The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-21
BACON ON QUARANTINE,

In the Senate on March II Senator Ba-
con of Georgia made brief speech upon
the subject of national quarantine-a sub
iect which is of very general interest in
the South at this time, After giving his
reasons for objeeting 70 a portion of an
amendment to the national quarantne bill
Offered by Senator Vest of Missouri, Seu-
ator Bacon said
"Nr. President, while / am on the floor
I desire 20 say very little with reference
10 the general subject of the bill. Il is a
mistake to suppose that IL Is sectional
question All portions of the United
States are liafae 10 epidemic and infeesT'
ious diseases. Cholera will reach New
York or Philadelphia or any of the West
ern cities or Southern cities, especially the
Southwestern cities. indifferently.' 1t
seems 10 flourish in one latitude as in an
other, although there are some portions
of the more elevated sections of the
country where the cholera does not sue
coed in establishing a foothold. While yell
low fever is more commonly known In the
South, it is not in any manner limited
to the South in its ability to obtain a
foothold.
yellow fever has f1ourished in Phlladel-
phia and has devastated the town. 1t has
lived in New York. II Is true that the
question of yellow fever is one which
more nearly affects the South, but not be-
cause 1t is Indigenous to. the South 1t is
not So far as l know, yellow fever has
never originated in the South; but the
South Is more directly interested in the
question of yellow fever from the fact
that 1t is nearer TO the countries from
which it comes, and it is introduced the
more readily Another fact to be consid-
cred is that by reason of the higher tenn
perature of the climate, of course, it is
more readily spread than In higher lati-
tudes. But the question of the proper
provisions of a quarantine bill is meas
ure in which the whole country Is inter
ested.
There are two distinct influences at
work with reference to quarantine regula-
lions and a law which shall make and
prescribe these regulations. One of those
influences, which, at the first blush, we
would suppose to be more potent is the
influence which seeks to prevent the in
PRODUCTION of disease and to stop its spread
after it gets in. Another influence which
does not manifest itself outwardly to the
same extent, but which is really more
influential and more active in the effort
TO have a national quarantine law en-
acted, and to secure certain provisions in
that law, is an influence which has not
the motive as its controlling one to pre-
vent the introduction of disease and to
prevent its spread but which does have
as its controlling motive and principal in
fiuence the desire to prevent different COM
munities from regulating and controlling
for themselves the question of quaran-
tine, because, forsooth, it interferes with
the business of some people who are not
themselves in such immediate danger of
infectious and epidemic disease.
Now, those are two very different
things; and, as the outcome of that fact
we find it to be true that the commune
ties which are more Immediately in dam
ger of infectious disease, and epidemic
disease more particularly than infectious
disease, are the ones which stand here
and most earnestly oppose a regulation
which shall deny to each community the
assertion of the great law of self-preser-
walton. An illustration of that is found
in the words which fell from the Junior
Senator from Maine (Mr. Frye and the
junior Senator from Missouri (Mr. VesD.
If l recollect correctly Both senator's
alluded to the fact ] am now about to
mention-certainly the Senator from
Maine did-that one of the great hardships
OF the present system which is to be
cured by the contemplated act is that in
a certain place there is a national quar-
antine, and that after a ship coming in
has been required to pay the dues and to
submit to the examination at the national
quarantine it has 10 undergo the same ex-
pense and the same ordeal through a state
quarantine. ~.
"Mr. President, that is certainly some
thing not to be endured If 1t can be safely
removed but 1t illustrates the fact which
L nave mentioned, that among the most
potent and active influences here are
those whcih relate more to business and
10 the convenience of parties not subject
TO yellow fever if l may limit 1t for the
present to yellow fever. than to the
question OF the preservation of the health
of a community
All of our seaboard cities would he
very glad to have all the aid which can
possibly be given by the United states
government in keeping out epidemic dis
ease. So far as / can now Judge there
would be, in my own mind at least no
objection to the enactment of a law which
should place absolute control of the cues
ton OF the coming of a ship into mort
OF the United States, which was thought
to be from country where epidemic dis
ease had prevailed, absolutely under the
control of the United States government
so FAR as to have the absolute right of. ex
clusion. The states are not in a position
to patrol the seas in some cases. or even
their outer harbors, and 1t may / think.
iegitimately be placed within the control
the states would not only oppose that but
would be in favor of it.
But, Mr. President when it comes IN
internal police 1t is another question al
together. 1t looks very simple to read
that the Secretary of the Treasury shall
nave the right to make regulations. but
II such an act is constitutional and can
be enforced, If he is to have the arbitrary
power to say, without any question or de-
NAL on the part of anyone, what shall he
the quarantine regulations with reference
TO any town, what will be the result? II
is all very well to have an officer who
snail say that disease shall not come IN.
IL IS all very well to have an officer to
be clothed with the power to saw
that the gates of a city shall be closed
because that is on the side of safety: but
II IS an altogether different matter ia
have any one officer clothed with the
power to say to a community: lyon
SHAH not close you gates;" and Mr.. Pres
ident, | think, so far as / am amble
TO judge from the communications which
nave had from parties in different Sec
lions who have advocated this national
quarantine law, that is the main design
OF this proposed legislation.
If ia cfrnpIy 10 tI,of