The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-12-14
CONTROL

President Mckinley in his message
introduces the idea of regulating quar-
antine in the states by national laws
and the exercise Of paramount nation
al authority. All such endorsements or
recommendations may be scrutinized,
for there may 1urk in them very great
dangers. The tendency in this country
ever since the war, has been to a strong
government. The war SO changed the
constitution that democrats have been
ready to avail themselves at every turn
so as to strengthen the cause of fed
eral power and consequently to dimin-
ish the rights and power Of the states.
It is manifest that this class in the con-
gress will make a united effort to
fasten upon the country a national
quarantine, a general government to
have complete control and the state au-
thorities to be completely ignored.
We believe that under any plea what
ever it is dangerous for the general
government to invade the rights of the
states, whether it is to cure a sick hog
or to institute quarantine regulations
or anything else that robs the.states Of
power. The Charleston News and Cou-
rier says that this national movement
as to quarantine is supported general
ly by committees which seek to escape
the expense and responsibility of look
ing after their own sanitary safety, by
those who regard the protection off the
public health as of less concern thar
the interrupted source of
and by those who would burden the
marine hospital service of the United
States with duties which it is in no
way competent to perform" We agree
with u contemporary in the opinion
which it quotes from Governor Blox-
operation shall be with state control.
In other words that the states must not
lose their influence or power but must
be regarded while the general govern
ment seeks to aid in this matter of
quarantine. 1t is suggested that con-
gress shall create a department Of pub
lie health, whose head shall be a men,
Der of the presidents cabinet. There
are always people ready to add to the
powers at Washington in the multiply
ing of departments. The News and
Courier thinks wisely hat it would be
extremely hazardous to commit the
public health into the hands of a prac-
teal politician. May our country be
nr0tnotn6 from c11oh q 11pSo VNhi1o
the quarantine of the state may not
have been all that it should have been,
it has done, nevertheless, in some of
the states, very efficient work. In Flor
ida specially is this the case. Let the
state quarantine be improved, made
thoroughly efficient, and there will be
no occasion for a politician to he play
ing big boss as the head of the new
system of quarantine, headquarters at
Washington. There is a very signifi-
cant comparison made by DR.. Ander-
son of the Florida state board of health
between the marine. quarantine and
the state quarantine. He a. twice
in four years at quarantine stations I'M
der the control of the marine service,
yellow fever has gained entrance into
our country, while under the state con-
troll of the quarantine stations, no such
invasion has occurred for nearly twen-
ty years. DR.. Anderson says "a few
grains of common sense is worth bar
rels of gelatine culture.