The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-09-07

Common and extended daily
ID two peoples situated on either
{he Rio Grandc, the Interchange OF
MS, customs, commodities and vices VIII
grow in proportion. Whatever is in Mex
leo will be carried over into Texas, ana
what there is in this state will be taken into
Mexico. In view of this fact and certain
others that may be mentioned Texas VIII
be threatened in very short while IN
manner that ought soon to arrest the at
tention of her citizens. We refer to the
danger of the introduction OF contagious
and epidemic diseases into this state from
across the border. The present calamity at
brownsville and Matamoras has served to
bring out the more prominently the dam
gers to be apprehended from this quarter.
The news even now, refers to The spread
of the dreaded and deadly fever to the
ranches and smaller hamlets out distance
from both the cities named, though strong
quarantine line on this side the river Is
stretched from Corpus Christi to Laredo.
This precaution may suffice this year TO
prevent the fever extending inland owing
to the lateness of the season, and the cir
cumscribed limits Of the plague, but along
the entire route of the Rio Grande such
precaution would not only prove ineiiec-
tual, but wholly impracticable. Then the
fact must be remembered that now every
month is bringing us not only into closer
communication with Old Mexico, but
that new routes are being con-
stantly opened into the interior,
along the whole stretch of the river. lnthe
next two years We will have at least four or
five lines of railway running into the terri
tory of our southern neighbor from Texas
alone, to say nothing of the scores OF pri-
yate roads and the other railways penetra-
ting the country from other portions OF our
border. Over these various highways VIII
be carried thousands o. passengers ana
millions of tons of freight, and both ireight
and passengers will bring and take with
them all the germs of disease existing in all
the various communities from which they
come. Here the danger lies. The present
scourge at Matamoras has taught us the
disagreeable fact that Mexico is wholly
without quarantine regulations. A pesti-
lence in one city or section is at liberty to
20 wherever the climate and natural condi-
lions will permit it, and, in some respects
no country on the globe can surpass our
neighbor in the existence OF conditions
favorable to the originating Of epidemic or
contagious diseases. The mass OF
the population of that country are
of the lowest kind, and live more
poorly and in more filth than the blacks OF
the south and without any regard what
ever to sanitary considerations. Yellow
fever and smallpox are almost annual vlsl-
tors, to q great extent, of Mexican terri
tory, and as the railways reach the racine
coast of the country, the traffic with the
South Sea and East India islands VIII de
velop greatly and carry with it the cholera
and other plaques from that portion oil the
world. 1t is, therefore, quite easy to see
what hot.bed of dangerous and epidemic
maladies we will thus shortly have on the
south of us, and what care and caution IL
will be necessary to exercise in an extended
intercourse with the country to prevent
their crossing the border and ravaglng our
state. Texas is more directly threatened,
and consequently more deeply Interested
than any other of the American
states. as her climatic condi-
lions are very much the same
as found in the greater portion oil
Mexico, and such diseases as would there
flourish in epidemic form would beiikely
10 be disastrous here. 1t is not enough,
therefore, that our own quarantine is strict
and thorough. To afford full protection
the same rigid discipline and watchfulness
must be observed by the Mexican authori-
ties. A treaty ofcommerce and toregulate
border intercourse is TO be drafted soon be-
tween This and the Mexican government
but we have he ard nothing said about the
establishment of mutual and cooperative
quarantine regulations. And yet this is
likely TO become of as much Importance as
any Other feature connected with the inter
communication Of the two peoples. IL y or
vin ,hor,lv hecore of paramount sig
nifcance. The commissioners, therefore,
who frame this treaty, should certainly
look afler such a provision as suggested,
and impress its Importance upon the Me1l-
can government and our Texas congress
sional delegation should take steps to see
that the attention Of the mixed commits
sion is especially called, not only to the es-
tablishment OF cooperative quarantine reg
ulations. but that Mexico be urged 10 es-
tablish throughout the whole OF Its extent
a wise and rigid quarantine. such as exists
ia most Of the United States. The matter
/, one Of international importance.
xor EXACTLY THE ISSUE
L. II.rald r.f a reoQut II 4