The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-01-29

ing element III that peaceful commu-
/ nifty
! And to send Iepers from the United
States TO Molokai would be a great
wrong and injustice to those thus sent.
To the great majority of the people of
the United States these Islands are a
foreign country, and to send persons af-
fiicted with disease to a foreign coun-
try from three to FIVE thousand miles
from home, among a strange people,
whose language they cannot under
stand. with whose customs, ways and
food they are unacquainted and unac-
customed, would in any case be out
rageous, but especially with Ieprosy, a
disease which in SO many cases grad
ually renders the person unable to care
for himself and needing the assistance
of others, and with the depression and
woe that comes from the hopelessness
of the case.
But what could a person from New
England or Louisiana or the North
west do, if brought SO far from home
and friends and associations. and fore
ed into these strange environments and
SO hopelessly and completely buried?
1t is hard to believe that the propo-
sition can seriously be considered by
and responsible persons. The
responsibility is upon each State and
Territory to care for its own sick and
helpless, and what right has even the
Federal Government to force upon one
those afflicted with a loath-
some disease?
Each State can provide a place for
rs lepers and care for them in the coun-
try and under the surroundings with
which they are familiar, where they
can communicate with and receive the
of their friends and those
dear to them.
The only possible reason that can be
given why the lepers from the other
parts of the country should be sent to
is that this little country has
worked out it's own problem so well,
and provided so intelligently for the
afflicted ones, and solved the difficulty
it of the provision that has been made
or lepers here.
Why cannot each State make provi-
sion for its own, taking lessons and
orofiting by, if necessary, the expert
.nce and example of Hawaii, but fac
ng its own responsibilities and duties?
Under the wise and humane course
pursued in these Islands, leprosy is dis
appearing, and there is cause to hope
hat in time it will be wholly eradicat-
ID. Tic task has been surrounded with
he greatest difficulties and has taxed
he powers of the Government and the
kill of physicians. To have new and
additional obligations and burdens ad-
led at this stage, in the manner pro-
'osed, we submit would be a grievous
wrong.
If it were a fact that lepers could be
ured only at Molokai a very different
uestion would arise; but it must be
onceded that it is not necessary for
NY purpose to send them to Hawaii
rom the Mainland, for every commune
y there can easily segregate it's lepers
nd thoroughly protect its own people
ON danger. To bring them here would
OF be a matter of necessity but only
mere matter of convenience to COM
lunities on the mainland.
We submit, further, that it would be
nfair that the United States, sover-
gn though they be, should saddle upon
ny one community the inevitable OPP
robrium that would follow the selec-
on of the Island of Molokai for a
of the nation; it has no right
} brand a fair and beautiful and =
eaceful country with the name of the