The north Mississippi herald. (Water Valley, Yalobusha Co., Miss.) 1888-1929, 1921-07-01
DR.. LEATHERS EX-
PLAINS WHY NO ELEC-
TION SHOULD Be HELD
Director of State Public Health
Work Issues Open Letter to
People of Yalobusha Coun-
ty on The Subject

/
ty on The Subject
TO THE PEOPLE OF YALOBUSHA
COUNTY:
/ have been requested to make a
statement relative to having an 'elec-
tion with reference to continuing
health work in Yalobusha County,
and take pleasure in stating certain
/ facts about it.
! 1t seems that it has been suggested
that the matter be put to the vote of
the people of the County, and desire
t. state the policy of public health
work the country over in regard to
this point. It is fact that no coun-
ty or state, so far as / know, in the
entire country pursues the policy Of
deciding whether or not health work
is to be done in the county or state by
submitting the matter to the public
vote. There is no disposition on the
part of the authorities not to con-
duct this work upon a thoroughly
democratic basis, or not to follow the
dictates of public sentiment, but it
would be manifestly unwise and out
of keeping with good results, to pro-
ject health work upon political
basis.
A county or state puts up so much
money for this work, and in the event
/ it becomes necessary for us to con-
duct campaigns in order to carry q
popular election as to whether work
shall be done or not, it would require
great deal of time on the part of
those engaged in this work, at the ex-
pense of the county or state, which
would result in confusion, opposition
because of possible prejudice, opposi-
ton because of ones inability to
reach everyone and make a detailed
explanation, and factional situation
which would be absolutely unfavor-
able to the best interests of the peo-
| pie in the prevention and control of
disease.
During the past eleven years, l have
conscientiously endeavored and stren-
uously worked to do everything in my
power for the masses of the people of
Mississippi in the prevention of dis
ease, feeling that this work was of
far reaching Importance in the de-
ve,opment of our state. I therefore
regarded it as a privilege and pleas
ure to use every energy and ability in
promoting the cause which / know to
be indispensable in the development of
healthy and efficient citizenship.
For this reason, it is desirable that the
official board of county or state shall
assume the responsibility relative to
humanitarian effort of this kind,
rather than to pursue a method which
would be difficult to carry out, and
which would make it possible for end
less confusion to arise in the accom-
plishment of that which we know to
be in the best interest of the people.
In going to Yalobusha County to do
health work, the sum of $4,000 is Of
fered to the county upon the condi-
tion that an equal amount be appro-
priated by the Official Board of the
county, for this work; in other words,
the State Board of Health is putting
|up dollar for dollar and even more,
in proportion to the county appropri-
ations, 1t does not seem reasonable
that we should ask the county by
popular vote to accept this donation,
by making a campaign for this OBJ
ject. 1t is certainly business propo-
sition for the county to accept it in
lieu of the immense good that has
been done in the county in the last
year, and the good that will be accom-
phshed.
II would therefore appear that the
carrying on of this work could be de-
termined without using any of this
money for campaigning at large spe-
cifically for this purpose. The work
has been dane in the county during
the past year. all the county has been
covered, practically every home visit
ed, and the results stand for what
they are worth to the people of the
county, and am of the opinion that
If it is not now possible to determine
whether this work should be continu-
ed, it is best to leave the matter for
the people to think over at their
leisure. and find out for themselves
in time, what it means for q people
to have such service and the incalcul-
able value of controlling disease,
and preventing sickness and suffering.
Public Health work is a humani-
tartan work. 1t is automatic that no
individual nor group of individuals
can ever achieve large success unless
health is properly conserved as a
basis for the proper physical and NOR
al development. It would be Just
as logical for the people of Yalobusha
County to vote as to whether they
should have schools as to vote as 10
whether they should have public
health work done, and especially is
this true when the conditions for do
i ing this work are so favorable and
such munificent offer is made as an
inducement for carrying on public
health work in the county.
There are three great factora IN 4ha