Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1905-02-27

the paid hlrelings OF corporations
have dominated the United states
congress. and rule by the voice of
the people has been displaced by an
u~nprincipalcd oligarchy. Uncle Sam
has bulllcd and beaten and robbed
ihis little adopted Now Mexico "
good many times. She has meekly
submitted TO many indignitic. but
a leprosarium Is quite too rich a
morsel for her degiutitory organs.
She'll spuc II out Just as sure as the
attempt Is made 10 force It down here
throat.
II isn't 80 much any insuperable oh.
lection TO the colony In itself either.
n we had a couple OF hundred Of these
unfortunatcs In the territory, we could
provide for them and they wouldn't
MENACE us. We would DO morally
bound 10 do ~ and legally bound al
so We wouldn't try 10 force them on
Colorado or Now York. Congress
possesses no right TO relieve states OF
their dangerous or loathsome citizens
by dumping them on q territory. Each
Elatc IL responsible for her own PEG.
pie OF this class. II Is perhaps un-
fortunate that Massachusetts must
spend ten thousand dollars apiece to
care for hor few lcpers, but she cant
levy n cent OF her tribute upon us.
We feel Ike being foolish enough TO
say that the United States isn't big
enough TO make us take her lepers.
Should the institution be establish.
I'd a. For stanton, the citizens OF
Roswell could not easily refrain from
s%hGddering at the thought that the
water which came 10 them from the
Bonito and tho Hondo had flowed
directly through the lazar house.
Opinions differ widely as 10 the pos
sibility Of contracting leprosy By con.
iagion o. infection but the average
mortal is more afraid Of the disease
than Of death, and nngucstlonably the
bruitins ~ The news through The ma.
ton that hundreds OF lepefs were to
be sent to New Mexico, would lnInre
rs greatly
-.
Northumberland cases numbering
27S exist In the United states. twenty.
one individual states and territories
having reported that aggregate.
Doubtless there are many other cases
that have been kept dark, or the
number of known lepers las were
born In the United States Minnesota
has half n dozen lepers, kept In n &C.
quostered distrlct and Massachusetts
has three. Louisiana has a numerous
French colony.
Ten years ago. medical opinion was
practically unanimous that leprosy
could not be contracted by contagion.
In the Middle Ages a remarkable lep-
rosy epidemic swept over Europe.
Lazar houses were erected near all tho
large towns, The disease exhausted
Itself and now remains only In a few
districts OF Russia, France, Italy and
Crete, In the latter island non.lep-
rosy people have occupied the prin.
clpal Ieper villages and live side by
side with the lepers.
Since Hansen discovered the speci.
fic organism known AS bacillus lep-
rae, there has arisen a fresh suspi.
eion that the disease may possibly be
IN some Ways transmitted from one
individual 10 another, However, no
artificial culture of the bacillus lep-
rae has ever been obtained. and there
Ia absolutely no assured theory as TO
the manner In which II obtains an
entrance 10 human anatomy. Modern
medical science II AS inadequate 10
cope with the disease as the Jews oi
old,
Little TO the point. however. Is a
discussion of the cause and effect OF
HE disease, TO establish a colony in
this territory would be an imposition
that the citizens can't be expected to
stand aud won't stand. and they will
put mp any kind of a fight that Is
necessary 10 secure them In their
right not 10 have their common
wealth made a pest house for the ma