The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-22


International agreement, the first question
70 be asked is how do we ourselves stand
in relation to it. Can we say that none
Of our cities are in such bad condition
that they will harbor and breed disease?
And here l would remark that, notwith-
standing yellow fever and other contagi-
ous diseases may, and do, spread in per-
fectly clean territory, clean territory does
not become their culture ground. Yet
that we have cities which are a fit cul-
lure ground 1 cannot deny
Every city and town in the United
States should be severed, properly paved
and provided with a wholesome water
supply. l wish there might be a law of
the United States, making this require
ment Whether such a law could be pass
ed. whether such law would be consti-
uItional, 1 am not prepared to say L
throw out the suggestion in order that if
any one within the hearing of my voice
Is specially interested he may be induced
to investigate the subject with view to
finding some constitutional means by
which this desired result could be brought
about. But surely it is within the con
sttutional prerogatives of state and mu-
inequalities To realize it, however there
must needs be, as there must be for any
pubic movement in government of the
people, a public sentiment behind it, a
public sentiment should be awakened de-
handing that the first requisite of any
community seeking municipal or village
charter should be the assurance of its
proper sanitation. The drain pipe, sew
erage and water supply should be the
first boast of each new community, taking
precedence over the church. school house
and theater. / would be even glad to see
q law preventing the erection of a oh Irch,
school house or theater before a proper
sewerage system and water supply had
6n1 fnr = to L
fact that many small villages have been
started without these sanitary provisions
and have grown to be cities with these
sanitary provisions still unprovided fer,
and for this reason the former healthy
villages have become unhealthy eites.
Now, referring to this necessary send-
ment. 1 wish to express my pleasure at
the presence of ladies at this banquet to-
night, for no more powerful aid can be
summoned in awakening public sentiment
regarding any public measure than the
aid of women. This has received a notable
illustration within the past few weeks by
their influence upon Congress with rea-
ton to the admission into its halls of a
representative of the sect of religion OBJ
nOXious to the higher instincts of both
man and woman and to Divine law and
speak adviSedly when l state that the
sentiment which resulted in so prompt and
righteous action by the members of Con-
gress was for the greater part inspired by
women.
Furthermore, the records of sanitary
and other journals will show that house
sanitation in which great improvement
has been made in the last few years. and
municipal sanitation as well has been The
result of the active, aggressive interest
of the women of the land. They, rather
than their husbands, are the ones who in
sist on the perfect sanitation of the house
in which both are to dwell. They have
formed in the various cities auxiliary sani-
tary associations, which have made them
selves felt in municipal law and admins
tration.
We welcome the powerful aid of women
in forming a sanitary sentiment just as
we should welcome them to our sides in
the forming and enforcement of all mat
tetrs relating TO good government, munici-
pal and national.
AS a nation we must realize where we
stand particularly on the Western Hem
sphere To us do the smaller republics
look as an exemplar. In matters of mar
idne quarantine-I say it without boast
] believe the United States is in the van of
all nations; not distinguished by its abso-
lutte restrictive measures, but by an ear
nest effort 10 expedite commerce by strip
ping it of its diseaSe-bearing clements
But in matters of sanitation, particularly
if we are to go before the other republics
seaports, must we be always in advance,
and not only at home but also in our new
dependencies.
A great opportunity is before us. 1t has
been said that Anglo-SaXOns cannot perm
anently inhabit the tropics; that the eli
mate, and more particularly the diseases
Incident thereto, will repel them, but the
events of the past two years are rapidly
dispelling this theory. The first premise
TO this conclusion was made by the distin-
gulshed guest of the evening, by Admiral
Dewey, when his great victory in Manila
bay opened up to the nation the oppor-
tunity TO demonstrate its record for meet
ing sanitary obligations in tropical pos
sessions. This government will demon
strate there the value of American ideas
in sanitation and quarantine, just as it
has and will continue to do in Cuba and
Porto Rico.
Hawaii furnished another example
where in the tropics the Anglo-SaXon
American blood has demonstrated Its abil-
ity to overcome tropical diseases, IS well
as the tyranny of barbarian royalty The
handling of epidemic diseases by the Ha-
waiian authorities, descendants of Ameri-
cans, as illustrated at the present time
with regard to the plague and as illustrat
ei in 1885 under the leadership of one of
the guests of the evening. Hon. w. O.
Smith, in the suppression of cholera, is
serve as an example. In this successful
contest | take pleasure in"calling atten-
ton TO the fact that the Board of Health
of Hawaii had the effective executive and
professional assistance of DR.. Robert p.
Myers of Savannah.
There is announcement in the fact that
besides sanitation we have other means
of meeting these contagious epidemic dis
eases. Just as we have now a reasonable
sure cure for diphtheria in the antitoXin,
SO we have an antitoXin cure for the
plague and so l hope we shall soon have
for yellow fever and for leprosy. as wen
as consumption and other domestic dis
eases.
But these cures are really subsidiary.
The fundamental principle is to so guard
our environments, to so provide for our
own care when we are forced to live in
numbers in one place that each individual
nah be sure of pure air and pure water
his is brought about by sanitation, and
imitation is by no means a mythical term.
II means appliances, sanitary engineering,
a knowledge of methods, a knowledge Of
diseases and how to combat them, and