Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1879-04-26
THE NEW ORLEANS QUARAN-
TINE, AND TIE TIMES"

under the leadership of DR.. Chopin,
has wisely determined TO establish #
rigid quarantine against all South
American and West Indian ports; to
go in operation the LIST Of May next
This action Of the Board is in harmo-
ny with the views ofa large majority
of the ablest medical experts who
have expressed themselves on the sub
jet il is based upon the overwhclm.
ing evidence of the late destructive cp-
idemic, AS TO the exotic character OF
yellow fever, and is endorsed by fully
nine -tentlis If the citizens and plIysi-
clans of y. O., and by all the inliabi-
tants of the immense country tributa-
ry to the city; still the n. o. Times,
acting alone in the interest of com
merce-and taking II very short-sight-
ed view oftltat, conles out in opposition
to tt, holding that yellow fever is of
local origin, and should be prevented
by local sanitary measures.
While we conccde the duty of Il met
ropolitan journal to protect the com
mercial interest of The city that sup
ports it, we regard II as much higher.
holier and more important duty to
cndeavor TO preserve the health and
lives of lis citizens.
Whether the Times accepts the
theory of the foreign origin Of yellow
fever or not, the people do: and il ~.
Orleans fails to adopt all possible
means of preventing another invasion
ofthis dreaded disease. the up-comn-
try-peoplc will begin to Withdraw
their trade from that city in ant.cipa-
ton of its coming, and suspend COM
municatlon entirety on the appearance
of the first case. Now. the question is.
cannot New Orleans better afford to
loose the comparatively insignificant
fruit and coffee trade of the tropics.
than to give up its vast patronage
from the contiguous country? And
the quarantine proposed would inter
rupt aud d Sturb its foreign commerce
for Il time; but if the up-country peo-
pie become alarmed and apprehensive,
they will stop all intercourse immedi-
ately and completely avoiding the city
as they would "A pest house.
1t is to late to talk about the yellow
fever not being prevented by non-in-
course. 1t can be-the people believe
it, and they are going to act upon it to
the bittct end, when occasion requires.
The appearance of II single well mark
ed case of yellow fever at any of our
southern seabort cities will BE- the sig
nal for stopping all trains running ou'
from these places; for it was unqucs-
tionably established by the epidemic
of last year that cars and goods were
the most common carriers of the dead
ly poison.
Wehope that the n. o. Board of
Health will persevere in its purpose.
in spite ofthe opposition ofthc"Times'
orany other paper, and establish the
most effective quarantine possible.
even at the sacrifice for Il short time.
of all trade with the tropics. The eyes
os the whole South are upon it: and
its every act will be carefully scrutin-
lied from afar off, as well rs at home.
DIR. Chopin is not the man to finch
from duty, nor shrink from response
no matter what opposition he
may have. He has had a lifelong cX-
periencc with yellow fever, and pos
sesscs mature and settled convictions
on the subject, which will guide and
direct him in the delicate and impor-
tant position which he holds. A large
majority of the people Of n. o.. and all
of those in the surrounding country
will hold up his hands. and bid him
God-speed in hi noble efforts to keep
the most important gateway of yellow
fever, well closed against another en-
trance.