The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-22
WHAT THINK YOU OF THE AcTp


nails OF Alabama because of the preva-
lence of yellow fever, at the same time,
in the three cities of Mobile, Montgom-
cry and Selma. 1t Is still more memorable
because it witnessed, for the first time in
the history of a civilized State, deliber-
ate war in its name, upon thousands of
helpless women and children who were
guilty of no offense, except to seek to
leave their homes to obtain refuge from
disease The leader in this war was ex-
Governor Johnston. He 1t was who, for
the first time, proclaimed the despicable
IL misfortune befell the Alabamian at
home. to see to 1t, that neither friends,
kindred nor neighbors gave him shelter
anywhere in the borders of the State.
1t was Ex-Governor Johnston who
preached the doctrine that inhumanity
ard selfishness and cowardice should
rule the hour, when citizens of Alabama
dealt with kindred, neighbors and friends
in times of epidemic. He 1t was who
talked of camps of detention in which
der the October sun. with all the attend
ant dangers of disease and insult, be-
fore allowing them to leave places where
the fever prevailed. "Reminiscences, pro-
test and arguments against the folly and
inhumanity of his regulations were of no
avail. The law at that time permitted
the local authorities to determine for
themselves whom they would receive in
their borders. and forbade State quaran-
tine regulations from interfering with
local regulations. BY usurpation and vio-
lence, this right was denied. and thous-
ands of men, women and children were
rushed in hot and crowded cars. with
windows closed down, through commune
ties which were anxious to receive and
succor them.
The spirit of his regulations was that
citizen of Alabama should not have a
chance to escape disease If he were too
poor to defray his expenses beyond the
limits of the State; while those who had
means to go outside of the State were
favored with an opportunity to trust
themselves to the kindness of strangers
in other States. What would have been
the condition of thousands of Alabam-
ians at that time, IL Georgia and Tennes-
see had been as inhumsn in dealing with
Alabamians as Alabama's then Governor
was? The regulations he made had not
been attempted In any civiliz ed commun-
ity since the Revolution. They were I'M
parelleled in their folly, and absolutely
incapable of practical enforcement. The
people went across the borders of the
State. an dthen returned into it every
where by public and private conveyances,
ard on foot The human nature and
courage of our people revolted at these
barbarous regulations, which forbade
kindred and neighbors who could safely
do so. from giving refuge to their own
flesh and blood. Subterfuge, stratagem
and force alike accomplished what fear,
attempted to be embodied into law, sought
to deny. Fugitives from the disease stop
ped in nearly every hamlet and town in
Alabama, The inhumanity, folly and
cowardice of the regulation had no eff
feet but to create widespread panics
hitherto unknown, and to infiict untold
and useless cruelties and hardship upon
thousands Of helpless citizens.
In all the epdemics of the past, never
a dream came to any man of preventing
our own people from helping one another
in such emergencies. To the everlasting
honor of our people in the past, be it
said, that up to that time when Gov
ernor Johnston promulgated his now cele-
brated orders in quarantine, no effort
had ever before been made to prevent
the local authorities, in healthy communi-
ties, from opening wide their doors to
Alabamians in misfortune and distress.
At such times, men and women alike
sought to inspire fortitude and courage.
Montgomerians. for instance. up to that
time had been invited and freely went
to Opelika, Robinson Springs, Deatsville
and everywhere in the surrounding coun-
try. Public officials did not abandon
their posts.OSt twas deemed ignoble to
appeal to fears and selfishness of people
not invaded by the epidemic, in order to
induce them to hem in their neighbors
In former days, they thanked God that
misfortune had not come to them, and
opened their hearts, homes and purses,
to communities less fortunate than them
selves Against these practices sensible
and humane, brave and chivalrous,
neighborIy and God-like. which the peo-
pie of Alabama had pursued for years in
times OF epidemic, Governor Johnston
fought with all the vigor of his nature.
There was not the slightest suggestion
in the words of the law for the usurpa-
ton. 1t did not permit the Governor to
interfere with the wishes of local author
tiles; and inside the law-it left the Gov
ernor full discretion what means to
adopt After a wave of indignation went
over the State against these foolish and
barbarous regulations, the defense was
nut forth that the Governor was an I'M
willing executor of policy which he had
no right to reject, and that he had been
the unwilling instrument in carrying out
the wishes of the State Board of Health,
That was not true. The State Board of
Health could order him to do nothing.
It did not give him any bad advice in
the start, as to his policy. The Board
had no meeting at which such measures
were brought forward or discussed. They
came from the brain of the Governor