The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-12-04

Gov. Perry, in Is message to the Leg
islature in \ pril, Bs7, said: " Under ar
ticle XVof the Cotitution, it is necessary,
that legislation hhad on the subject OF
the public health
Several bills othis subject were intro.
duced during tn months Of April ana
May, 1886, but were defeated before
passage, becausepf the demands OF the
conflicting nterts of the widely sepa-s
rated sections ofIhe State, with totally
different conditios governing IN each To-
cality.
Two days befe the Legislature ad-
iourned, Gov. Pey received telegram
from Key West, Eating that yellow fever
had made it's APPEARANCE in that city.
The Governort once sent Col. l.. IS.
Wombwell, his fivate Secretary, to the
Senate chamberwith the dispatch. A
few hours previqs to this ION June Sd,
1887, the bill orthis subject, which had
engaged the attetion of the Legislature,
was indefinitely ostponed, by the follow
ing vote:
Yeas-Senators Blackwell, BRYAN, Burnam,
Coulter. Fowler, ines, Judge, Mann, Martin,
Miller, McKinne Mel, Orman and Whidden-
IA.
Navs-Senators Chandler, Delano, Johnson,
Mallory, Moreno, MURRAY, Stevens, Wall and
Wlliams-9.
On reading ne Key West telegram,
Senator Fowler of Putnam, moved that
the vote by whch the Board Of Health
bill was defeatd be reconsidered. This
motion was lostDy the following vote
Yeas-Senators Johnson. Kelly, Mallory, Mo
reno, McNurray, Walker. Jr and WALL.
Navs-Senators Blackwell Bryan, Burnam,
Coller. Gaskins Jones' Judge, Mann, Miller,
Neel, Orman and Vhdden-12
Only a day or two remained, but
another attemp was made to pass the
bill, but it agan failed at the last mo-
. ment, and the Legislature of 1887 adj
journed without discharging a duty i'm
posed on it by The express provisions OF
the Constitution under which it assem-
b!ed, and which the members had taken
an oath to support and obey. This was
June 5, 1887. IN the early part of 1888
much was said in the press Of the State
about the ACCESSIBILITY Of calling an extra
session of the legislature to establish a
State Board of Health, but no petition
has ever been received by the Governor
asking for it. When the question was
first agitated, Gov. Perry called together
every member of his Cabinet (his consti-
tutional advisers), and after calm and
careful review of the situation their unan-
imous opinion was against calling the
Legislature together in extra session.
The Constitution says:
The Governor shall take care that the laws
be faithfully executed"
1t is not his duty to keep the Leglsla-
ture IN continuous session to make laws
because the members refuse to do their
If Governor Perry had cal caleea n ihes ttle Leo
lslature in extra session at any time be
tween the adjournment in June. 1887
ana November 6, 1888, it would have
been composed Of the same men who re.
fused TO perform a constitutional duty in
June, 1887, when information of the pres
ence OF yellow fever in the State hai been
brought to their attention by direction Of
the Governor. In February, 1888, com
mlttee OF citizens from jacksonville
waited on Governor Perry and laid be-
tore him their views respecting the neces-
sty OF having in Florida a State Board of
Legislature should be called in extra Sos
sion when local boards throughout the
State were in active operation under very
latltudlnous powers given them under ex-
listing laws.
II yellow fever was in Florida when
the Legislature adjourned in June, 1887.
and remained in the State during the en-.
tire winter, how could a State Board of
Health, formed in the spring of 1888, have
stamped 1t out before warm weather? If
a State Board of Health had been estab.
llshed In the spring ofl889, could it have
been more effective in its labors at Jack
sonvllle than the local board there? If
so, why? When this committee from
Jacksonville visited Governor Perry great
diversity OF opinion existed among medi-
cal men as to the best methods to he
adopted to prevent the introduction and
spread OF yellow fever in Florida. as will
be shown by the following editorial. Ia
ken from the Times Union of Jackson
Vile:
Many able physicians believe thai epidemic
diseases can best be dealt with throl, IN the local
enforcement OF sanitary laws, and that his
me- bod IL far better entitled to confluence imam
avn quarantine that could be established.
"Ole thing may be accepted as certain reg,rd-
ln2 yellow fever and The like, and that is thal
besides being hot weather diseases they rarely
become dangerous except where ii h ana insan-
iluy conditions prevail In :. really clean city
yellow fever viii not become epidemic even
when introduced from the outside, as bns been
Clearly shown within HE past few years by the
expert ce OF New Orleans and Memphis.
This then is the duty OF The hOnr throurb