Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-25
WILL PROSECUTE
PROF. ]. H. PAUL
Complaint viii be Sworn to by
Health Commissioner King,
COUNTY ATTORNEYS STORY.
Statement from Prof Paul. President
of the l.. ID. =. College-Not
Yet Arrested.

Inquiry made Of County Attorney
Christensen today brought forth the
fact that Health Commissioner King
had laid the matter Of prosecuting
Joshua II. Paul president OF the Lat
ter-day Saints college. before him, for
dsregarding the vaccination orders Of
the health boards, in that Prof. Paul
has admitted pupils TO this college who
have not been vaccinated. In reply to
n request from Health Commissioner
King, President Paul submitted the
names Of 1856 unvaccnated pupils who
are attending the college
PROF. PAULs STATEMENT.
Upon this subject President Paul
made the following statement;
when the board OF health notified
me In December that only vaccinated
pupils were TO be admitted into any
schools in the State after Jan. l. 1901, II
was lust after the time when the Lat
ter-day Saints college had reopened,
after having been closed one week on
account OF the prevalence Of smallpox,
and just before the Christmas holidays.
There was no time then In which TO
consult the trustees OF the college be-
fore the school adjourned for the holl-
days; but / notified the students con-
corning the instructions ! had received
from the board Of health, and advised
compliance with the order,
Some students at once arose In the
assembly and asked II the order was
compulsory. In answer ! said that / had
not yet laid the matter before the trus-
tees, and was not therefore authorized
to exclude any one not vaccinated.
went on to say, however, that we
thought the board would carry out, as
far as they were able, the instructions
Of the board Of health.
In response to my advice. thus Civ
en-, great many pupils were vacci-
mated; but many stated that they would
withdraw from the college. II the vac
cination became compulsory.
Two weeks ago the health board
made a peremptory demand Of me that
| excl,de all unyaocinated pupils. This
I told them ] could not do, not having
been authorized to do 80 by the board
OF trustees. | also explained 10 Dr.
Baker when he called upon Inc. that
while was willing 10 aid the board OF
health all | could In enforcing regula-
lions II deemed beneficial for the public
health, | would not consent TO act as
the deputy Of the board In compelling
pupils TO be vacclnated. I told him that
the board Of health ought to enforce It's
own vaccination order. and simply be-
cause II was unable TO do so. IL ought
not TO call upon me 10 enforce the or
der or to destroy or injure the instltu-
tion In which labor as servant Of the
people.
II the school must be sacrificed or in
jured II shall not be by any act OF mine
unless upon the order Of a competent
court Besides, II would be beyond my
Jurisdiction 10 exclude pupils unless tho
board OF trustees should so instruct me
Thus far the trustees have only told
me TO advise the students TO obey the
health regulation In regard to yaccina-
tion, and this advice has been given.
The fact that some Of the students have
not been yacelnated Is not my fault
neither Is Il my business 10 punish
them for their neglect or refusal.
I'VE could OF course, exclude them;
but what would that accomplish. as
long as they can avoid vaccination by
simply quitting the College2 Vacclna-
ton should not be obligatory upon
some, and optional with others. Our
students are largely grown young men
and women, and a simple order TO be
vaccinated, II given TO them, would not
result in general compliance, but would
result In their going elsewhere 10
school. and might result In their suing
us for breach Of Our contract with
them.
THE College Is not Ike a State instl.
tuition. II would make little difference
10 the trustees or teachers IN a State
or city school, whether the vaccination
order kept half the students out or not.
The State and city schools would 90
on lust the same and the teachers
woul< receive their usual pay for less
work. But with the Latter-day Saints
College, II is different The authori-
ties OF this institution are trustees for
both parents and students. Large sums
OF money have been donated BY pat
rons and considerable amounts have
been paid by the students In fees; and
the authorities OF this institution con-