The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-04-12
THE NATIONAL QUARANTINE.

'f'E NJ ifONNL QORrRN llNEs
Il Is to be sincerely hoped that congress will not
pass the substitute bill which has been offered in
place Of the williamsAiaory BILL providing for ma
tional aid in quarantine regulations.
This Substitute measure as We understand it,
seeks to give the goyernment she right to interfere
with the state laws on that subject This govern.
ment has never before since st began to provide
quarantine laws and regulations. undertaken to in.
terere with the quarantine laws Of the states The
rolce powers Of the states are reserved to them in
That section OF the consuition which declares that
lall powers herein granted to The congress are
reserved 20 the state, and the supreme court from
its earliest history whenever these questions have
been involved, has uniformly upheld all reasonable
regulations OF the states for the protection Of the
health, morals aud welfare OF their citizens.
AS a result Of the Chattanooga convention, on
November 9th last and the result Of a conference
between southern representatives in congress a bill
was introduces IN the House by Mr. Williams, Of
Mississippi and in the Senate by senator Mallory,
Of Florida which simply provided for the necessary
appropriations to enable the Marine Hospital service,
under the direction of the secretary OF the treasury
to acquire more extensive facilities for maritime
quarantine and FIR the protection Of the coast cities
Of the country from the importation Of yellow fever
from foreign countries but the bin did not under
take TO regulate local quarantine at the ports or
interstate quarantine This bill we are assured
would NOT have been Objectionable to those who now
0ppos the quarantine bill which has been reported
by the Hosse committee Interstate end foreign
cotamerce as a substitute or the Williams and
Mallory bill
This substitute changes entirely the purport OF
TIE bin which Mir. williams and Senator Mallory in
irolucad ans endesvers TO make it crime for any
onicer Of the state, or LEGAL officer interfere with
any vessel railroad TRAIN or other instramentalty
of commerce. in Tire states 10 WIS for this reason,
j. e. that the bill undertakes to give the United
states goyoramsnt absolute control Of maritime sn1
Interstate qiamntiae That several sathern CON
eressmen felt bound to protest against It's passage.
OF course. it ems at frst uugracous action
TO oppose that which is seemingly undert1ken for the
protection the health and safety OF The people from
thteatened invasion by epidemic Of yellow fever or
-tler Diseases: sut such course in this instance
win be- NO doubt approved by an the people Of this
section except those who will not take the time to
nqgire into the details OF measure, aad viii not
realize is dnger until some arises to call att
enuon pointedly to what has been done
This propesei legislation as contained in the
substitute Bill IS but another effort to centralize ip
the United states government all powers over the
health morals and welfare Of the people, and il this
tendezey Is followed 10 It's legitimate conclusion, we
viii soon have very nte for stste governments,
state legislatures state Ulcers to enforce state
laws, especially when by some strained construction
the enactment end enforcement OF laws in certain
particulars rest with tt.&general government
II our representatives did not call attenton 70
the tendency widely prevalent to apply to the
United States congress aud TO the United States
courts for remedy for every supposed defect tha
exists In the enforcement OF laws. the protection
Of the people in their health AID peace, the time
must come when VIII have no state laws that can
be enforced by the authorities ami all power
Will be transferred to a centralized government at
the national capital