Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-01
TERMS OF THE DISPATCH.
PIqTSBrR'i. THURSDAY, SEPT. i, 1892.
TWELVE PAGES
DO YOU HEAR, MIR. HARRISON?


There is only one man who can keep
the cholera out of the United States.
That man is President Harrison
There is only one way the cholera can
be kept out, and that is by total and i'm
mediate prohibition of immigration from
every foreign port at which the disease
appears-as well as of all foreigners hail
ing from infected districts.
The whole country knows this to be a
true statement Of the case. If constant
stream of immigration from infected ports
and infected districts is to be kept up, the
ostentatious talk of quarantine and disin-
fection is only whistling up the wind
good enough as far as it goes, but not
covering one hundredth part of the ave-
nues of danger
A cholera ship, which was the death
bed of twenty-five persons in brief
voyage from Hamburg, rode boldly into
New York harbor yesterday, threatening
the seventy millions of people of
the United States with an awful
scourge Mr.. Harrison at that moment
was mending his political fences at Ophir
Farm with Messrs. Reid and Platt. Up to
this writing he has made no intimation of
any purpose to order back the cholera
ships and their baleful cargoes of death
dealing infection.
President Harrison must act. 1t will be
the grossest outrage ever inflicted upon
a civilized and intelligent nation if
through apathy or cowardjce on the part
of its Chief Executive, or for the sake of
trade, or for favorable political balance
sheets, or for any cause whatsoever, the
cholera be allowed to establish it
self in the United States when by
at once prohibiting immigration from
infected districts it can be stopped.
The talk of want of power in the
President is utter nonsense. When the
possibility, probability and almost GER
tainty of terrible visitation impends, it
is the duty of the man in power to act, and
to trust that if he transcends the bare
letter of his authority, the Congress and
the people will endorse and indemnify
him. If Mr.. Harrison were even sure he
should lose tine Presidency by applying
the only effective prevention of this
scOurge, he could more creditably lose it
than by inaction retain it where his in
action might cost single life, not to
speak of the hundreds of thousands
which are sure to be threatened if he fails
to act
The quicker the country impress upon
President Harrison the clear conviction
which exists that it is a great crime to
permit immigration from the infected
ports and districts of Europe the better it
will be for the country. Plain talk to the
President is needed. Temporizing with
halfway measures, which are almost sure
to prove Intellectual, will not do.
The country should communi cate by
telegraph and telepone with Ophir Farm,
or VII erever at latest accounts the Presi-
dents headquarters may be fixed, without
delay.
Since the above was written an Asso-
ciated Press bulletin announces that
President Harrison has cancelled his tour
through New York State on account
of the arrival of the plague stricken
ship at quarantine. This is not enough.
He should hasten to Washington and take
prompt steps to ward off the threatened
danger.