proposition to do so much for thous
ands Of innocent helpless, and worthy
little babies and other children anc
other human beings?
Surely there are a few big hearted
broad minded. progressive, and pos.
sibly few philanthropic men and
women among the white folks" who
will loosen up with liberal contribu'
tions 9.as a starter and who ar
progressive enough to serve as lead
ers and put "over the top this mucE
desired county health surveys
The leaders who got knocked GU
of the ring twice inside of sixty days
by two different boards Of county
about the first two
thousand dollars, are naturally .sl:! afraid