The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-04
An Effective Quarantine.

The Hon. S. W. Cobb, of Pensacola,
has a letter in the New York Sun. which
gives some strong reasons for ma
tional quarantine:
Mr.. Cobb thus discusses the law and
the facts of the case:
1.-THE general government alone has
the authority to compel proper reports
as to health and vessels; under the Con-
stitution, section 8, act 2, Congress snail
have power to regulate commerce Win
foreign nations, and among the general
states, and with the Indian tribss.' SO
this senseless scare that will cost the
southland several millions of dollars
could have been prevented; and II
conta gious fever, which we must remem-
Der is result and not cause, were to
appear in any section, it can be limited
by proper action and leave commerce
comparatively untrammelled. That our
local swamp fevers have been In some
degree inoculated by the Central Amer
lean microbe is probably true, but it is
not the deadly Chagres fever microbe,
nor is it the yellow fever microbe. A
mortality of eleven cases at ocean
Springs out of the 1877 attacked Qess
than ~ per cent, in contrast with the
SO per cent average in New Orleans in
1879. will cause us to pause and con-
slider whether we can afford to indulge
in city, county and state boards OF
health, with their senseless scares. when
we can have the superior intelligence
of the men of wide experience, who
have no axes to grind and only the pub
lie welfare to protect.
LAS to a location in the gulf for in
fected ships, the Chandelier Islands are
the only suitable place, and $1,000 Will
put all the buildings and wharf in good
condition for occupancy. I visited them
recently, and while the location is not
as agreeable as Ship Island, 1t is healthy
and properly detached. When Ship
Island was selected the shipment OF
lumber from that vicinity had not been
snaugurated; hence the selection.
ssWhat we need is the best that all the
departments united can give US. ASK
congress to attend to this matter early
in the session, and evermore there shall
be confidence and common sense NOV
ing along our commercial channels"
He also states that the administration
at the different gulf ports is carried on
in the interest of the business of those
ports. When the ports trade with Cen
trail America they admit persons from
rthalu region regardless of the fact that
yellow fever exists there. He says:
I'm fact, when the time of detention
did not exceed thirty minutes, 1t would
be impossible to know what the steamer
contained contraband of public health.
An experience of 100 years, covered by
observation of my ancestors and my
self, has established the fact that of
the thousands of men who have sailed
from the United States to the fever
ports of the western continent and West
India Islands not one was lost who fol-
lowed the we'll known rules of ship san
itation. OF the hundreds. yes, thou
sands, have personally known, the
only lives lost were in the United States
ports, notably in the olden times in
New Orleans and Mobile. Names could
be given to verify this statement. In
quiry of any person who Is acquainted
with the maritime commerce Of the
United States will verify this axiom:
IA clean ship Is d heaithy Ship"
In conclusion. Mr.. Cobb says that un-