The age-herald., 1898-03-23
E.f 75 NATIONAL CONTROL
 OF QUARANTINES CaferN of Louisiana, Defends
 the Bill. BACON OFFERS AMENDMENT Which Provides That States Rights Shall Not Be Interfered Wth-Agreement on Con tested Election Case Consumed
 the Day in House.

Washington, March 22.-The feature of the senate proceedings today was an extended speech by Mir. Caffery of Louisiana in sup port of the pending national quarantine bill. In the course of his argument MT. Caffery said that he wanted the whole quar- antine power in the hands of the United States government, the only authority which could make a quarantine effective, and he added that he was as staunch states rights advocate as any man.
 We want,'' said he, "a central quaran- tine authority upon which responsibility may rest. We want uniformity of action in this matter of quarantine regulations, backed by such financial and legal power as will enable the authorities to cope with the dread diseases which are likely to rav- age the country"
 MT. Macon of Georgia interrupted MT. Caffery to inquire whether he would object to the following amendment to the pending bill: f {, "Nothing in this act shall be construed to interfere with the right of any state or municipality to protect it's citizens from infectious, conta glous or epidemic diseases by such rules and regulations the au- thorities of said state or municipality may deem necessary"
 This amendment will be proposed by Mir. Bacon.
 Unable to Cope WithI
 In reply to Mr. Bacon's inquiry MT. Caf- fiery said he saw no objection to the terms of the amendment as he understood it. If the state municipal power were suffi- cient he said, he should not insist that the national power be paramount but it was evident that state and municipal authori- ties nnahlp n nropprlV with epidemics.
 In conclusion, after speaking for nearly three hours, MT. Caffery said that state quarantines were utterly inefficient ut teriy powerless against an epidemic of yell low fever under this inefficient state quar- antine system which permitted brutal and savage acts to be performed He had him. self been escorted by petty quarantine of ficers with shot guns For the exercise of that kind of state police power, he had no use and no regarsi He desired that the whole question should be handled scien- tifcally, so that power and authority would be provided that would be adequate to cope with yellow fever, cholera and other like diseases.
 Four Contests in Ten Years
 MT. Garter, of Montana, began a speech in support of the bill to provide a civil government for the district of Alaska but had not concluded when the morning hour expired.
 Mr. Gallinger, of New Hampshire, who recently returned from @ trip to Cuba, an- nounced that, yielding to kind solicitations of many senators, he would tomorrow, i'm mediately after the morning business had been transacted, briefly address the senate upon his observations in Cuba unless mean time, something should occur to prevent it.
 MT Foraker of Ohio, presented the ere dentials of his colleague MT. Hanna, for the term as United States senator covering six years from March f. 1899. The creden- tials were read and ordered filed.
 At 4:4O p. m., on motion of MT. Chandler; the senate went into executive session ana shortly afterward adjourned.
 IN THE HOUSE.
 Washington, March 22.-The naval ap- propriation bill was reported to the house today. but as it had not been printed, the contested election case of Thorpe vs. EpeS from the fourth Virginia district was taken up and debated until o'clock when the house. owing to the illness of MT. Rhea, of Kentucky who was to speak this after noon. adjourned until tomorrow.
 The case will be disposed of tomorrow. The prevailing impression Is that Epes, the sitting member, will be unseated, as upon the decision in this case VIII iargeiy depend the decision in the two other Vlr- einia cases in which practically the same Questions are involved MT. Epes had 2621 plurality the face of the returns. Extensive frauds were charged and the majority of the committee found that MT. Thorpe should have received 307 plurality and upon their finding recommended that he be seated.
 Civil Government in Alaska
 MT. Walker (rep., of Va.) opened the de- hate explaining that the Fourth Virginia district was a familiar one to old members of the house. Four times in ten years there had been contests from that district. The fraudulent methods apparent Tn the records in this case were to be found in the record of the case in the last congress. Cn- til fraudulent practices of election ofii- cers were introduced the republican ma iority in the district was from 5000 to 9,OO0. MT. Miers (dem. of Ind) in reply to MT. Walker, declared that the unseating of Mr. Epes would be gross outrage. From an examination of the records in the case Mr. Miers said that the minority Of the committee were unable to deduct from the plurality returned for MT. Epes of any or the precincts mentioned by the majority re- port fcrty votes at Pearch and ROSS pre- cincts in Brunswick county.
 MT. Walker, he declared had dealt Tn ms argument not in the record, but In the abuse of the neighbors and friends With whom he was formerly associated.
 MT. Cochran (rep. of N. Y) followed MT. Mers in support of the claims Of the con- testant.
 At 4:15 D. m the house adjourned.