Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-01
WERE DRIVEN OUT
Experience Of Ex-Governor Oates and
His Family.
VICTIMS OF QUARANTINE RULES
Had Not Been Exposed 10 Yellow
Fever, but Had to Leave.
NATIONAL SYSTEM NEEDED

Yes, under the quarantine regulations
| promulgated by Gov. Johnson and the
| counties and municipalities of Alabama.
| my wife, my son and myself were literally
| driven out Of the state because We were
from Montgomery, although We had not
| been exposed to yellow fever. We were
| Informed that unless We left by the first
| train we would be subject to fine of $10G
| each for every day we remained in the
| state" Thus spoke William c.. Oates for
fourteen years the representative of the
third congressional district in the Congress
of the United States and chief executive
of the state of Alabama during 1895 and
| 1896
Before yellow fever was officially de-
! clared in Montgomery" said Gov. Oates 81
sent my wife and little son To her brothers
country place. five miles from Eufaula. in
Barbour county, Ala, to remain until the
yellow fever scare was over. / remained
in Montgomery two days later, attending
to business. When Mrs. Oates and our lit
tie son arrived at her brothers country
home Eufaula 0uarantined against that
| home Immediately and none of the inmates
were allowed to enter the city. In the
meantime the governor had issued his
proclamation ordering all refugees from in
fected places not to stop within the state
and forbidding their return within a period
of ten days. Immediately the sheriff of
Barbour county went out to Mr.. Tonney's
place and ordered Mrs Oates and our lit
tie son to leave the state, under the terms
OF the proclama ton, or he would be COM
PEELED to levy fine of 500 on herself and
our boy for every day they remained there
She thereupon took the first train for
Washington. not even being allowed the
privilege Of consulting me before her de-
parture About the same time 1 left with
party Of gentlemen for my old home in
Abbeville We were placed in car spe-
cialy SET apart 1or our transportation and
the doors and windows were all tightly
I closed.
Had to Close the Windows.
"As we passed through Troy, Pike
county, one of the gentlemen raised win
dow for the purpose of securing little
! fresh air and was Immediately ordered by
one of the officers on board the train TO
shut it down or he would crack his head
with his club At every station the people
were UP in arms. A complete quarantine
had been established and the people had no
Use Whatever for refugees. The same con-
dition existed in Dale and Henry coun-
ties and when l arrived at Abbeyille-my
under the direction Of the mayor of the
town, that I must leave Immediately. /
secured conveyance as soon as possible
anG was driven across the country to
Eufaula, expecting there to meet Mrs.
Oates and come on to Washington. On my
arrival. however, discovered that she had
already left for this city. To my utter
amazement the people were afraid to come
near me and l was compelled to go to my
brother-in-law's nome. as I could not Sc
cure accommodations at any of the hotels
or boarding houses for that night. 1 was
told by some of the officers acting under
the direction of the sheriff that when l
went to the train the next morning it
would be well for me to stay away from
the people at the station. / drove out some
little distance from the depot and remained
in my carriage until the train rolled ill.,
and l suppose there was general sigh of
relief when 1 took my departure from
their midst, and this. too. in the face of
the fact that had already had the yellow
fever and haG a certificate from probably
the most prominent physician in Alabama
certifying that 1 in perfect health
any way or at any time. I relate these
facts merely to show you the incon-
veniences and hardships of the various
quarantine systems in vogue in Alabama.
National Quarantine Needed.
"The orders promulgated by the COVER
ror, tfose by the county authorities and
those by the municipalities are so conflict
ing that must confess that am in favor
of national quarantine law, which would
bring greater uniformity and work perhaps
less hardships in case of epidemics.
There has also been conflict between
the state and federal officers over the
mails. The state officers were instructed
by the governor to stop and fumigate all
mails entering Alabama before they were
allowed to pass through the state. Mr..
Terrell. the superintendent of the mails of
that section, and located at Atlanta, in
structed the mail clerks to disregard the
governors order. The governor then noti-
fled Mr.. Terrell that unless his order was
complied with the mail cars would be de-
tached from the trains and not allowed
to enter the state After a conference an
agreement was reached by which the mails
were allowed to be fumigated at Mobile
and other points before entering the state.
There has always been strenuous oppo-
Sition to a national quarantine law be-
cause the state rights democrats adhere
to the doctrine that Congress has no power
to legislate upon any subject unless that
power be expressly granted in the Consti-
tuition Of the United States, or so clearly
implied as to give force and effect to the
expressly granted power to Congress.
From the inconvenience and hardships re-
sulting from state quarantines, county
quarantines, city and village guarantees
the state for ten days. some of the cities
and towns for twenty days, that every
thinking man sees that general national
quarantine law properly executed and be-
ing uniform in its operations, would be
more satisfactory and beneficial to the
people exposed to such contagions than
its conflicts and hardships.
The Power of Congress.
Considerable dificulty would probably
question of the power of Congress is a
mooted one and not quite clear. Accord
ing to the old decisions of the Supreme
Court. If followed as precedents such an
enactment could not be maintained But
as the construction Of the Constitution and
the decisions of the courts are more liberal
and progressive in the direction of ma
tionality than formerly such a law could
probably be SO carefully framed as to be
maintained. But what say on this SUBJ
ject is mere off-hand opinion. for I have
not investigated 1t in the light of the Con-
stitution and the decisions of the courts.
nor do pretend to know what is the cur
rent of opinion among the people who have
been afflicted with the yellow fever this
year or In recent years preceding. I wish
to say. however, in justice to Governor
johnson that his proclamation of quaran-
tine was based upon the recommendation
Of the state board of health, consisting
Of ten reputable physicians. 1t is al
legged now that some of them have changed
| their opinion. or are in favor of. nberalix-
ing the quarantine regulations In some re-
spects. His proclamation Is In accord with
the state quarantine law as remember"
Personal Mention.