The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-11
THE KENTUCKY VIRUS.

Those who read the whereas or the
resolution of the Kentucky Board of
Health must see in it a purpose TO make
the Governor of Indiana responsible for
smallpox epidemic which exists only in the
Imagination of its members or their malig-
nifty toward Governor Durbin. When the
letter of DR.. Wishard, vice president of the
Board OF Health, which was given in yes
terdays issue, is read in connection with
the preamble and resolution, fair-minded
people will come to the conclusion that the
venom of the Kentucky board has led it to
assaf the Governor by publishing a false
hood. The letter of DR.. Wishard begins
with the statement that the official report
which he gives is made at the request of
Governor Durbin. thus disclosing the anx-
iety of the Governor TO prevent the threat
ened quarantine. After this declaration
DR.. Wishard proceeds to state what has
been done and the conditions as they were
found in the river and other counties in
which there is smallpox In a mild form and
in few cases. Dr. Wishard closes a re-
port which shows there is no danger to
Kentucky from smallpox in Indiana with
the following declaration and request:
1t is the purpose of the Governor and the
Indiana State Board of Health to continue
all efforts now being made until smallpox is
driven out of the State We trust the fore
going report is sufficiently satisfactory to
warrant you in annulling the quarantine
order against Indiana, which Is now tenn
porarily suspended pending an official re-
port from our board.
With this report OF DR.. Wishard before It,
showing the energetic work of the Indiana
authorities and declaring the purpose of
the Governor and the Indiana Board OF
Health to continue all efforts now being
made until smallpox is driven out of the
State, the Kentucky Board of Health puts
out knowingly a false statement designed
to make IL appear that the executive is not
cooperating and supporting the Indiana
board. To strike at the Governor this Ken
lucky board, composed presumably of
physicians, practically declares that Dr.
Wishard and his associates do not tell the
truth.
1t is time to speak plainly about this
matter. 1t is not the virus of smallpox
which inspires the Kentucky board, but the
virus of Goebelism. The late William Goe-
bel died at the hands of an assassin, but
the revenge of life-tadng was his method.
He was known as dangerous man, and
the taking of one life was a part of his rec
ord. In other States it would have been a
crime debarring him from public prefer
ment, but the murder of Judge OF the SUI
preme Court was not a crime in Kentucky
Il
cessors of the late William Goebel desire
| vengeance upon those who were his polit-
! zeal opponents. They would not shoot
those political foes as have others, but they
would hale them into a court sitting to
condemn by packed Juries and by procedure
| in defiance OF the rules of courts. Two of
the men for whose blood the GoebeI feud-
| lists thirst are in this State Two execu-
| tives, one of whom Is Governor Durbin,
knowing that the putting Of these men into
| the hands of the vengeance-seeking Goebel-
| ties would result in conviction by packed
| juries and bribed perjurers have refused TO
give them up. The controlling member of
the Kentucky Board of Health is inocu-
| lated with the virus of Goebelism, and he
has taken the method here explained in the
hope of injuring Governor Durbin That is
\ all there is of IL.
There would be no talk of quarantine If
| Governor Durbin had surrendered Governor
| Taylor to those whose vengeance seeks his
life. There is no possible pretext for a
quarantine, and there never has been.
There never would have been but for this
virus of vengeance. The Governor and the
Board Of Health have gone as far as they
! honOrably can to appease the Kentucky
board. They should, not communicate fur
Their with it in any manner. If it de-
clares an utterly unnecessary quarantine tc
feed the vengeance OF the dominant eIe-
ment in Kentucky, let the Indiana authori-
ties quarantine Kentucky. from whence
most of the smallpox in southern Indiana
| comes.