Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-09-08
A PRESSING DANGER.

The Authorities Aroused to the Necessity
for Prompt Action-Po~si5iiity that the
President May Close Our Ports to I'm
migrants-The Worlds Fair May Have
, to be Postponed.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1.-The actual ar
rival of Asiatic cholera at the port of
New York has brought to the front the
question of suspending immigra lion to
this country altogether during the pre-
valence of cholera in the eastern hem
isphere. 1t is admitted that such a
measure would be justified only by the
most pressing danger, but this danger,
in the opinion of some high officials, is
at hand. Government officers are ran
sacking records and reading up on for
mer scourges.
Assistant Secretary Spaulding, who
has immediate control of the matter,
was yesterday afternoon found deeply
immersed in history of the smallpox
epidemic in 1855. ''All the machinery
Of the government is at work on this
cholera business" he said land all the
precautions taken in 1855 have already
been taken by u.s.
Continuing, Mr.. Spaulding said that
under existing quarantine laws such
restrictions could be imposed that
would practically suspend immigra-
ton, but he would not say that such
action was Immediately contemplated.
An eminent law officers of the gov
eminent, who has given the subject
much thought, said that in his opinion
the president had the power to sus-
pend all immigration if. in his judg-
ment, deemed necessary for the public
welfare, while the scourge lasted. This
opinion is entertained by others.
Senator Cullom does not see any ne
cessity for calling special session of
congress to attain this end. He says:
''If the health officers of the country
do their duty-and they seem to be
vigilant-we can keep the cholera out.
Should there be promise of great
prevalence we might be compelled to
resort to heroic measures, but fail to
see any reason why we should do SO at
this time. Our officials have ample
power to quarantine passengers and to
prohibit the landing of suspicious car
goes.
Every days news seems to add to the
gravity of the situa tion and to suggest
new and far-reaching consequences.
The question of postponing the
Worlds fair is now being discussed. 1t
is pointed out by treasury officials that
most of the exhibits will necessarily
come from cholera-infected countries,
and that the fair would consequently
serve as great propagating garden for
the dissemination of thedisease. Then,
too, it is urged that the practical re-
moval of all the customary restrictions
for importations of goods intended for
the Worlds fair would make such inn
pcrtations doubly dangerous as disease
breeders.
4 postponement of the monetary con-
ference on account of the cholera is
also more than possibility.
AS to the condition of affairs at Liv-
erpool. Surgeon General Wyman re-
ceived a cablegram yesterday from
Consul Sherman as follows: 'All steer
age passengers sailing to-day efficiently
quarantined before embarlsing. All
clothing and baggage thoroughly dis
infected by sulphur process Passen-
gers already embarked pronounced
perfectly safe by local authorities, who
are thoroughly alive to danger and
taking vigorous measures to prevent
any outbreak"