The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-05-06
HOW TO RUIN A CITY.

HOW TO RUIN A CITY.
The war which has been for some time
waged against DR.. Chopin and the Board OF
Health. over which he presides, iDiudicious
and mistaken In some quarters and cowardly
and Interested In others, is calculated to work
incaleulable disaster to the trade Of New Or
| leans and the future advancement Of our city.
The wing OF the hostile party Of which the
New Orleans Times Is the organ displays 80
reckless an Indifference to the public
interest," and hostility to the board and
Its president SO fierce and Incorporate
that we are forced to the convlc-
ton that there is some hidden political
motive instigating its policy. Indeed, the
public Is convinced that 1t is not SO much an
open port that the Times wants, as change
in the presidency and, perhaps, the general
personnel Of the Board Of Health. The ven
omous and reckless editorials OF the Times. re-
stricted to something like decency by the force
OF public opinion, In which the Board OF
Health and It's able and distinguished presi-
dent, one of the first physicians and most &C
complished scientists Of the South, have been
daily, for weeks past, assailed, are reproduced
with all the indecency Of language which the
brutal ignorance and savage feroeity Of cow
ardice and sefishness turned loose under the
shield and protection of anonymous pla-
cards and letters can invent.
In another column we print some of the let
tiers which have been sent to DR. Chopin
threatening his life and seeking to overawe
and intimidate the Board of Health. These
letters Indicate communistie spirit amongst
class Of the comm unity which Is dangerous
to the peace and good Of the city, and which
should be promptly and vigorously rebuked
by all good citizens. If the constituted
authorities Of the State may be deferred
from their duty by the threats of any brutal
ruf1ian, or If, i'm the faithful discharge of their
duties under the laws, their lives may be
imperiled, the effects upon our trade and
prosperity will be far more calamitous than q
dozen epidemics.
But we assume that there Is very little
danger III the threats of such ruf1ians and that
their ignorant following will have little iDflu-
ence upon the public other than may be given
them BY the malevolence and intemperance OF
newspaper claiming to represent respect
able element Of the city. It Is important
however, that the people should gravely con-
slider this war that has been made upon the
Board Of Health and its probable effects upon
this city. Whatever may be the views Of the
Times or of more influential and more dlsin-
terested parties on the subject of quarantine,
tt Is q positive and indispntahla fact that the
people of the States and regions tributary to
New Orleans believe In it's efficacy, and that,
half terrified even now, they are watching
the enforcement Of 1t In this city with an
anxious solicitude We're the Governor, I'M
der the stress Of the clamor raised In certain
quarters and falsely claiming to be the ex-
preston Of public opinion, to revoke his
quarantine proclamation tomorrow. before
ten days had elapsed the whole country
would institute rigid quarantine against
New Orleans and our trade with the
interior would be annihilated for the spring
summer and portion of the fall. Is the
West India fruit trade worth enough to New
Orleans to warrant us In revoking the quar-
antine proclamation. and throwing open this
port to the vessels from yellow fever regionsi
Let the shriekers against the Board OF Health
answer this question.
But these shriekers hold that they are not
against reasonable quarantine. Oh no
They want the old Kellogg law restored, Ii
strict conformity with which the Emily B
Souder passed the quarantine station last year
and brought into the city two incipient cases Of
yellow fever. DR.. Darlington has been ma
ligned. abused and prosecuted for the passage
| OF that vessel and yet he passed her In confor-
nifty with the law, and at the time nc
human knowledge could have detected the
fever. The law was to blame and not DR.
Darlington. But now we are told that DR.
Darlington must be crucified and the Kellogg
law restored. Is not such twaddle as this an
insult to the intelligence OF the public.
Under the law as 1t now stands and as the
| Board Of Health and the quarantine officer
Or. Darlington, are enforcing it, an in
fected vessel cannot reach this port, and
the efficacy of quarantine will be fully tested
1t Is for rigdly enforcing this law Of the Leg
islature that the Board of Health and DIR
Chopin are being bitterly assailed and per.
secuted, and their capacity to protect the
city and country impaired. They are
simply enforcing the law OF the State; they
have no option. Ii they pursued any other
course than the one they are pursuing, and
an Infected vessel, despite the law, and
through the remssness Of the board and quar-
antine officer should reach the city and spread
the fever, then indeed would DR.. Chopin
and the whole board and DR.. Darlington de-
serve at the hands Of good men the fate with
which brutal and ignorant anonymous scrib.
blers have threatened them.
| We trust that the intelligent public senti
mont OF New Orleans will rebuke this un
timely war upon the Board of Health and the
highest interests OF this great city. The com
MERGE Of New Orleans should not thus BIZ
trifled with.
a QUESTION OF AUTHORITY.