Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-24

A supreme effort is being mace Wy
the physicians Of the state 20 force
vaccination upon all the children OF
school age A bill has been introduced
for the purpose Of opening the schools
90 healthy children who have not been
exposed to contagion. II Is now under
consideration by the committees on
health OF the Senate and Of the House
This IS the text. az presented by Mr.
mcmillan Of Salt Lake, on January ~
A BILL
For an Act TO Prevent Compulsory
Vaccination In the Public Schools OF
the state OF Utah.
Be II enacted by the Legislature OF the
state Of Utah:
Section l. That hereafter II SHAH pe
unlawful for any board OF health, boarn
OF education. or any other public board
acting In this State under police regu-
lations or otherwise. 10 compel by reso-
luton, order or proceedings OF any klhd
the vaccination Of any child. or person
OF anv age. or making vaccination
condition precedent 10 the attendance
OF any public or private school In the
state OF Utah, either as pupil or teach
er.
The doctors have had their Innings.
They have used all the stock arguments
In favor Of vaccination. with which
readers on the subject are familiar
They have explained. in the usual man
ner Of the faculty for nearly century
the reason why some vacclnated per-
sons contract and die Of smallpox. that
ls the vaccination aid not take" or
was Imperfect" or mot successful
They took up most OF the time before
the Joint committee in asserting and
prociaimiog their sincerity - which no
one questions, their belief in the virtues
OF vaccination, arising from their med
lcol training. and they lauded
the celebrated Jeuner as the
greatest benefactor Of the race-and
who. by the by, claimed for vacolna-
ton what none OF them now admit,
ana practised the operation In a man
ner that they all now dlscard-and
they talked round the subject which
was before the committee. without
touching 1t except In the most gingerly
fashion,
The gentlemen present TO speak IN
favor OF the bill had little opportunity
at the morning session TO present their
side OF the question. But one speaker
drew attention to the real question,
namely, the exclusion Of healthy chill
dren from the public schools. We pre-
sumo they will have had a hearing by
the time the News goes TO press.
The virtues or evils OF vaccination
are not at present the subject Of con-
tention by the supporters OF the bill
All they want is % remove the absurd
restrictions which shut out healthy
children. unexposed 20 contagious dis
ease, from the schools supported by
taxation, and to which they have ra-
tonal and lawful right OF entry.
Queries have arisen IN the discussion
which have not been satisfactorily am
swered One 49, II vaccination renders
che subject immune. what danger IS
there 20 the vacclnated from the UNI
yacCinated? Another Is, why has
Switzerland abolished the compulsory
law, and why has England. after a cen-
fury OF trial, so modified the compul-
cory law that no one who has conscien-
tlous scruples against It ana viii say
so. can be prosecuted Tor violating the
law? Stlll another is why are sickly
children. too feeble 90 be vacclnated and
therefore more liable than other TO be
infected, permitted 60 go 10 school on
Doctors certificate while perfectly
healthy children but who have not been
vacclnated are denied admission? The
Efforts TO founder around these cues
lions were truly ludlcrous,
Now the great majority OF the people
OF Utah are perfectly willing for the adj
vocates Of vaccination 20 set forth their
strong reasons, TO advise persuade and
induce people TO have their children
yacclnated and be yaccIuated them.
selves. No one Is fighting that kind OF
procedure. II Is the policy Of force
which arouses the indignation Of tn,
great bulk Of the citizens Of the stat,
and against which they are raising a
mighty protest
There is not a line Of law that justihe.
Il. True. on the admission Of certain
alleged facts which were not really
facts, but for legal purposes were not De-
MED. two Justices of the supreme cour
supported the city board of education
and the city board OF health, IN cXclud.
ing an unyaccinated child from o. pub
lie school Observe. the authority Of
the State board was not passed upon
nor even called 90 question, Tho Other
Justice supported the decision of th.
District Judge and denounced the act
as an attempt 20 effect by indircctoJ
what could not be- done under al,
law directly. Thus two Judge.
ruled against compulsory vaccination
in amy form. and two supported it sim
ply because certain alleged facts vor
agreed TO by both Sides Do order q
bring one point 90 The front
The state board or rather one mem
Der OF H. has assumed the right q
formulate rules and enforce them upoi
local boards. There Is not line Of Law
tor the exercise OF any such authority
rhe utmost that can be legally olaime