The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-04-02
Of international commerce and the sani-
tary interests of mankind.
STATE RIGHTS GUARDED.

STATE RIGHTS GUARDED.
To guard against infringing upon the
rights of the States and local authorities
to adopt measures for their own protec-
ton in the event the pestilence should
pass the outer line of Notifications
established by the bill beyond their
Jurisdiction, and TO secure the co-opera-
ton Of both Federal and State authori-
ties for carrying out the objects Of the
bill-the following clause was inserted
SECTION g. That it shall be the duty of the
Direct0r-General OF Health and of the Board
OF Health so far they lawfully may, in the
execution OF their powers conferred upon them
by law, 10 correspond and cooperate nth similar
i0cat officers bodrds and authorities acting under
lars Of the States sIniEry measures, to prevent
the introduction and spread of contagious and
infectious diseases from foreign countries into
the United States and from State into any
other State, by means of commercial inter
course, or upon and along the lines OF inter
State trade and travel and to that end II shall
be lawful for said Board of Health and Direc-
tor-General OF Health to confer upon any such
local officer or board rithiH or Re1r the locality
enforce the provisions 9f this act and any rules and
regulations na1ds IN pursuance tereot.
This clause was a full recognition of
the rights and powers of State, munich
pal and local authorities, but to make
assurance doubly sure, and leave no
cause for cavil, the following amend
ment was moved by Senator Harris who
reported the bill, and it was adopted
without dissent:
"Progi1ea Tia, nothing shall be 50 construed as
70 supsceds any saaita,y quarantine lar Of any
State"
As explained by the able and practi-
cal Senator from Tennessee to whom the
people, of the South especially, owe a
debt of gratitude, ''the bill so far from
wiping out single quarantine regula-
ton adopted by any State, was not
intended to interfere with any law or
quarantine adopted by any State, or any
of the machinery of the State looking
in that direction" The Senate bill was
intended to protect the outposts; and to
aid the State authorities in guarding the
inner circle, and doing the work
for them if they failed to do it for
themselves and it left the latter
to adopt any additional regula-
ton within the limits of their jul
risdction. Common sense dictated
that at the stage of the session in which
this measure was sent to the lower
branch Of Congress, it ought to have
been taken up, and passed without
moments hesitation. The failure to do
so necessarily jeopardized the whole
scheme of protection from the most ter
rible enemy that could ravage the land.
1t was slaughtered in the House of its
friends upon shallow and insufficient
pretext, that they wanted a measure
which would not interfere with the
State, county and municipal regulations.
In this respect the prerogatives of the
State and local authorities were as well
guarded as in the substitute by which they
killed the whole scheme.
WA q
KILLED.
We have no comments to offer open on
the House substitute. The objection to
the Senate bill seemed to be that it was
tweedledum instead of tweedledee The
House Committee insisted that it should
be twedledee The Senate bill created
Board of Health and Director-General
of Health. The House substitute crea-
ted Board of Health with authority to
select President of the Board from
their own members. The duties of the
two Boards were practically the same as
to the prevention of the introduction of
the disease, but it did not authorize the
Board of Health to establish quarantine
stations on rivers and lines of interstate
travel until informed by the Executive
of any State in which infectious disease
might exist, and was likely to spread,
that the local authorities were unable
to control 1.-THE effect of which would
be to impair the efficiency of the system
and procrastinate action when delay
would be fatal. In this particular the
Senate bill was far preferable. Hon.
Mr.. Young of the Memphis, Tennessee,
District, who as the organ of the Com
mittee reported the substitute, saw the
folly of the proceeding, and when
too late, attempted to repair the mis-
chief his committee had wrought The
squabble over the question, produced
division when there should have been
hearty cooperation, Its enemies took
advantage of the blunder, and both bills
were defeated The result was the
production at the last moment of the
insufficient and impotent measure
which is printed elsewhere.
WHAT THE PEOPLE ASK.