The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-31

The EFFORTS TO GET UP A YELLOW FEvET
PANc-Annually at this period, when the
Quarantine reports usually record the existence
Of few imported cases of yellow fever, certain
mysterious and seedy looking individuals make
their appearance at the newspaper Offices with
rumors of cases alleged to have occurred in the
most populous parts of the city. II was only
the day before yesterday that person called
at our Office with an alarming statement Of this
kind, but being asked to sign his name TO it, or
to give his authority, he declined to do so. The
circumstance is one Of such frequent occurrence
thatwe rarely or ever pay attention 10 commu-
nications thus received. It's obvious that there
IL nothing In the statement of fact of 30 much
importance which should render conscientious
person unwilling to authenticate IL; and the
systematic persistency with which IL is sought
to give currency TO these reports, would, in
itself, 60 TO prove that they are dictated By In
terestcd motives. This superstition Is confirmed
by the temperance of these identical state
ments In the columns of some OF our country
contemporaries. As they are generally rejected
by the New York papers as unworthy of credit,
and, therefore, cannot be copied from them,
1t follows that they must be prepared for
both presses by the same persons We can
consequently arrive at no other conclusion than
that these offcious individuals who are 40 anxi-
ous to keep the New York journals accurately
informed as TO the rapid spread Of the yellow
fever In their city, are the regularly paid and
regularly instructed correspondents Of the lead
ing papers In other large commercial ports
which have adirect interest in creating q yellow
fever stampede In New York, with a view 10
divert share Of its enormous and continually
increasing business into their own channels
Conduct like this is not only mean but wicked.
The subject Is too serious a one 10 be trifed
with, and those who seek 10 make an instrument
OF II 10 subscrve their interests are sure 10 be
punished for II In the end. No competition,
whether commercial or otherwise, can be sue
cessfully maintained by falsehood or deception.
An honest rivalry disdains such shifts, and
they are shortsighted indeed who do not see
that their use must rscoil with the most
injurious effect upon their own heads. Sup
posing that they even succeeded for a season
in keeping country buyers from coming to
New York, do they imagine that this
slight diversion of its trade could be rendered
permanent No the result would be that Il
would tempt the merchants of Boston and
Philadelphia to embark in spcculations which
they would be unable TO sustain, whilst New
York, recovered from the temporary check In
6icted upon IL by such unfair Influences, would
profit by their ruin. New York is the natural
business entrep5t IF the American continent: aud
ss vel might thee puny intrigucrs endeavor 20
make the ocean reccde in rs Dcd a. 10 divert
from " the trade which flows t. il as the logiii.
mate centre Of ah our commercial operations.
And nov, one word to quiet The apJrch,n.
sivns Of those whose nerves arc liable TO be
shaken at the bare mention or an epidemic. 10
TO the psesenI time there Is nothing ia Che re.
ported cases Of yellow fever 70 show Chat the
disease is likely to assrme this form. On the
contrary, oil that bsve been irycrics,cd have