The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-04-29
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Quarantine.

The question of the hour is cholera,
and the great question for years to come,
is the enormous immigration pouring In
upon us, due greatly to peculiar conditions
in Europe, but much more to the cheap
ening of rates and the labors of various
agents among laboring foreigners. lmmi-
grafton has already set in heavily for l893,
and the cholera is certainly reyiving in
eastern Europe. Since 1874 the immi-
grants have never been less than lG0, 900
year, and only in the "bard times of
1869 did they fall below POO, 900 year.
Then the number suddenly went up be-
yond precedent since Israel left Egypt,
reaching 7SS, 1922 in 1882. The labor or
carnations cried aloud and were laughed
al. In the decade of 1SS0-90 the new
Corners were far more than twice as many
as in any previous decade and almost
doubled the number of foreign born In
the country. aCheap laborers" by the
hundred thousand came from Italy, Rus
STA. Poland and elsewhere Still the labor
organizations were scarcely listened to.
All at once the cholera threatened. An
elegant steamer loaded with the elite of the
Four Hundred had to suffer miserable
quarantine. and then change came.
The net result has been law which on
It's face is ironclad. trick proof and perjury
tight. Previous laws secured by the labor
organizations were rather stringent, but
This one, which went into effect at the
close of the last congress, is simply a
corker. By it the intruding immigrant
must under oath tell all about his race,
name, age, sex and condition; where he
came from, whittier he is going and what
he is going to do when he gets there
whether he has money, aud, II so, how
much: whether he has ever been in
prison, hospital or quarantine; whether
he is a polygainist or thinks of becoming
one: whether he is vaccinated or peck
marked. skilled or unskilled or under con-
tract; whether he is thief. a pauper,
fugitive, cripple, an idiot or habitual
drunkard or is conscious of lnclinations to
become either of such.
OF course this is only summary, but
it is really no exaggeration. In addition
10 all this, nine experienced surgeons OF
the marine hospital service, appointed by
the president, have gone to the principal
foreign ports with almost despotic powers
of inspection Of immigrant vessels. These
are Surgeon George Purvianee Of Phil
adelphia, assigned to Liverpool; Passed
Assistant Surgeon W. j. Pettis of Buffalo
20 Southampton Assistant Slrgeon NJ.
j. Rosenan to Antwerp; Passed Assistant
Surgeon j. H. White of Savannah to
Hamburg Passed Assistant Surgeon X.
NJ. Woodward, now located at Cairo, to
Rotterdam; Assistant Surgeon +. \.
Houghton of Vineyard Haven, Mass, to
Havre; Surgeon Fairfax Irwin of Boston
TO Marseilles; Assistant Surgeon X. w.
Brown of San Francisco to Genoa; Assis-
tant Surgeon G. B. Young of Pittsburg to
Naples
When all this is got over, the burden is
next laid on the immigrant vessels. They
must not sail from any infected port or
any that has been infected for some time.
If cholera appears on board few days
after they sail, they must turn back but
if they arrive on this side with eases or
suspected cases on board, then their real
trouble begins. To the eight quarantine
stations previously in use three have been
added, the larger ones with disinfectinss
apparatus, elaborate baths and quarters
for suspects capable of accommodating
from 400 to 1000 EACH And they age
very comfortable places too. The govern
ment does not intend to make the "sus-
pectn miserable. but it does intend to make
him clean and safe.
In addition to all this, ID vessels have
been designated to serve, if there is need,
as floating quarantine stations, and all the
officials have been granted extraordinary
powers. OF course the men intrusted
with such powers-powers in their very
nature arbitrary to the verge Of despotism
should be above suspicion, and the new
appointments have therefore been most
gigilantly scanned. Supervising Surgeon
General Wyman has recently prepared an
elaborate code of instructions for all quar-
antine officials on our own and foreign
coasts, and in consultation with physicians
from various cities is preparing another
for inland application, for there Is to be
also an inland quarantine, mixed, state and
federal
Ex-Congressman Herman Stump, re-
Gently appointed superintendent of immi-
grafton, vice William d. Owen, resigned,
was chairman of the house committee on
immigration in the last congress and is the
author of the bill be is to administer.
The immigrants landing at New York
average about 900 day for the year,
though much the greater numbers come in
summer and autumn In 1879, as afore-
said, there was sudden and tremendous
increase The number coming in through
registry ports was $685. 10 1881 and
7S8, 1922 in 1S92-the maximum For
the rest Of that decade it only twice fell
below 400, 900, so the total registered for
the decade exceeded 5,0O0,0O0. How
many came IN From Ganada is not def I
niiely known, bus there are now very