The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-19
Az to n National Quarantine.


Florida Tines nion
The Macon Telegraph copies from To.
New Orleans Times Democrat. and In
derses, an editorial article in which a pitt
full picture is drawn of the suffering and
loss inflicted by local town auarantinos
antine law be enacted and enforced We
think our Macon contemporary has acted
hastily in giving Its Endorsement to this
demand. and possibly without readiag
closely the Times Democrats article. What
is said In that article OF the less and suf-
ferlng caused by local guarantees is true,
hut the statements relied upon as tho hAsis
for the argument in favor OF II National
quarantine are. In our opinion anything
but true. These are tfirsD that State boards
are necessarily ineffective. and (second>
that the present epidemic Is duo TO the
TACT that at Mobile and TAMPA the quar-
antine regulations have been relaxed in
the interests OF commerce.
we think, as we nave sail. that neither
o: these statements Is truA Florida is
the only ono Of the Southern STATES which
mas board OF health. acting under a pron.
or iaw-that Is to say, a law empowering A
10 do promptly all the things necessary ia
Keep yellow foyer out OF the State or 10
stamp u on, should it make It's appearance.
ms Noard mas been in power eight Years.
anu curing that tliue there has been not a
sihsic case OF yellow fever in the State,
though several Of our ports are In constnnt
ana frequent communication with Cuba,
whCre the disease Ia endemic There has
peen no excitement In Florida because Of
the present outbreak, no business Embargo
no interruption 10 travel. Quietly and eff.
Gently the state board has done its work.
az u had done for eight yoars past. So
mueh 'cr the Times Democrats iirst state
ment, " the State boards OF Louisiana.
mississippi and Alabama nre inefflcien.
u ~ because they are not propcrly State
boards at all, but are under local laws OF
very limited application. or under genera,
Jaws that confer only very inadeluate
powers.
AZ 70 the second statement, there is no,
me sigttest evidence we know OF that tho
Fever entered the country though either
moplie or Tampa-certsinly Il did not
through Tampa. 1t appeared first at ocean
springs, AZ which an officer ~ inc marine
hospital service Is stationed. and OFF which
lies the ship Island quarantine station slsh
IN IN charge OF the marine hospital service.
me theory was put forward at the time
!" the appearance OF the fever ard IL
seems the most reasonable vet advanced
inst VISITORS to the quarantine station LETT
Tree To 10 aud come at their pleasure. had
become infected and carried the disease IN
ocean Springs, from whence II spread 10
New Orleans, Biloxi and other towns, n
TINS Is the manner In which the fever
gained entrance. the fault does no. lie
WITH the State board of Florida. or with
the Quarantine officers at Mobile but with
mat very National AUTHORITY from which
II Is proposed to seek safety.
The objection to National ouarantjn.
law Is not that II would be National. hut
That II would be far less efficient than
siate laws Of the right kind. adninlste cred
ny competent men kept up TO the ltyel
OF strenuous performance o. duty by
responsibility to u local public arxious Tor
us safety. No man sitting at Sasting.on
no matter how able an admla.s.rator. enn
protect tho health Of these States x. we'll
az they can protect Il themselves. n tfev
VIII only follow the example 81 Florida. rra
put In the hands OF the right men ZOE powss
they nted--thc Dower without vkleh IN
Ma1ional quarantine hoard would i,ssif D.
~ vsald sysssa ~ sslseasies = Sne