The age-herald., 1897-11-19
THE LAST CARD.
Ex-Governor Thomas G. Jones Writes the Last
 Card in the Quarantine Controversy.

To the Editor of The Age Herald.
 Evidently when Captain Amerine wrote of his recollections of the quar- antine of 1893, and spoke of the "com- paratively" few criticisms he had heard of the ssent state quarantine, he had forgotten his own Statements on these matters a short while back. Just be- fore the captains departure after the fever was announced here, he spoke in a conversation with me of the harshness of the present regulations compared with the former quarantine. when refu- gees were let off at safe places, and mo fuss made about it..
 If confirmation were needed, 1t is fur nished in the strongest light by his &C., tion-he being quarantine officer in both years-by the case he mentions of the two ladies who left Mobile "after the fever was announced" and were permitted to go to Ashville, Ala. Per sons from Mobile could spread fever at Ashville just as easily as persons from Brunswick, and it would be strange dn an urgent case when the public health would not be jeopardized, if he acted one way in one quarantine and the oth- CT in another.
 
 of instances of the kind in both quar- antines, where refugees were permitted to stop at safe places and mo fuss made about it." The public was not informed of the Ashville case, nor of the others, at the time. It is passing strange when Captain Amerine admits discretion was exercised then as now on many occasions by me, but not by the train inspectors hot ehn he No hsffa hot fhn governor exercised discretion himself. He certainly had all the authority and discretion that the quarantine officer had.
 As severe criticisms as I heard of the rule forbidding persons to stop at Ope- lika, and preventing citizens returning here except after ten days absence, were indulged in by Captain Amerine himself. He made these criticisms not only to me, but to others; and openly and publicly. One occasion was when he handed the local editor of the Ad- vertiser his answer to the telegram of Quarantine Officer Wiggins, conveying the governors demands for an explana- tion why people were allowed to get off at Opelika. He made substantially the same remarks at McBryde's drug store, and to Captain Charles T. Pollard and perhaps others. If his memory is as bad about the incidents of the former quar- antine, his letter sheds very little light on the views of either Dr. Cochran or myself, as to what should be done with Alabama refugees.
 Regarding instructions to quarantine officers who ran between Montgomery and Nashville" to allow the car with myself and some, friends to go to and return from the Chicago eXposit On, without health certificates" 1 neWer knew of it before, and it was not done at my instance. It was hardly a good precs dsnt for hlgs leaving an infec.ed place and stopping inside the state Health certificates were not required Of persons leaving the state, and as l rs- turned by way of New Or1ans nlo quar- antine officer avaled h.m:elf of any i'm structions as to my return without health certificates" The quarantine officers who ran on the Louisville and Nashville road m Alabama kn-iw l had been in Montgomery for at least moEish befoIls I left, when I left Montgomery where was going, where the party was from, and th,s length of our absence. II would have been silly, under the circum- stances, for officers to have asked for health certificates which only supplied knowledge they already had. Knowing the regulations, and desirous of nlclt hay
  for my own bsnefit, regulations enforced by my authority. I had phe necessary health certificates, and would certainly have produced tfiZm if asked
 Unfortunately, Dr. Cochran is dead. l learn from the clerk of the state health office that Dr. Cochran's sons took away all the papers at his house, where, on account of his fetebleness, he conducted his office work, as thsy cla.med they were his private property. The papers would furnish abundant confirmation. if any were needad, of his and my plans of deaiing with Alabama refugees if occa- sion had arissn in 1893. I shall make an effort to get at these papers. As for my individual views, they are well known, fi'-m a long course of conduct as alder man, legislator and executive.
 Like Captain Am,rlns, in what I have said here, it is not intended to offend anyLcidy, for 1t is my dssire Co be on good terms with all. THOS. G. JONES.
 Montgomery Nov. IT,
 (F'rost has appeal.sd all over Alabama. The yellow fever epidemic has ended. It is time to stop talking about 1t. The people want to forget it. They are pre- pared to do business now. Let indivil- uals stop wrangliEg. The above card ends the wu'angle tn these columns. It is time ito talk of tn efuture. Let the past bury the past.-Ed.for Age-Herald.