Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-02-01
LET US REASON TOGETHER.

II anything were lacking to demon
strate the rightfulness OF the measure
TO give healthy children the right OF
entry to the public schools, which has
passed both houses OF the Legislature
by large majority, II has been sup
piled by the misrepresentation OF it's
opponents. They either do not under
stand its purport, or they cannot appre-
ciate their own failure to furnish rele-
want argument against II.
The Mcmillan bill. which must await
action by the Governor, simply puts In
plain English that which was intended
by previous legislatures, in reference TO
the powers conferred on boards Of
health. II takes away nothing hereto
fore conferred by law. To the ordinary
reader the law as II stands on the stat
ute book OF 1893, even including that Of
1898. Is sufficiently plain without further
legislation. But Il has been 10 con-
strued and strained 20 reach the design
Of few doctors, that something was
absolutely needed to place the matter
beyond further dispute.
The bill now passed does not, as fire.
quently stated oppose vaccination"
Some OF It's strong advocates are be-
levers in the virtues ~ vaccination. II
does not hinder the full operation Of
sanitary and quarantine regulations. 1t
does not attempt to cripple any board of
health IN measures necessary 20 protect
the public from the spread OF contagion,
The provisions Of existing laws are left
intact by the measure that has been
passed
The bin framed to meet the desires
and demands Of an overwhelming ma
jorlty OF the people OF this State, forbids
the imposition OF vaccination as con-
dltloh precedent TO the admission OF
healthy children. unexposed 10 conta-
glon, into the public schools. That Is
all VIII not the small minority who
have fought the measure. please look at
Ii In the light OF reason. and without
the spectacles OF prejudlce2
There is no question, In the present
movement, as TO whether or not vaecln.
alton Is preventive or a palliative OF
smallpox That does not figure In the
discussion. No one disputes the right.
fulness OF the powers conferred by law,
20 quarantine persons afflicted with a
contagious disease or who have been ex-
posed TO IT, There Is no attempt to adj
init to a school any child liable through
disease or exposure to It, to
carry Infection TO other school children,
The endeavors made during the de-
bate TO confound these matters, and
mix them up so as to muddle the pub.
lie mind. only serve to CONFIRM the OPP
ponents Of lawless tyranny, In their de-
termination to carry out the will OF the
people.
After discussing the merits of the
bill In committee and In open session,
there was no need for Its advocates 70
10 into lengthy arguments in It's favor,
The notion that they could not, because
they would not do 80, was worthy only
OF q lawyer who, finding himself In the
wrong, sought to irritate and provoke
the other side. The same opponent
asked, as reported TO the press;
Suppose II We're cholera epidemic
and this bill In broad enough to include
cholera and diphtherla too-ths bill
would render the board of health pows
erless TO act, and cholera and dlphtheria
would rage through the State and
where would We beg'
That shows n lack OF understanding |
OF the bill that Is truly surprising In a
senator, The bill does not prevent any |
OF the precautions necessary in an epi-
demic, no matter OF what disease. II |
does not touch on cholera, or diphtherla. |
nor does II hinder regulations as 20
smallpox, such as may be enforced |
against any other disease when epi- /
demic II either disorder were prevail
emit would healthy children, unexposed |
10 II, be shut out OF the public schools /
II the bill had not been passed. would !
healthy school children be selected
alone as objects OF regulations against
cholera? Should they be vacclnated
against It OIL against diphthera2
II there Is Of should be an epidemic
of smallpox, and vaccination Is the
sure preventive II is claimed TO be,
why oonfine the compulsion TO school
children who, according TO the health
reports. have been the least subject
to the disease? The majority OF cases
alleged 10 be smallpox are Of persons
above school age Why not compel
vaccination Of adults2 There has been
no epidemic among school children, or
that can be traced to that one class
of the population.
The senator who so strongly supports
the course OF the secretary OF the board
OF health also made this remark;
1T Is absolutely proven beyond d
doubt, that a child in perfect health
can communicate the disease 10 an
other child In school room. through
carrying the Infection Of smallpox in
its clothes"
True, sage "sancho Panza." but II a
child can carry infection into school,
cannot an adult carry It into theater.
an assembly, q street car. a crowded
store or to his home? And II so, why
should schcel children be Disseminated
against Further does vaccination dis
Infect the clothing Of childreng II not