The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-07-14
THE SUPP. OF HEALTH ON COM
PULsORY VACCINA TION.

L. ~
PULS0RY VACCINATION.
The following paragraph has been going
the rounds OF the newspapers in Rhode
Island.
"Dr CHAPLIN, superintendent of health,
In conversation with Mr.. HENRYs s. TAFT.
soon after the hearing on the vaccination
law in the House OF representatives,
asked him what his views were .upop
that subject MIR. TAFT said that he con-
sidered IL an iniquitous law, relic OF
barbsrism, and should be removed from
the statutes, and that nothing would in
duce him TO have a child vaccinated. DIR.
CHAPLIN replied that he thought tho COM
pulsory feature OF the law should be re-
moved. Mr.. TAFT said, That is all We
ask. The above 10 significant as Dr.
CHAPLIN represents the Providence board
of health"
Mr.. TAFT IS n well-known and respons-
ible citizen. He would not Intentionally
misquote a gentleman in Superintendent
CHAPIN's position on subject OF such
tremendous importance RS that OF the
compulsory vaccination law that so many
intelligent citizens believe TO be unueces-
sary where 1t is not iniquitous. Indeed,
he would hardly report what WAS seid to
him under such circumstances without
feeling absolute confidence that mis- quota
tion was correct
Ii was in no sense, then, because THE
NEWS doubted tho correctness of the re-
ported interview that Mr.. TAFT had with
DIR. CHAPIS that this newspaper in
structed one OF its young men to ask the
latter about it, but with the expectation
that the interview would be su bstsnt tally
verified, and thus become OF surprising
influence as lending hope for the early
deliyerance of the children of Rhode
Island from the provisions OF what We be-
lieve TO be a useless and abom ina BILE
piece OF paternal legislation.
When shown the clipping quoted above
DR.. CHAPLIN said that he did refer to the
compulsory feature Of the law and said
something about its repeal to Mr..
TAFT, but in no sense is he to be sup
POSED as favoring the repeal on the ground
that the law is a bad one. He added:
81 shall never advocate its repeal myself,
but ] do think that perhaps after oil It
is the best thing that could happen. So
long as the law remains on the statute
book this agitation will be persisted in
and that il apt to ALLEVIATE the people
from their convictions that vaccination is
good thing.
"If the agitation ever should succeed it
would not, OF course, change opinion as
to the benefits OF vaccination and I
should then advocate house to house
canvass in the interests of free vaccina-
tion and substitute argument and per-
suasion for compulsion.
"As far as the justice OF the matter Is
concerned believe that the State has an
unquestioned right to protect it's pub
lie schools by the present law. 1t could
only bea question of policy whether
it were wise to insist upon that right in
the face OF a very considerable popular
opposition"
DR.. Chaplin Is in favor OF amending the
present law 30 that local health officers
ing from vaccination children who are
not physically fit to stand 1t.
THE NEWS representative after writing
out Superintendent CHAPIN's remarks
was directed TO show the same TO him
for approval, and the interview as printed
herewith has the endorsement Of DR..
CFAP1N for correctness ne representing
and exactly stating his views.
IMPORTANCE or NEW ENGLAND.
There are a number OF States that are of