The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-02
THIS CALIFORNIA
LEPER A STATE ISSUE
Hawaii Resents Patients Arrival
From the United StateS--Wiil
Be Sent Back Quickly.

Tife steamship China has taken to Hon
olulu a San Francisco leper named
George Pratt. who is now held by the
local quarantine officials to be sent back
and whose case has aroused much dis
cusson. in which San Francisco is very
severely criticised.
1t is the general impression there that
Pratt's coming was part OF ascheme by
which the Pacific coast metropolis wanted
to establish the custom OF sending all it's
lepers to Hawaii. and the new territory
is up in arms against the plan.
When congress meets an effort Is likely
TO be made TO have the island of Molokai
designated as national hospital for lepers,
and the new territory viii make its voice
loudly heard in opposition TO the scheme.
Hawaii does not want TO be the Federal
leper hospital, although San Francisco is
not the only city suspected of harboring
a plan TO get rid OF a responsibility by
giving Hawaii the undesired distinction.
Many hints OF the sentiment i'm favor OF
making Molokal a national leper hospital
have come 10 Honolulu. with the result
that local business interests have been
stirred up on the subject, and when the
leper Pratt arrived there from San Fran
cisco, as a sort of forerunner OF the
dreaded incursion, there was great indig-
nation.
LEPER FOR THIRTY YEARS.
Pratt himself says that he was advised
10 come by the superintendent OF the
pesthouse at San Francisco, in which he
was confined for time and that he came
with the knowledge Of at least two MEM
bers of the San Francisco board of
health. He has had leprosy for over 80
years.
Allowed. as he was to book on the
steamships China as an ordinary passen-
ger and to associate with other passen-
gers in the steerage during the whole
journey, his travelling appears to have
been serious imposition upon the steam
ship company and upon other passen-
gers on the same journey.
Hawaii's strong objections TO the idea
-t,f having Melelfai made a Federal -lef,er
settlement is based largely upon the
hope, backed up by experience. that Molo-
kai may soon be no longer a leper settle
ment at all
A tremendous burden was cast upon the
nation OF Hawaii when the terrible
scourge broke out, as IL did about half "A
century ago. Since then "A whole natural
division of the island OF Molokai has been
given over TO lepers. who have lived and
died there.
Is on the decrease. The future seems to
hold a prospect that the beautiful bit OF
country at Kalaupapa. where the settle
ment is located. may be restored TO ordi-
nary uses before a very long time.
POPULATION OF MoLoKAI.
The number OF lepers at Mololai now is
about 10o0. They are nearly all native
Hawalinns. The Chinese. japanese. and
the visitor 10 the settlement rarely secs
any victim OF the disease but the Kama
kas, members of race that never knew
the disease less than "a century ago. but
which proved strangely susceptible when
once the horrible mnlady was introduced
into the country. In the two years pre-
vious 10 the beginning Of 1890 only isi
cases OF lcprosy were found i'm the islands.
the victims being removed to the settle
mont
a. Is a strli,irc contrast 70 the figures
frr tfe w0 ar 'rftr. fal when the
Wr tlt' Fanrt~ioi lp-
A; o. morr certain now
tarn r aso a'd tfahspofl-
ts record on the i.p-
roi t9rniorg has asrHn-
"a rf-l rs rec ard hrl
rn Hiih gave difcu'tv
ui sirrll f,ai on has al-
g.
b RI NJ ~ tfolokai. the largest
lenrr Trtti rlcrt iv the world. it g. said.
Is admittcd hv ell who have visited Il 70
Toe 4 most perfcf' one The unfortunate
men and women who I've there are &C free
ard happy as it r. possible Tor them 20
be Under The Circlmgtanccs
They 1--we in their own homes such as