The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1900-06-06
A PLAIN STATEMENT
From Governor McSWeeneY in
Reference TO SmalIPcx
THE TROUBLE AT UNION.
He Left she Matter in the
Hands Of the President
Of the State Board Of
Health.

Gov. McSWeeney the first OF last
week gave out the following statement
in reference to smallpox trouble at
Union:
In regard to the action Of the Union
board OF health l deem it proper to
make statement in order to keep the
record straight. Since | have been
Governor | have made it rule to refer
to each department Ct the State Govern
ment all matters pertaining to that de-
partment. All cases Of smallpox re-
ported to me have been promptly re,
ferred to DR.. James Evans, as secretary
Of the State board Of health, for his
consideration and action. When re.
eeived the report of the Union board OF
health calling my attention to the cir
cular of President Duncan and the re-
solutions passed by the Union board Of
health, stating that continued enforce
ment Of vaccination by the local board
of health is impossible because of lack
of power and funds, and dangerous be-
cause of the iDfsmed opposition, sent
the following telegram to DR.. Evans:
There is considerable dissatisfsc-
,ion in Union as to the manner Of en-
forcing vaccination. Ia order to ad,
just matters deem it advisable for you
to 60 there at once and take the matter
up with President Duncan and the local
board Of health. This is very import
ant"
l also wired President Duncan and
DR.. Linder that | had asked Dr.. Evans
to go to Union to investigate the situa-
ton. This was on the Oh Of May.
DR.. Evans went to Union promptly and
on the llth Of May made the following
report:
I'm my investigation Of the small:
pox situation at this place (UoioD) |
have found three families with the dis
ease in Milltown, which has popula-
ton Of about 1900, and is the locality
in which the operatives Of the Uaion
Cotton Mills reside. Vaccination is
imperative to prevent the further spread
Of the disease. Two thousand of the
population of the town have been re-
Gently and in the last two or three years
vaccinated. I have arranged for the
prompt vaccination of the remainder
who are not protected l have the as
surance in the prosecution Of the work
ofthe CO operation and assistance Of the
city authorities, the local board Of
health aud President Duncan, of the
Union Cotton Mills"
I concluded from this statement of
the secretary Of the board Of health
that ever; thing had been satisfactorily
adjusted, as be states that he had the
assurance Of the co operation Of the To-
cal board of health, the city authori-
ties and President Duncan. Nothing
more WAS besrd from Uaion until the
resolutions published feT days ago
in the Uoioa papers from the local
board Of health rendering their rcsigaa-
ton. AS the people seemed 70 Oe
very much inf.med over the matter of
enforced vaccination, as stated by the
local board themselves, l deemed the
course pursued wiser and better than
to have ordered the arrest Of those who
resisted the board, for By such a course,
instead Of getting the matter settled
satisfactorily, the trouble would have
been increased and possibly someone
killed. If the statement made By the
secretary o. the board Of hcailh that he
had the assurance Of the co operation
Of the Union board was not correct it
seems to me they should have SO stated
at once, because Dr.. E7aus's report to
that effect was published the next day
after it was made to me.
AS to the statement contained in the
resolutions Of the Union board that |
am more interested in my election than
the enforcement Of law have no further
reply to make than that that contained
in the facts Of the case as herein stated.