The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-01
MAY BAR OUT EMIGRANTS
TIE FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ON
THA ALERT.

President Harrison to Return to
Washington Today on Account OF
the Gravity OF the situation An
Extra Session of Congress Not to
Be Called - Plenty OF Power Al
ready.
WASHINGTON. Aug. Sl.-Ths gravity Of
the cholera situation will bring the Presi-
dent back to Washington early tomorrow
morning, according to a dispatch received
tonight from Private Secretary Halford by
Secretary Foster. The elaborate programme
OF speechmaking arranged for the return
trip TO Loon Lake has been abandoned In
view of the days news as to the advance OF
the epidemic. The Presidents return will
probably bring back Secretary J. ". Foster,
Secretary Tracy and Postmaster General
WAnamaker. Secretary Noble is too far
away TO return at once. The President, ao-
cording 70 the members Of the cabinet now
here, returns to take personal direction Of
the executive measures 20 keep the cholera
out, not TO call an extra session OF con-
gress, deeming IL unwise 10 be absent from
his post at this time.
NOT SUMMONED BY FOSTER
Secretary Foster said tonight, after re-
ceiving the message that the President
would be here tomorrow: II did not tele-
graph him to return, although Attorney
General Miller advised that l should, and
he may have done 40. | only sent the
President telegram giving "a summary of
the news we had and the applications COM
ing from all over the country for additional
measures TO be taken by the national gov-
fprl,tdfnar
boards of health. For my part do not
sec that the government should do any thing
more at present than 10 has done, the state
quarantine being SO effective at New York.
Boston, Philadelphia and so on, but the
President after consultation with his cabi-
net may sse ht to order the issue Of a
quarantine circular similar 10 that OF 1885 =,
providing for national quarantine"
NOT TO CALL AN EXTRA SESSION.
Neither OF the three cabinet officers In
town, Secretary Charles Foster, Secretary
that the President has any idea OF convening
congress In extra session to provide for the
absolute exclusion Of immigration during
the cholera epidemic abroad. They think
that this is unnecessary in view of the quar-
Rntine powers now possessed by the national
government, powers as yet not exhausted in
the present instance. A national quarans
OF Immigration, Is possible under the
act OF 1873 passed after the
warning of the yellow fever
epidemic of 1877. With such a quarantine
established the steamship companies would
refuse immigrants on the other side. This
administration will apply this quarantine,
II it seems necessary, as IL was applied In
1885 against smallpox.
EMPOWERED TO ST oP IMMIGRATION.
-
matter, 3" said Secretary Charles Foster to-
day, in discussing the measures 10 be taken
to keep out cholera, "the grsvest that has
come up since / have been here. It Is q
question just how far the national govern
Tnent ought to 70 to obtain immunity from
the disease for the people OF this country.
Shall we detain every one who comes here
In quarantine, or only those who come from
infected portsf Shall We admit them after
a short detention, or shall we refuse to
admit them altogether Shall we disi nfecE
every thing that is brought in, or
only what comes from infected ports
Shall we disinfees only rage and other
dangerous articles by boiling, or shall We
apply this method OF disinfection TO every
thing and ruin the fine dresses and clothes
of American tourists who are returning to
this country Undoubtedly severything
ought to be done which will keep out the
disease. but there 10 no need Of getting
ratified 1t is the opinion Of the best au-
thorties that the disease m axes its appear
ance from two to five days after exposure,
and IL a vessel arrived entirely
of five days might serve every
purpose. IL would be rather sewers TO shut
out our own citizens returning from Europe
when they come from uninfected ports,
whatever we might decide 20 be the wiser
course regarding foreign immigrants"
CAN STOP IMMIGRATION.
81 merely suggest some of the questions
which we have 90 consider" continued the
Secretary. 81 do not express any opinion
as TO what course may be finally decided on
l am informed by the Attorney General
that the United States government already
has the power to arrest immigration aoso-
lutely " il sees fit 20 shut
out contagious disease. This was
done during Mr. Cleveand's administration,
when a circular was issued In 1855, by Sur
geon General Hamilton Of the marine hos
pital service, directing United states ot1clals
to see that no one from the smallpox dis
trIots of Canada was allowed 70 enter the
United States The circular does not ap-
pear to have been called in question, and
the then Secretary OF the Treasury did not
even obtain the written opinion of the At
tornsy General on the subject.
BASIS OF THE CIRCULAR.
1.-THE circular was based OIL the aoh Of
April 20, 1873, which contains the following
section That no vessel or vehicle coming
from any foreign port or country where any
contagious or infectious disease may exist,
and no vessel or vehicle conveying any per-
son or persons, merchandise or animals, af-
fected with any infectious or contagious
disease shall enter any port of the United
States or pass the boundary line between
the United States and any foreign country
contrary 10 the quarantine laws of any one
of said United States. into or through the
jurisdiction Of which said weasel or vehicle
may pass or to which it is destined, or ax-
cept in the manner and subject co the regu-
lations to be prescribed as hereinafter pro-
vided.'
"Under this authority, with the
approval of Secretary Manning
and President Cleveland, 1t was
prescribed that all persons coming from in
feoted districts, not giving satisfactory evil
dence OF protection against smallpox, will
be prohibited from proceeding into the
United States until after such period as the
local medical inspector, local quarantine
or other sanitary officer, duly authorized,
may direct
1--WE could undoubtedly take such meas
ures at present il it becomes necessary,
and with the hearty cooperation OF
state and local officials. The officials
OF the treasury department are doing
everything that can be done 70 meet the