The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-01-24

mortality. Your State health officer
will tell you that we have great
many deaths among infants and young
mothers. because of a lack of few
simple and necessary precautions. In
formation which has come to us, incl
dent to the mobilization of our troops
in the recent world war, has disclosed
a physical condition among the adult
population, both men and women.
which can not be ignored and should
not be neglected Our people, if we
are adequately to safeguard the fu-
ture, must be physically and morally
clean as well as mentally vigorous. If
our civilization is to endure, it must
have as it's sure foundation, people
mentally, morally and physically fit to
be the fathers and mothers of future
generations.
To Outlaw Extracts.
It is the policy of this State that
the sale and use of intoxicating liquors
as a beverage is against public health
and morals, and its sale has, therefore.
been prohibited. If, as the legislature
has enacted, and the people at the bal
lot box have declared the prohibition
of the sale of intoxicating liquors is
to be the policy Of the State, and 1
am in full accord with this view, we
must realize that in this matter "eter-
nal vigilance" is essential to the prop
er enforcement of this provision. Re-
Gently my attention was called to a
situation that somewhat surprised me.
The police department of one of the
cities of this State made a search in
the back alleys and secret places,
where persons naturally resort to
drink, and collected a surprisingly
large number of bottles on which were
labels showing that said bottles had
contained compounds, either extracts
or patent medicines, which contained
from 6 to 80 per cent. alcohol. I was
informed by the chief of the police
department that these socalled medi-
cines and extracts were being freely
purchased from merchants, and drunk
as a beverage. He further stated that
his department was having consider
able drunkenness to deal with on ac-
count of this practice. I have learned
since that this condition is not pecu-
liar to any one locality, but is some
what general throughout the State.
Any reputable physician will unhesi-
tatingly say that medicines and ex-
tracts of the class mentioned when
used as beverages are more injurious
in every respect than distilled liquors.
It was not to rid the States Of alco-
holic liquors that our prohibition laws
were passed, but rather to protect our
people from the evil and injury Incl
dent to it's use as a beverage. If sub
stitutes are being used that are more
injurious, it is certainly in keeping
with the policy of the State to prohibit
the sale and use of any such substi-
tute 1t may be that the present law
is sufficient to cover such cases, but /
believe it would be wise to pass an act
definitely dealing with this question.
Tax Methods Unbusinesslike.
During the past several months I
have endeavored to give a good deal
of my time and attention to the ques-
ton of taxation. Every honest man
is willing to pay his pro rata part of
the necessary burden of government.
The main difficulty with us, as l see
it, is lack of business method in this
department. l believe an effective
remedy will be found in the adoption
of an executive budget somewhat SINH
lar to the law now in force. in the
State of Virginia. Under this law the
governor is required to submit to the
general assembly at each session an
executive budget containing an itemiz-
ed statement of the estimated expendi-
lures of the various departments and
institutions of the State for the en-
suing fiscal year with his recommen-
dations thereon. This budget will be
referred to the appropriate commit
tees as any other bill. Any item, of
course. may be increased, decreased or
stricken out entirely, but nc appro-
priation, not included in the budget,
is to be considered until the budget is
finally disposed of, except in emergen-
cy cases. This means that the men,
bers of the general assembly will have
the benefit of information obtained by
the governor from the various depart
ments and institutions of the State in
preparing the budget, which will en-
able them to act more intelligently in