The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-16
THE SENATE AND HOUSE.
National Quarantine Legislation Dis
ii cussed by the Senate.
NO ACTION ON THE MEASURE TAKEN.
of Names Survivors when Post
office Dill Is Finished.

Washington, March 15.--After the pas
sage today OF numerous bills from til,
general calendar the senate began tn,
consideration of the measure providin,
for National system of quarantine
Little beyond the reading of the bill was
accomplished, some desultory discussion
occurring on an amendment offered by the
committee. but no progress being made
| on the general bill.
Washington. March l5.-The death OF
Mrs. Thurston, wife of the junior senator
from Nebraska. Hon. John NJ. Thurston,
was made the subject of touching refer
| cnce by the blind chaplain in his invoca-
tion at the opening at the session today.
Upon motion OF Mr.. Allen, Mr.. Thur
prayer was ordered printed In the Record.
A bill TO regulate the collection and dis
bursement of moneys resulting from
leases made by the Seneca nation 10 New
York Indians was passed
Mr.. Gear, chairman OF the Pacific rail-
ways committee, called UP bill author
izing the secretary OF the treasury to eff
feet an adjustment between the United
States and the Sioux City and PACING
Railway company in relation to bonds Is.
sued by the United States for the con-
struction of the railway and asked that
1t be passed.
MIR. Morgan Gala, objected, and on mo
ton the bill was recommitted to the COM
mittee without objections.
Bills were passed as follows To ex-
tend the uses of the mail service. the
plan being to adopt the return postal card
of the United States.
To authorize the president to appoint
and retire David McMurtrie Gregg. late
captain Sixth United States cavalry, with
the rank and grade of captain.
The National quarantine bill, the I'M
finished business, was laid before the SEN
ate and read at length.
Mr. Vest MOI. in charge of the bill.
offered the following new paragraph as
committee amendment
Nothing In this act shall be construed
to interfere with the right of any State
to protect it's citizens from infectious or
contagious diseases by such rules and reg
ulations as the authorities of such State
may deem necessary and which do not
conflict with the rules and regulations
made by the secretary OF the treasury.
as herein provided, TO prevent the intro |
duction of infectious or contagious die
eases into the United States from foreign |
countries or the spread of such disease |
from one State, Territory or the District |
of Columbia into another state. Territory |
or the District of Columbia.
Mr.. sewall IN. J.) opposed the bill, |
that 1t placed too muh |
power in the hands of one man, the sur
geon Of the marine hospital service.
Mr.. Caffery OLa) opposed the plan held
ont by Mr.. Sewall A uniform system in
fighting an epidemic or plague was alb
solutely necessary, and 1t could be had
only through the National government.
In response to the intimation of DR.. |
sewall that the Southern States We're ac
tuated by mercenary motives in support
ing the pending bill Mr.. Vest sharply
pointed out that the greatest opposition
10 the bill had come from the Southern
States.
Mr.. Vest asked whether the United
States government should stand helpless
and sec its people slaughtered and its
crippled or destroyed lest the
rights of States might be invad-
ID or destroyed He maintained that the
United States had sovereign power 10 act
n the matter of quarantine AS further
lrgument in favor Of National quarantine
Mr.. Vest said that It had been openly
'harged that during the yellow fever cpl
iemic OF last year the embargo of quar-
milne had been placed by some cities
against others purely for commercial rea-
IONS. Under National system Of quar-
,ntine no such unfair advantage could
10 taken.
At the conclusion OF Mr. Vests re-
marks the quarantine bill was laid aside
nd a measure providing that the United
states marshals and district attorneys
hould continue to All their respective Of
ices TIL the appointment and aualiica-
ion OF their successors was passed.
Adjourned.