The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-13
The Mobile Convention.

careful reading of the resolutions
adopted by the Mobile quarantine con-
venuon leaves little room for doubt that
they are intended TO open the way for
the national government to take charge
of quarantine matters. both on land and
sea. While it is true that it is provided in
the resolutions that the health boards
of states and cities shall have the power
to do certain things in respect to mari
time quarantine. if they are not satisfied
with the quarantine which the national
government provides, still It is clear that
the tendency of the national government
VIII be TO take exclusive control OF quar-
antine at all the ports. and of the local
authorities to cease to make appropria-
tons for something which the national
government is attending to.
If a department of public health should
be created, as recommended by the Mo-
bile convention, there would be an effort
on the part Of the department to magnify
its importance. 1t would reach out for
the control not only of maritime, but
also of all land quarantine. In order TO
find something to do the department would
grab everything in sight, and local au-
thorities would be inclined to yield to
its encroachments in order to get rid of
the expense attached TO the enforcement
of quarantine regulations.
The Mobile convention, in its resolu-
lions, throws out the idea of the national
government and the states working in
harmony in quarantine matters, and
doubtless most of those who were mem
bers of the convention think that idea is
an entirely practicable one. They are
afraid that If all quarantine matters were
turned over 10 the national government
there would be discrimination against the
South Atlantic and Gulf ports, in order
to give commercial advantages to the
North Atlantic ports. 1t is doubtful if
there is much ground for such fear. STILL
1t exists, and accounts for the failure of
the Mobile convention TO go farther In
the direction of national quarantine
We are inclined 10 think that ex-Con-
gresham Clark of Mobile, who, we I'M
derstand, favors national quarantine, and
who drew the resolutions which were
adopted, realized that If the work of the
convention received the approval of Con-
gress 1t would not be long after such APP
prevail before the national government
would be In absolute control of both mar
thine and land quarantine. The move
ment towards Capitalization is slow, but it
is sure. Wherever there is chance for
any branch of the government to extend
its Jurisdiction that chance is taken ad-
vantage of.
After having given the matter of quar-
antine pretty thorough considerat ton, we
feel convinced that we cannot have uni
form maritime quarantine nor can we be
freed from the annoyances and enormous
losses of land quarantine in times of
epidemics except through the instrument
tality of the national government We
may meet In Atlanta or elsewhere and
frame quarantine resolutions for the
guidance of state, county and city health
authorities, but in times of terror such
regulations would be ignored and the
shotgun quarantine, under the authority
of cross roads boards of health, would
bring the wheels of commerce to a stand
still. Therefore much as we are against
any legislation of a centralizing char
acter. we regard the step taken by the Mo-
bile convention an the direction of nation
al quarantine as being in accordance with
experience and Is not to be regretted.