The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-09

1l6n in the Bm of Rights. A prudent
 1slature could and would always se- |ure fthese rights there announced by &rtslafive efiactment. There are some nnatters which the people always wish 70 withdraw from legislative control. Ehsre are matters paramount and fun namental in thelr nature, which 1t IS hlways deemed proper 10 give perma- lent place sn the Constitution of $ Dtate. This, and not whether legisla- 5 Eion could effect the object determines whether the Declaration of Rights ts &he proper place for them.
 Now, why do men love their govern uent? Is 1t altogether because Of the poil or its fertility, the mountains ard the valleys. it's rivers. the beauty of its scenery. or the ciimatef Is it altogeth- Br for It's history? Is 1t altogether for ftg people2 These and each of them < add much to love of country, bus at last the paramount consideration in every mans heart when he loves lis government is, the measure of protec- ton 1t affords to life and liberty.
 We have had in recent years fla Rrant example of the need for some such provision in the fundamental law. I will not say who was the author of the principle l condemn because l am rot sure-it is of doubtful paternity. Here in Alabama. ever since the sea shore was settled. when God in his providence allowed epidemics to cone among the people. the people of str.ck- en cities have been allowed to so among their friends and neigh5ors for refuge, wherever their friends and neighbors thought 1t would not imperil the public health. There never was a day or an hour in Alabama before 1897 whom . citizen of Alabama before 1897 n ~ kxy hA nf turned over to the charity of strangers In other States when he sought refuge from . city in which there was sn epidemic or contagious disease. Kind red and friends in localities where l is prceence would not harm had always been allowed to succor him in times of Aistress. We had yellow fever in Montgomery time and time again, and a Mobile. and there never was a day before 1887 when the State of Alabama leclared all avenues of refuge in Ala bams are closed to you. Every spot in Alabama Is liable to infection. It mat ters net what the experience of com snunities may have been, and it mat ters not that they may know by actual Experience that no danger could come ito the public health or to its people by aiding you. I put the strong arm of Alabama upon you, and tell you if you
 
 with the pestilence. If you are rich will carry you through the State, and leave you a dependent upon the good will or the charity of strangers in Aeighboring States. Now, ask If there fe any wisdom in that? Is there any right In 1t? Is there any humanity ln 1t? Is there any religion in 1t? For a brave people, a noble people, a people who have suffered so much as AA Gs.xs< <AANR xIz with such heroism so many trials, we have presented a most piteous specta- cle to the people of the world, when ever some man has cried out yellow lever" It seems then that society and government and christianity are all forgotten, and we become q set of saw tges. Much of that is due to men who slaim to know most about 1t ani who may know least. because they discov- ared what they call the theory of 'por- table yellow fever" and forthwith ev- cry little place sprung up with a shot gun quarantine. They would not bury the dead. They would not even give to the sick a cup of cOld water or piece of bread. We resolved our selves into a set of heather and saw ages and turn on our own flesh and blood. have known Board of Health in this good town of Montgomery to
 
 from Leakes's foundry in New Orleans, which had been out in the country for three weeks on the cars. and rocking with carbolic acid. might endanger the health of this city. but that two intel ligent physicians whom the city coun- oil sent to Louisville to inquire wheth- CT there was yellow fever there and who found 1t might come back here with impunity. In the last epidemic, Mr ru a-A. and think that is a soft term for it. when they would not let a man stop in the State. the Health Of1cer of Ala bama was going in and out from the Capitol every day in actual contact with yellow fever, and then coming back here and mingling with our wives and children. 7fT7
 The thing was nonsensical What Ia the good of such action? Take that blessed town of Opelika, and I say Goo bless her. for her people have never closed its doors. They know that vel low fever does not sprcad there and they opened wide their arms, as they also did in Tuskegee and other places m years gone by, to refugees; and vet the fiat of the State said you shall not stop there, you must go over to Geor- kia. What was the practical result? People went over to Georgia and came pack 10 Opellka and stayed there. They spread all over Alabama. It was non- sense. 1t was worse than nonsense. if was crime, because it was the State of Alabama warning on women and chil- Eren.
 Only a few years ago a cry went up all over this continent, that finally brought on a war in spite of some of the most eminent statesmen in this country. because a foreign people were concentrated in cities to starve; and get here in Alabama in 1897, the pop- ulation of the three chief cities in Ala bama were. by the dictate of the State of Alabama. compelled to stay here, men, women and children, and take whatever fate awaited them at the hands of dread disease, if they could not go to other States though shelter was offered in Alabama. Was not thar worse than Spanish cruelty? They had the justification there that the govern ment was warning upon it's enemies. but here were the wives and children of our people and the citizens of Ala anna, and 1t cruelty waryed on them.
 I do ont propose to add but a few words more. I remember well when my friend on my right (Mr. Lomax) and some of the rest of us here were trying to do what We could for the people who remained in Montgomery There was a young widow with .wo children, whose husband could not get to her. She had no employment nera