Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-05-24
A PLAGUE SCARE.

San Francisco has had a bubonic
plague scare. no more pleasant or
profitable than the smallpox scare that
Ike wave. swept other communities
not long ago. The san Francisco board
OF health reported that the plague had
broken out in the Chinese quarters. and
az once there was an immense commo-
ton. The Chinese We're put under
severe restrictions, and demands were
made that they be ln0cuated with some
poison supposed TO be an antldote to the
plague, while the intended victims OF
what IS conceded 20 be a doubtful eX-
pertinent threatened 10 appeal TO the
courts for protection
The scare grew IN proportions with
the agitation The dlthy hooks and
corners Of the Chinese quarter were
looked upon as certain 70 conceal ana
breed disease germs The Chinese
trembled for their places Of business, If
not for themselves, remembering the
fate Of the AsIauc business portion OF
Honolulu. which was destroyed by tre
as means OF stamping out the plague
But Il now turns out that the enc
tire performance was "a farce, some
what on the line Of much Ado About
Nothing" The California state board
OF health Investigated the matter and
found that the reports by the other
board OF health were false. There had
been no cases Of the plague in the city
There was no reason for working up
panic. 10 spread from the coast and an
through the country, IL IS but natural
that the report Of the State health
authorities should arouse indignation
against the city health board, among
the people whose business interests
have been materially injured by the
unfounded rumors The people Of San
Francisco, IT seems are not prepared
TO excuse the Board on the plea Of good
intentions. even. They take an en-
tlrely different view, II the following
paragraphs from the Chronicle Of that
city. interpret public opinion correctly,
That paper says:
"The state Board Of Health has in
/ vestlgated the subject and declares nat
ly mat no bubonic plague exists IN
this city. 10 has sent "a statement 70
that effect 90 the health authorities OF
/ Inc nclghb0ring States and Territories
| I'm order % counteract the living reports
| Inspired by the San Francisco Health
/ Board for the purpose of creating a
! condition OF Affairs which would lh-
| duce the citizens of this city to permit
Thorn DO dip their hands into the treas
/ urv. Fortunately the plot has ahso-
/ lutolv miscarhed. The people of san
/ Francisco refused 10 be- scared into ace
| cadlup To the backmailing demands of
the bubonic Board but instead have
| plainly shown their determination 90
! hold the Board and its political hackers
to "a strict accounting for The mischief
which their incorporate and uncalled-
| for course is producing.
when the story Of the deliberate
| working up OF the present scare is told
iu 0ill. las IL will be some day, the com-
| munltv viii clearly realize that IN adj
ditlon TO the conscienceless attempt to
| compel the Board OF Supervisors to
| make an excessive appropriation Go
| keep an army OF useless employees on
the nay rolls OF the bubonic Health
Board another object was sought TO pe
furthered.'
The subject Is Of deep interest even
outside OF San Francisco, II health Of
fcers claim. not only executive but also
legislative power; II they assume SUE
premacy over state Legislatures, they
must expect TO be called TO a strict ac-
count when their acts are open 10 such
suspicious as are here alleged En-.
lighteued public opinion cannot b'
trampled under foot safely not even IN
the nam, Of hygiene. for that opinion
knows that true science never resorts
TO tyranny. lts legitimate ends car
never be attained that way,
Due precautions. IN the way Of clean
Illness and other sanitary rules, are all
WAYS in order though it has been dem
onstratcd IN recent years that the
plague victims very seldom are white
people. even when they live Ia infested
cities. The weaker constitutions Of th'
Aslatlcs. I'm AN probability prcd'spos'
them 20 contagion But this fact doe
not make precaution superhuous. II d
% time OF pestilence as wen as war
The destroyer has unsheathec hi
sword In many countries. The fac
calls Tor wisely directed vigilance bu
not Tor artificial panics, which can bu
serve TO make matters worse than the!
| actually are.