The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-10-22
NO NATIONAL QUARANTINE.
Now Yerk Journal.


As was b have been expected, all
the socialists aud all the ccntrallsts ~
national politics are bowling FOR
federal control Of quarantine ana
public and private sanitation. The
expectation is, Of course, that In order
Ia establish such a system congress
viii appropriate enormous sums 81
money, which will. for tue must part,
be spent in the South. That is ONE
lthing very desirable 10 those VINO
want IL live on the federal treasury,
and the notion Is further favored by
those who imagine that, IN case the
government should take control Of the
public health, it would be ready to use
all its force to put down local Quardn-
tine and sweep away distractions TO
business.
These notions of lavish public ex-
penGiture and Of forcing the panic
stricken people OF The interior TO ac-
cept our merchandise are very pleasing
at a time when there is pressing need
OF money for the light against the
fever and when the business Of the
Southern country is p~aralyZed by al
! sorts OF unnecessary distractions 10
| the movement Of ships and boats and
railway trains. Then it Is easy for
those who wish it to believe that the
quarantine officials appointed by the
national government will be not only
more efficient, but what is Of vastly
more Importance, more honest. But
what foundation IL there for any such
assumption? III the health business
/ Of the country is to be run by a puliti-
cal machine. what difference does it
make whether that machine be COM
! posed OF State or Federal politicians?
But the people OF Louisiana seem To
| forget that they ever had a national
contrOl Of public healths The facts
are that during the terrible fever
epidemic Of 1878 there was loud talk
sity for putting the public health in
the hands OF the federal government.
and that agitation resulted in the
creation. by congress, on March B.,
1879, Of the National Board Of Health,
which Was required TO perfect a plan
for taking charge OF the public health
service OF the country. The board
vas required by law to be composed
Of one surgeon from the army: one
from the nav! and one from the
Marine Hospital service; 4 law officer
from the United States department Of
justice and seven physicians in civil
life, not more than one 10 come from
anyone state, aud to be appointed by
the President. or these seven, one
each was from Louisiana, Massa.
! chusettS. New York, Virginia. Illinois,
Tennessee and District Of Columbia.
Apparently it would be difficult to
make a fairer or more equitable IT
rangement, but the outcome Of it was
that IL proved so extremely unsatis-
factory that it was killed IN Congress
ut the end OF four years Of trial by a
refusal To appropriate any money 'fOr
its maintenance. The P~icayunc does
not care to revive what proved to be a
most i'll fated enterprise: but despite
the prOdigal expenditure Of money,
which Was one OF the charges against
IL. and which should have made it
popular while the money lasted. the
National Board OF Health fell into
such popular disfavor that Congress
starved IT out Of existence by refusing
any further appropriations of funds 10
il.
One fact is worth a million of the
ories, and here is Il fact for the con
sidcratiun OF those who are 50 loudly
calling FOR a establishment of ma
tihnal quarantine and health control.
The trouble with any national quarau-
tine system for this country Is that it.
must necessarily be sectional and dis
eliminate tn the great injury OF com
merce of gulf ports. The only foreign
disease which stands a. an ever-pres-
ent menace to the health " this cnun-
try is yellow feyer.. The tropical
countries where that fever always ex-
lists with more or less virulence, ac-
c0fdlng TO the season OF the year, are
very near to the gulf ports Of the
United States. The trade with those
countries is too important to be shut
OH. but II can only be safely carried
on under conditions OF extreme pre-.
caution. Any relaxing Of restrictions
at any Of the gulf ports must, and
inevitably does, result in the entrance
into this country OF the dreaded fever,
With the disastrous consequences that
are inevitable and inscparable from
such an invasion.
All the North Atlantic ports Of the
Union are very much further of from
the fever countries, and, save for a
very short period, enjoy a cooler
Climate, which is ~unfayOrable to the
propagation OF the disease. 1t follows
that the severe and strenuous r~estric-
tlons OF commercial communication
with the tropics necessary for the
gulf ports are not required for the
conduct Of trade with the Northern
ports.
The tendency in the practice of a
national quarantine would be to close
the gulf por;s to tropical trade during
the hot months, while the Northern
ports would be open the year round.
That would be the natural course in a
quarantine service honestly conduct
ed; but suppose land this superstition
Is by no means unreasonable as to any
political branch OF the pubic ~servicc)
tliat national quarantine officials
should be sensitive to financial in
iluences. 1t must be remembered
That New York has for some time
been complaining bitterly that her
trade Is being ravished by the guilt
ports. Is it likely that money would
be spared, upon a pretence that the
public safety required it. to secure the
summer closing Of the gulf ports To
the tropical trade?
To shut ones eyes to these dangers
Will be criminally foolish.