The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-08-07
OUR QUARANTINE.

! think that the wisdom OF Sucn
measure was self. evident, but it
seems not. There are few individ-
uals who have not only questioned
its wisdom, but are decidedly op-
posed to it, and we propose to exam
inc the wisdom of their opposition.
From the papers we learn that
Shreveport, Cousbatta, Natchitoches,
Mobile, Galveston, Baton Rouge,
Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis, and
St. Louis have all established quar-
antines, and most of them four or
five days prior to ours. The fact
that cases of yellow fever had al
ready been carried to Donaldsonville,
Vicksburg and even to St. Louis, and
one has developed in Cincinnati,
ought to be sufficient to demonstrate
the wisdom of their action, and their
precedent, ought to be sufficient to
cause those opposed to our Quaran-
tine to question the wisdom Of their
opposition, but it has not.
Their wisdom is one Of two kinds.
| OF the kind which Macauley de-
scribes as the mountains top which
catches the sunlight before it shines
in the valley below, or it is of that
kind which claims to see deeper into
the milestone than other people; a
self-adoring wisdom which is above
the influence of a precedent, beyond
the reach of arguments which infu-
ence common mortals. This latter
| is, we presume, the kind Of wisdom
which presided over the Quarantine
counsels of New Orleans, and insist
ed in waiting until they could hear
from the Board of Health, at Havana,
to learn whether the. fever was cpl
demic there; kind of red-tapeism in
which form and ceremony and wise
looks, supply the place of common
sense, that can see nothing, hear
nothing and learn nothing, unless it
learns it officially or professionally.
A remarkable feature of this wisdom
is, that Its owners never apply it to
their own affairs, while they insist on
administering it to the public; they
lock their stores and safes, and in
sure their houses agvinst unseen
dangers, just as other people do, but
what thefts or burglaries, or fires
are compared to the scourge of a
yellow fever epidemic. All the fires
and burglaries and thefts of five
years, have not cost New Orleans as
much in pecuniary loss, as the pres
ent epidemic, to say nothing of the
misery and sorrow. But for that ia
tai wisdom of time enough, little
more delay, little more slumber,
little more folding of the hands to.
gether, New Orleans and Louisiana
would have been spared her present
frightful calamity. When we think
1of the horror of yellow fever, its suf-
fering, its sorrow, its desolation, its
cost, what must we think of those
Entrusted with the public safety, if
they delayed to provide against even
against the remote contingency Of
such calamity. What must we
think of the pitiable excuse that it
will cost too much, as if life and sor-
row can be paid for in money. Such
an excuse is SO weak, so hearLless,
that it looks more like hypocrisy
than earnest conviction. The cpl
demic Of 1872, in Shreveport, cost
over 500, 900, and this was for the
poor, who were unable to defray their
own expenses. How much must be
added to this sum, for those who
paid their ownp How much for the
commercial loss7 How much for the
lives of its best and most enterpri-
sing citizens9 Do we oyerstate the
cost when We say enough to pay for
guarantees for fifty years? Such too
is the history Of the cost Of yellow
fever the same year in Memphis, and
. such has been its cost everywhere.
) For one, i say that our Town
Council deserves the hearty thanks
Of this community, and our energetic
Mayor, for his active and untiring
vigilance, and our worthy members
Of Stonewall Hook 3 Ladder Co. No,
} |, who have rendered their services
to assist him in guarding against q
! more dangerous enemy than fire, and
guarding q greater treasure than
: houses or money. ~ B.
~~~~~-~>~~-3-~~~>
IF YOU WANT A GOOD, DURABLE
l. and EASY RUNNING SEWING
I MACHINE, BUY THE "WILSON >
FROM MOORE BIOSSAT, THE ONLY
AUTHORIZED AGENT IN RAPIDEs
PARISH. OFFICE: CORNER SEC
oND and DESOTo STREETS, ALEX
t ANDRIA, LA.