Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-04
SAGE COUNSEL FROM TUTrEN.

The President Should Gail Out $4,000 VOL
unteers to Guard fhe Border.
NEW HAVEN CONN.,, Sept a.-In an inter-
view to-day relative to an approach OF the
pestilence, Prof. Totten remarked to the
danger lies in the direction of Canada, and
that it is in that region that our "gates"
should be most carefully shut and guarded.
At present they are not even shut, and,
owing to the intimate commercial relations
existing between the two countries and the
great length of the boundary, he said there
is but one way to effect stringent quaran-
tine-that is to establish a military one,
pure and simple. He would have Gordon
of military posts established at once all
along the border, and the intermediate
spaces watched and pat. oiled exactly ns in
the case OF war;
OF course, this -yould be mere peaceful
demonstrated, and one aimed at cholera
suspects only. He pointed out that wise
and liberal construction of the Constitution
fully warrants the President OF the United
States to "call out' and muster into the
service such portions of the National Guard
or volunteers as may be necessary to pro-
vide for the public safety.
owe are now" said the Lieutenant, "fac-
ing real emergency, and if action Is to be
taken on this suggestion it must be at once.
NV proposition is that at least 30 600 Yolun-
teers be called for by the President and duly
apportioned throughout the Northern
States: that their quotas be mustered into
the regular service and placed in permanent
camps along the whole border. The term of
enlistment should be for at least four
months, so as to extend into the season OF
permanent frost.
"This is an opportunity to kill two birds
with one stone and should not be lost. 1t Is
a splendid chance to learn grand lessoRin
practical military campaigning, every 10t-
III n " wDuld and
war service except the presence of an armed
enemy. In the second place, it will insure
the public safety as NO other measure can
OF course the sole object of establishing the
Gordon will be recognized as mere protec-
tion against cholera.
"The armies of European nations are now
doing just this sort of duty-Austria and
Germany, for instance, against Russia-and
why should not we? The fact is we should,
and maintain that the President has tndis-
putable constitutional powers in the prem
fullest limit of his Judgment will meet the
approval Of all concerned"
When asked II the number he recommends
to be called out-50. 000-was not rather high,
reverse Itwere better to place even SOC. 00o
men upon such Gordon duty for one whole
year. and ut any expense, than to have 800
cases of the epidemic smuggled across the
border through lack of efficient protective
measures. This is a real emergency. The
scourge is knocking at the Atlantic sea-
ports and we are fighting it there; but we
must be ready for the cases that will surely
come in by the byways and the edges by the
score.
'The tide OF Russian Hebrew immigration
is now heading Canadaward. and we should
awake to the situation. The regular army Is
too small to cope with this question. Now
is the time to concentrate it. Let therefore,
the President inaugurate this practical
autumn maneuver' at once, and its re-
sultant benefits will be seen before month
has tranSDireQ."