Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-12-25
NATIONAL QUARANTINE AND THE
FAIR.

States where ports of entry exist there
would be ground for the objection to a
national quarantine system as an IN
frinqement OF States rights; but the
problem Is far from local; it is as ma
tional in scope as any Congress has had
70 deal with. Nine-tenths of the pas
sengerS, immigrants and merchandise
that arrive in New York, Philadelphia
Baltimore, or New Orleans, start imme-
diately for the interior, frequently to
the farthest confines OF the continent.
In case Of infectious disease, such as
cholera, the whole country is endanger-
ed if one point is left unprotected,
This will be more than ever true next
year, when there will be a general and
vast tide Of passengers and goods from
all parts Of the world, flowing TO the
United States-to the very centre of the
country.
This is an unanswerable argument in
favor Of national quarantine. Secre-
tary REED, of the Pan-American Med
ical Congress, puts livery clearly when
he says:
Il am thoroughly impressed that we are
spendinC more money for quarantine SER
vice than any other country in the world;
that we are interfering more effectively
with our commerce than other country IN
the world, and that we are receiving less
protection than any other country IN
the world. With a national quarantine
made clear and definite, with no
possible misunderstanding as to author
ity. regulations could be imposed that
would not amount TO an embargo upon COM
merce, and that would give US increased
security, for the reason that it would result
in concert Of action and 10 responsible cen
tralization Of authority"
In the same line, the Secretary Of the
State Board Of Health Of Pennsylvania
writes:
~ would reiterate here what have al
WAYS maintained in any public utterance
upOu the subject, that a national Quaran-
tine. literally supplied with every apph-
auce that modern science can suggest,
would very greatly lessen the existing i'm
posts upon commerce; that the restrictions
on commerce and travel would be dlmn-
ished and periods of detention would be
Iessened, and even in the matter OF ices
the impOsitions would probably be less
serious than with the present dlslolnted
system"
No further argument in justification
Of the establishment of a national quar-
antine is needed; and the near approach
of the great Columbian Exposition is
the best reason for establishing such 3
quarantine at once. The success of
the Fair, particularly in the matter OF
attendance from abroad, enters to a
considerable extent into the question.
THE wonderful and almost indomita-
BILE vitality Of JAMES q. BLAINE is
shown by his totally unexpected partial
recovery, after lying for days in the
Jaws OF death. 1t is a remarkable bat
tie against the fatal disease which must
triumph shortly.
THE WHISKY TAX AND TRE TRUST.
1t Is not denied that an increase Of
the tax on whisky would benefit the
Whisky Trust. Every tax on produc-
ton, making it more expensive, tendsto
place it in the fewer hands best able 60
pay the tax and competition is destroy
ed in the ratio Of the amount Of tax.
This is as true Of internal revenue
taxes as Of tariff taxes, and the higher
the tax is placed on whisky the easier
it will be for the trust to monopolize the
business of whisky production,
This is clear. But it is equally clear
that the government must raise addi-
tional revenue 10 meet its increased OBJ
legations. II whisky were a necessary
OF life, there would be an insuperable
objection to increasing the tax on it;
but whisky is not q necessary Of life
and it is not desirable to encourage the
production of it as in the case Of neces-
SareS.
The fact Of the existence of the trust
cannot be helped, except by the laws
against such combinations, under which
it can be dealt with The question of
taxation should be considered on its
merits alone, and without regard toits
possible effect on the trust.
We need the revenue. II increasing
the whisky tax will supply the need,
that is all we have to consider.
II putting up the whisky tax will al
low the putting down of the clothing
tax. who will not say, Let the whisky
tax go up?