The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-13
Don't Temporize with Danger.

The report of President James II. John
ston to the Savannah Benevolent Associ-
alton at its semi-annual meeting held on
Tuesday. which appeared in the Morning
News of yesterday, should be read by and
receive the earnest attention of our peo-
pie; and especially those whose official
duty it is to look to the welfare of the
city. Those who remember the epidemic
of 1876 and its disastrous effects upon the
city are reminded of some homely but
very forceful truths. And the disasters
of that terrible time would be as nothing
in comparison with what the consequent
ces would be should there be another
such visitation in the city of Savannah.
AS President Johnston says, in 1876 freight
and passenger traffic by steamships and
railroads was not interfered with; there
was no shot gun quarantine established
against the city, but on the contrary peo-
pie went and came as they pleased. Even
under those conditions there existed
most deplorable state of affairs in the
city. Glance back but few
weeks and note what prevailed in the
Southwest during the very mild epidemic
roads and the river routes bristled with
shot guns There was an entire cessa-
ton of trade and travel, involving not
only infected but suspected localities
People were thrown out of employment
by the thousands, and a reign of terror
supplanted the reign of reason. Still, the
epidemic in the Southwest was a very
mild one.
With such a condition of affairs exist
ing in this section of the South, what
would be the fate of Savannah?
The city and vicinity of Savannah can
be put into such sanitary condition that,
with only slight additional precautions, it
could defy danger from infection. The
Morning News is persistent in this mat
ter, not for the purpose of creating alarm,
but to invoke proper caution. We have
it in our power to make our position COM
paratively safe; it is our imperative duty
to do it. No one can read President john
stons report, or more properly speaking
his address, without feeling that If harm
should come to the city and people, it
would come because there had been a
failure to do in time those things which
reason and scientific information indicate
should be done.
"A great deal of money is being spent by
the County Commissioners for unneces-
sary roads and doubtful road improve
ments, every dollar of which should be
used, under proper directions, in placing
the areas contiguous to the city in such
sanitary condition that there would be no
question but that everything possible had
been done to ward off the danger of cpl
demics.' Time. which cannot be recalled,
is being wasted, and work which should
be done at once is being trihed with. Ex-
cuses for failure to make needed improve
ments are being carefully recorded against
the coming reckoning; but nothing would
avail to shield those who are intrusted
with the power and funds necessary to
averting the danger, if the worst feared
should come.
A committee from the Benevolent Asso-
citation has been appointed to give the
matter of suburban drainage its attention,
and our citizens will doubtless hear from
the committee shortly with regard to what
is being done, and what should be done
for the safety of the public health.