The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-19
QUARANTINE SESSIONS OVER.
ADJOI RNMENT At MEMPHIS AFTER
RESOLUTIONS WE'RE ADOPTED.

Report of Committee on Resolutions
Causes stormy Debate - Recon-
mendS the Establishment of n Nn-
tionaI Rurenu of HenIth-Sanitary
Authorities of the States to BE
Given Due share of Power
Through an Advisory CounciI-Dr.
Souchon's Paper.
Memphis, Tenn. Nov. 1S.-The national
quarantine convention, which met here
yesterday. adjourned sine die this evening.
The following report OF the committee
on resolutions was adopted after a stormy
debate
1.-THE committee on resolutions after
careful consideration of the many valuable
resolutions offered by the various members
OF the convention. have decided upon the
following as ombodying the ideas express
ed in the majority OF the said resolutions.
Therefore, that for the purpose Of pro-
tecting and improving the general health
of the people of the United States, CO.
ordnating and harmouizing the action Of
the state and national sanitary authori-
ties; framing regulations for the treatment
of infected vessels and material at all in
feeted or suspected foreign ports of ship
ment; preventing unnecessary interference
with commerce, the United States mail
or through traffic by land or water, and
for adopting uniform system of quaran-
tine for all ports in this country, be it re-
solved:
81. That there be established on broad
and conservative basis a national bureau
of public health in the department of the
treasury of the United States; that the
administration of all the public health
functions now exercised by authority of
the United States be placed In the charge
of this bureau.
go. That the sanitary authorities and
commercial interests of the several states
of the Union be brought into immediate
relations with the bureau, and be given
due share In the power and responsible
ties of the central board through the
agency of an advisory council, consisting
of one member from each State to be APP
pointed by the authorities of the several
states
The executive committee was Instructed
10 proceed TO Washington at the next
session of Congress and use its best efforts
TO have a law promulgated on the lines
of the resolutions of the convention.
The resolution proposed by the commit
tee called forth a storm of protests before
they were adopted. Dr. r. b. Maury of
Memphis led the expedition In a brief but
pointed speech, in which he declared the
resolutions were Ethiopian, vague, vis-
ionary and impracticable."
number of delegates were on their
feet offering substitutes, some of which
were voted down prior to noon adjourn
ment, and others were reserved for action
at the afternoon session.
oil Ia cd in ba
tion by the ordering of the previous ques-
ton, cutting off all debate, and nearly
forcing an immediate vote, but the storm
passed when the action was reconsidered,
and the convention was left free to discuss
at the afternoon meeting the resolutions.
As soon as convened in the afternoon,
the convention presented a substitute for
the report OF the committee, resolutions
indorsing the Caffery bin with some
amendments. This precipitated a warm
debate, DR.. Maury attacking and DIR.
CAN'T defending the state boards of health
as against federal control, but it was re-
jected. In the closing half hour the con-
vention adopted the report of the COM
mttee on resolutions.
Subsequently the executive committee
met and decided to send copies of the res
olutions of the convention TO governors of
states, members of both branches of Con-
gress, President Mckinley, and all health
authorities in the union, prior to adopting
any positive plan for the campaign to be
made for a national quarantine law in
accordance with the platform of the con-
vention. A subcommittee was appointed
TO look after the details but as vet no
time or place for ats first meeting has
been named. Gen. Luke F. Wright of
Memphis is chairman. and DR.. Ruhrah of
Baltimore Is secretary.
DR.. Edmond Souchon, president of the
efafa Of
read the paper prepared for the conven-
tion, but ii was freely distributed among
the delegates and read with interest. It
is as follows:
Land quarantine is a question of educa-
ton by demonstration more than one of
legislation by coercion.
national board without punitive pow
ers would be a derision. With punitive
powers not enforced it would be a con-
temptible farce; with punitive powers en-
forced it will be abhorred.
il is the cross and the pen that have
educated and civilized the world. not the
sword and the gun
No legislation, no army can enforce the
Atlanta regulations; no persuasion Meth
er; nothing but education by practical
demonstration will accomplish it. How
will legislation force a state to receive
mails, passengers and freight from a To-
cality, when she does not want to receive
lhem Tor the lear or taking contagious
disease? Any attempt to force this upon
them would surely bring on civil war.
Political, religious and social strifes have
been subdued by sword and fire. but it is
questionable whether a people, panic
stricken by the insane fear of so-called
pestilcnce, could be coerced at all by the
whole army and navy of the United
States.
To demonstrate practically 10 tho roo,,io
that all possible care is effectuaIv taken
to prevent a contagious disease from
reaching them is the best and only argu-
ment they should yield to. When hun
dreds of men from an infected locality are
turned out of a detention camp into clean
localities without injecting them, that is a
practical demonstration that will do the
good that an army corps of the United
States regulars will not accomplish. When
carloads Of frelght are carried from IN