The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-04
Especial Correspondence. I

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 1.-THE necessit,
for prompt and effective precautions against
cholera this year is dependent upon and
proportionate to the reality and the great.
ness of the dangers to which this country
will be exposed
we can discuss this question reasonably
and rightly estimate its Importance only by
recurrence to the past history of cholera in
Europe and in the United States.
1t is an historical fact that this country
has never suffered from cholera, or had to
defend itself against an invasion of this
plague, except during years when it has
prevailed i'll some quarter of Europe. 1t is
also indisputable that no epidemic of ehol-
era has ever entirely vanished from Europe
in less than four to twelve years after hav-
ing gained IL foothold there 1t is likewise
undeniable that whenever in the past chol
era has prevailed for two or more wears
throughout Russia and central and north
ern Europe-especially around the southern
shores of the Baltic, the North sea and the
English channel-North America has never
escaped visitation which has been more
or less disastrous.
Our experience in the past should teach
us to be even more apprehensive this year
than we were during the last autumn, for
heretofore it has always been the second or
third year of prevalence of cholera in E,,-
rope that has brought with it the greatest
danger to this country. Indeed only twice
has cholera ever reached even our qunran-
tine stations during the first year of the
epidemic in Europc-namcly, in 1865 and
1892
The present persistence of cholera in Eu-
rope, in spite of cold weather there is ONLY
repetition of past experience, and that
past experience constrains all well informed
SnrNif riu 81. u, Z
tory reason why we may not look for a
great outbreak of the epidemic in many
parts of that continent with the first adj
vent of the warm season.
1t Is true that we now know much more
than was known Mt the time of the previous
visitation of Europe by cholera during 1854
TO 1887 of the most efficient means of COM
batting the spread of this disease and we
also know that many European health
authorities are making sanitary improve
ments and organizing for the coming strug-
gle. 1t might therefore be inferred that
with this more exact knowledge and this
early preparation the European govern
ments may be able to much more surely
prevent and control the spread of the local
epidemics which are pretty certain to de-
velop next spring and summer
But the recent experience of Hamburg
which has just gone through the most ter
rible epidemic of cholera that has ever raw
aged that city-nnd the present persistence
OF cholera in Holland, Belgium, France,
Austria and Russia should warn us how de-
lusive that inference may prove and Mt the
same time incite us to provide promptly
and unstintcdly for wise and vigorous
course of defensive action.
1.-THE necessity for prompt and effective
precautions against cholera this year re-
gard rs exceptionally great.
Enormous losses to business and trade
would inevitably follow the spread of chol-
era in this country in any ordinary year.
But the introduction and dissemination of
this dreaded plague throughout the United
States this year would certainly accomplish
the absolute ruination of the Chicago fair,
and the humiliation of many hopes and in
terests for our country's good that are cen
tered in that great exposition.
we would do we'll to recognize now the
fact. rather than see it too late, that the eX-
lstence of II mere handful of cholera cases
in the city of Chicago during any period of
the fair would not only cause stampede
OF visitors already on the spot, but would
etfectually deter hundreds of thousands of
our own citizens from Drawing the danger
OF n visit, however small or imaginary that
danger might be.
at Chicago is to be derived from an ocular
demonstration to the people of the South
American continent of the transcendent
greatness and incalculablc richness of our
country in brains, energy, ingenuity and
eXhaustless resources. II any one doubts
that every port on the South American
continent will be closed against the United
States the instant that cholera raises it's
head i'll any of our cities, he has certainly
forgotten the experience of last autumn
and has no proper conception of the pan
lcky and unrcasoning fear which the very
name of cholera excites among the nations
south of us.
With the appearance of cholera in n few
of our cities this year the much calculated
upon influence of this exposition in broad
cning and further developing our CONNER
cial relations and in knitting and welding
together the bonds of political comfy and
friendliness of the nations of the western
hemisphere will utterly vanish
With hundreds of thousands of our own
citizens hesitating to visit Chicago, and the
South Americans positively fearing 10 come
because few cases of cholera may have oc-
Cured, can any one fail to see that our
great fair would become n great hasco?
If the directors of the fair know so little
of cholera as to laugh at the serious danger
W inc NiSC l'uDllc interests which have
been Entrusted to them, and unite their in
1lucncc with that OF the Atlantic steamship
companies and trunk line railroads interest
cd III the profits Of the ocean traffic and in
land transportation Of the Storage classes
In opposing absolute and rigid prohibition
during the year of the Chicago fair of adj
mission into the United States of al Euro
peans of the class who il ordinary time;
cross the ocean iii the storage and travel
by lill on Immigrant Trains" then the
wise and unbiased friends of the Colum
bian fair should make tlcir voices SO lo,.d-
~ heard i'll Washington that our national
Legislators cnnnot mistake the will of Tic.
people.