Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-28
WHY NOT BE RATIONALE

The statement that the legislature,
or the advocates Of open schools are
endeayorlng 10 stop vaccination" or
that they are opposing vaccination Is
one " the many untruths that are be-
ing circulated Boy the advocates Of
force. Nothing rs being attempted IN
that way II the doctors aud others
who coincide In the very common be-
lief that vaccination is a good thing,
want their views to prevail they should
not. attempt 10 cram them down the
throats Of unbelleyers, nor stick them
with a knife into people or their child
rem whether they win or no.
Why not use reason. argument, per-
suasIon, advice? Are not these suf-
Acient? We may be asked what would
you do with people who do not see the
necessity for quarantine. our answer
Is. n they are diseased so as to be q
menace to the public health. we would
have the laws enforced Would not
that be compulsion7 Certainly. But
Is II possible that sane people cannot
see the vast difference, between ex-
Guiding from public contact, persons
afflicted with a contagious disease, and
shutting out Of school healthy children
who have not been exposed, and who
may be examined as TO their health
previous to admlsslon2
Why not be rational on this point2
Why get angry and vituperatiye2 The
secretary OF the State board Of health
calls people who differ from his no.
tons and those OF his fellow physl-
clans, either ignoramuses," idiots
or Glars" Others, who do not go to his
lengths. become wrathful because free
citizens who thin ;yr themselves and
do not accept the dogmas Of the day
dispute the right Of any health officer
to deprive children OF education be-
cause they have not been diseased with
cowpox
In all the discussion before the health
committees OF the Senate and House
there was not a direct or logical argu-
ment presented to show why healthy
children should be barred out Of school.
The evidence on that side was simply
az 10 the virtues Of vaccination No
special effort was made TO oppose that
but incidentally II was proved that
some successfully vaccInated persons
had both contracted and died OF small
box. But that was met by such circle
reasoning as. Vaccination renders a
person immune. But vacclnated people
have died OF the disease, Ergo, they
were not vacclnated. that IS they were
not vaccinated successfully
Just so as to the bad effects OF many
cases OF vaccination. II was argued In
this way: mo III effects can possibly
follow the operation when properly con-
Quoted. But here are instances Of ter
rlble effects following Il when all the
precautions known were taken. Ergo,
the vaccination was not properly per
formed" It is useless 10 offer evidence
with that kind Of logic.
However. It should be most distinct
~ understood that those who want the
schools opened to healthy uneXposed
children, are not fighting vaccination,
except IN It's obnoxious compulsory
form. Preach It. explain IT, take all
lawful means TO inculcate it, but don't
deny the right OF entry 70 the public
schools to children who cannot possibly
be q menace 10 the immune, and who
bring no danger TO others II they carry
no contaglon. Cannot reasonable peo-
pie see these points, without getting
angry with their friends who are as
willing as anyone TO submit to health
laws that protect the public. but are
unwilling 20 bow down TO the force
now attempted and which Is foreign to
the genius OF American liberty