Speech #520115645

We have seen that stimulated by this information and by the efficient administration of the Marine Hospital Service. we have seen that in the city of New York. in the late threatened epidemic of cholera there. public opinion was so aroused as to bring out very large voluntary contributions for purposes of sanitation in the city. In this respect alone. in the information and the warnings which will be communicated to the authorities throughout the country. this bill and the appropriations to follow. it will have very great influence. and I think be largely efficacious. In this connection I desire to say that the services of the Senator from New Hampshire in the Committee of Immigration. in awakening public attention and in directing intelligent consideration to the subject. have been of great value and great interest to the country. I am in favor of this bill. not only because I regard it as entirely constitutional. but because I consider the exercise of this constitutional power to be one of the most beneficent which can possibly be considered. In regard to the amendment of the Senator from Louisiana . if he thinks that it would make this bill more acceptable to the people of Louisiana. while I am in favorof a bill which shall be permanent. which shall bring into the consideration of these questions .of sanitation. of contagion. and of epidemic disease. the intelligent opinion of the medical profession outside of the Marine Hospital Service. while I think that this bill should contain a provision authorizing the President of the United States to call into his councils the eminent scientists and sanitarians from all the States. and to have him direct them to apply themselves to the investigation in different localities of this question. while I think the medical profession outside of the Marine Hospital Service should be made use of by the Government equally with that inside. although this bill may be in that respect deficient. and a general bill and a permanent bill might very well be made which contained these provisions. yet I am disposed to accord to the Senator from Louisiana. in view of the fact that his people are largely opposed to the passage of any bill. that they should have an opportunity to see the beneficent operation of this act during the next two years.