Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-07
xr,,.ow-FEyER COMMISSION.

Tho Dispatch heartily concurs in the
recommendation of the President thal
commission of experts be appointed 10
study yellow-fevser and report as TO the
best method Of protecting our country
from its ravages.
In view of the certainty that
the intercourse between the United
states and Cuba and Porto RICO
viu hereafter be much larger than
ever before. II is more important
than ever 10 ADOPT measures TO restrict
the disease 10 as small territory as
possible. All the resources OF medical
and sanitary science should be enlisted
on the part of this government TO make
orr West Indian cites healthy, and TO
protect our own ports from the importa-
tion of this disease Doubtless we shall
have to spend a great deal of money at
Habana; but a goodly part of the sum
should be taxed upon the inhabitants OF
that city.
In exact proportion as Habana becomes
heaithful will its business and population
grow. 1t is impossible that we should
consent for the present sanitary conditions
there to continue. 1t is not for The inter
est Of Habana that they should; it is not
for the interest of these United States
that they should.
The commission of competent experts
suggested by the President ought TO be
composed chiefly Of men who already
know something about yellow-fever. They
ought 10 be men selected for their pro-
fessional skill; not persons TO whom the
amendments would come as honors
merely. They will have plenty Of hard
work 20 do; it will not be picnic for
any SET of men who appreciate the work
and who feel in duty bound to do it hon
estly and conscientiousy.
The South would profit to the amount OF
millions of dollars per annum If yellow
fever epidemics could be prevented. There
ara cities i'm the South that would have
twice the population they now have, If
:, were not for their liability to yellow
fever. There are farming lands in the
South for which no buyers can be found
now. which would be marketable at good
nrices were our country relieved OF the
veIlow-fever scares that come from time
10 time.
And so uniformed is the general public
with respect to the boundaries of the
zone I'm which this fever finds a habita-
ton. the whole South is made TO suffer.
We have heard strangers visiting Rich
mond ask II we ever have yellow-fever
here? The question seems absurd to US,
but our friends had heard of yellow-fever
Gin the South" and they knew Richmond
was In the South. but they didn't know
that our city was in section where the
fever never had gained a foothold.
The South would not be the only bene-
flciary II yellow-fever were curbed orrup-
pressed. The whole country would be
participants in the benefits. Whenever
there Is an outbreak of yellow-fever rail-
road traffic Is demoralizcd; business is
crushed; merchants 80 to the wall, and
their creditors suffer. Worse than all.
there IS often great loss Of life.
The common belief IS that Habana and
other West India ports send this disease
20 us; in other words. that the feyer's
home Is IN the West Indies, whence II is
distributed 10 our southern country. This
theory very probably is the true one; but
we must investigate and see If 1t is; and
IL Il Is, we must fight the disease at fits
home and In It's very nestl TO this end the
President repeats this year the recon-
mendation that he made last year.
There Is now every reason TO believe
that his wishes will prevail. People from All
parts OF the Usion wish 10 visit the terri
tory we have conquered, and IN doing so all
O. them would feel safer If they know that
the hes, that science and common sense
and Industry can do s. being done to
crush out the fever. But first we must
know more about the disease than we
know now That's what the COMMISSIONS
work would be. II would investigate and