New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-02-07
THE PUBLIC HEALTH,

Cnoef the changed system or trans
portation, much of the trade once newt.
able to New Orleans may now be taken tc
other cities. It is q favorite argument
against New Orleans that it has been sub
ject to epidemic vista tons, which rende,
| life more uncertain here than elsewhere and
which at least suspends business profits
during some months. From this fact il
is obvious that New Orleans has an inter-
est in the preservation of the public
health even superior to the common con-
siderations of huma nifty and social COM
fort.
The duty of caring for this great object
has been by law committed to State
Board of Health, and as the performance
Of the duties is limited chiefly to the city
of New Orleans, the cost of administration
has been heretofore derived from a spe-
cial tax on the shipping interest, which
trades with this city
The enhanced duties of the board and
the failure Of chief source of its rev.
enues has lmpelled it to ask some legisla-
sion to increase its authority and assign
some certain resource for the execution Of
its duties. This legislation is en-
bodied i'll a bill now pending in the
Legislature and is understood to
meet the approval of the board With the
wish to place the health authorities on q
permanent and effective footing we pro:
pose to offer some comments upon the
bill. 1t makes no change in the rule of
appointment to the board, but it proposes
a consolidation with the present bureau of
births, deaths and marriages, which is
entitled to favorable Consideration. The
duties now performed by the recorder of
these statistics is transferred to the board.
The fees of the recorder are to be paid
into the State treasury, and the president
and secretary of the Board of Health are
to receive salaries respectively of four
and three thousand dollars These sala-
ries are certainly liberal, and will receive,
no doubt, the consideration of an eco
nomical Legislature. The assignment of
these vital statistics, so essential to the
inquiries of the board, is certainly judi
cious. since it may convert sinecure
Office into useful department.
The bill continues, we are surprised
to see. the taxes on all shipping arriving
at our wharf. This tax has been recently
decided to be without constitutional au-
thority, and would no doubt be enioined
as it was during last year. The policy
of taxing commerce is always unwise.
10 add to the burdens of wharfage and
towage, which already place our naviga-
ton under disadvantage with respect to
other ports, tax for the maintenance of
public health is not calculated to i'm
prove our trade. To charge vessel pro-
hibited from entering the port unless
with bill of good healt h, tax for
preserving the health of the city, seems
little hard, since the ship can not remain
to receive the benefit of the tax.
Aswe observe, the bill claims the right to
establish quarantine stations for "mesns
of conveyance and transportation" other
than shipping. It would be as just
to impose such tonnage tax on railroad
train as upon ship. 1t is indeed time to
reform this antiquated absurdity Of i'm
posing on strangers the cost Of admins
tering domestic interest. 1t is the duty
of the cityto provide for the maintenance
of its health and cleanliness, and compel
by a general tax upon all interests which
participate in profit of its measures of
public police, and we trust that An insti-
tuition So essential to the welfare and pros
perity OF the city as the Board Of Health,
may he put on substantial footing and
always con6ded to competent men.