New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-14

In cities and towns all over this State the greatest
opposition is now being made by parents oi SChoo,
children to the enforcement OF that dangerous ana
barbarous law requiring the infection Of healthy emil
dren with a vile blood disease as condition OIL attend
ing the public schools.
This evil law was originated solely by medca so
cietes in this State and passed originally without
any general public hearing or approval ana us ey'
burden has been kept for years on our Tree SchOoS
notwithstanding all efforts made TO remove or amend II
by citizens and educational officials manly !nr0ugh
the influence of heSe medical societies, WHICH are
said TO have the greatest lobbying power OF any interest,"
I'm the State These medical societies organized all
over this State, with tens Of thousands Of members
and are now such powerful. and dangerous iorte ~
the body polite as to control our meacH legS,Iuon
our health departments our vital statistics and large
part Of our Press, and now intent on forcing COM
pulsory medicine upon the people in various forms.
which is one of the most dangerous deSpotSmS or
usurpationS that could be inflicted upon tree people
and much dangerous than the old prohibited par
bariSm of compulsory religion ever was.
FOR PRIVATE PROFIT.
How far the present effort to enforce this evil law
on all our school children throughout the state may ne
for the benefit of the vaccnators and me vaccine max
rather than for the vaccinated chhdreh win no"
let the words of a former Commissioner OF EauC4uo,,
(he beloved lust and eminent Andrew ). DrAper) tell
u.s. In his Annual Report for 1909 at Page / the late
Commissioner Draper states;
.1r r,op,, cases phvsfcians become interested
IN the enforcement OF the law because OF INC
fees resulting thereiroIn. 60 IN te from
districts
vaccination an important item u Is no.,
claimed that physicians AZ rule are go'eTHeu I"
this matter by merccnary motive. How
ever this mercenary motive has been the cor
trolling factor a sufficient number OF cases
which have to the attention OF the Depart
ment justify the above assertion
To further illustrate this point have Just received
letter from mother of school children in town up
the state where the doctors trying to strictly en-
force this evil dOctOr-made law, and in which she Sig
ucantIy points out that the health board doctor OF
the town is also on the school board and is the doctor
who will also get the fees paid by the school or town
for the vaccination OF the school children This woman
is only one of parents who send touching letters
from all over the State giving instances OF death and
disaster from vaccination and asking for help to save
their children from the horrible harbarSm which would
inict upon their healthy bodies dangerous restoring
disease which, as have already clearly proved, no
kills more children than smallpox and is actually more
dangerous to them on the average than natural small
pox-and all this as an alleged mode OF producing pub
lie health and as condition for the exercise OF that
most fundamental public right OF the child education.
Now we have received 50 many letters Of this Kind
asking for help in the present crisis not only iron,
parents of school children but also from teachers ana
principals and trustees OF public schools, all over me
State asking for advice to their legal rights and
movers i'm this matter and to the discretionary pow
ers of the local or district school officers in enforcing
or SuSpendinC the present vaccination law that we nave
found impossible to answer all OF these letters fully
nv mail and hence take the better way OF answer
ing these injuries through the public press before the
reopeuing OF the schools that not only our nuler-
Gus correspondents but the general public can get Tue
benefit of the facts and advice now given, which we
will here state in series OF distinct propoSitlOnS-