The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-09-28
THE PLAGUE AND PRESS"
BETWEEN THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP
SEA
They Are Cursed II They Do, and Are
Damned II They Don't, Insist Upon
Non.Intercourse and Summary Pun
ishment for Refugees.

From the Chattanooga Times
DIR. g. b. Thornton on Tuesday telegraphed
Surgeon-General Hamilton that there was
no ''just occasion for alarm on account OF
fever danger at Memphis. Sensational pub
locations in the press had scared the sensi-
tive people" The doctor declares 'the city
is very healthy, and l am now, Us / have
been all summer, confident there will be no
cases here" But in spite of his stout
confidence and his opinion that the scare
was all traceable TO the sensational news
paper publications." he was, in his capacity
OF president of the health board of Memphis,
compelled TO admit there was suspicious
case in the city, whom he ordered 10 the vel.
low fever ward in the city hospital, and the
case was not a refugee, but resident Of
Memphis, coffee and spice house drummer.
We hope DR.. Thornton will not complain OF
us for printing this sensational report"
We cite this case and the circumstances
surrounding IL as a text for n few remarks
on the constant and unrcasoning complaint
against the newspapers in this emergency.
They have only given the news, and II the
news irightens sensitive people" are the
publishers 10 blame? OF course much that
the papers secure Is exaggerated, simply be-
cause publishers must depend on such cor
respondents as they can get 10 serve them,
aud whose stories II is impossible TO verify;
but the Associated Press dispatches are
drawn invariably from official sources they
are ms reliable as IL is possible TO make news
OF that character, and the head lines put
over the revelations OF the situation at
Jacksonville from day to day are much
more than justified by the text below the
lines.
But We are not complaining that the press
has 10 bear the blame whichever way Proyi-
dence orders We know, aud take IL as a
matter of course, that the Times and its con-
frpres are letwecn the devil and the deep sea;
that whether fever is kept out by means OF
the rigid quarantine they promote, or comes
IN spite Of IL, they will be cursed and abused
as sensational MS vonal and greedy enough
20 scare their towns 10 death, II only thereby
they should sell few additional copies. The
Times is used 10 this sort of thing, takes IL as
part OF il earthly reward and complains not
at all.
We are certain, however, that had the
Times been conducted 10 suit It's host OF adj
yiscrs, instead Of according 10 the judgment
aud sense Of duty Of its manager, IL would
have held mt least seven different positions
on quarantine aud cognntc matters In every
| issue; instead Of holding straight forward
course and giving the news, II would have
played hidc-and-seck with tho situation and
surroundings, suppressed the news, been a
mere worthless fool, aud not n journal OF
enterprise giving the history OF the epidemic
IN all its phases from day 10 day, and ex.
pressing carefully formed opinions ON the
| proper course for the health authorities 10
| pursue.
We may say generally that but for the
newspapers the plague would long ago
have gained a foothold IN nearly every
readily infected town and city Of the south.
by conspicuously printing the news Of is
| increase at the main center and Of its
spread, they have warned the people In
time and enabled them 10 take carr oil
themselves. by persistently pushing en-
lightcnod public opinion on the dignihed
and rcd-tape bound health boards, the pres
has forced them TO set with some CELEBRITY
| and energy 10 meet and battle the swift ap.
| preaching enemy. But for our quarantine
| the suspicious case at Wildwood, Decatur
| refugee, would have come here and died here,
and then We would have had panic and tho
town depopulaicd, and the Tiacs would
now be cursed up hill and dow dale for
not demanding protection for the people
and their commerce. but for our quaran'
tine. which the Tmes has supported when
rightly administered and criticised when
loose or inefficient, there would In all proba
biliiy have been dozen imported cases III
the city. and 2oOOO Of the people would b,
away pcrChing ON the mountain ridges, OF
staying at northern hotels - then wher,
would cuisines" be-
We go farther than this and say that hui
for tho TBeJ fhithfulness In printing IN,
nows of the plague, and IT, persistent
urgency for mors and more rigid measures
b. exclude refugees, We would have had oul
city and iis suburbs full of refugee Florldians
and with one case ~ hellyache among them
q wild stampede Of our citizens would have
resulted. and by this time not ono store o
hotel VA five IN the city would be open.
In all this We do not claim 10 be IN,
maker" or the manager OF the town; bu
merely that We are potent vehicle and or
gan OF public opinion, and a thoroughly liv,
and reliable newspaper.