The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-17
r,ha far.,a,,, ,,tt,l and cattle.

Virginia State Grange 1t was stateu sna. .no
rvan,,t;ve, Committee had, In connection
w,th the State Grange Of West Virginia,
made arrangements to establish in Baltimore
an agency Tor the. sale, Of live stock, and
that they had secured the services Of a
"brother Patron, an expert in the hand
ling Of cattle, to conduct the business.
with reference to the matter Of the trans
portation and the sale Of cattle 10 the city
markets, there is a great deal besides ap-
pointing an agent that Is very important to
cattle-raisers. The agent is a man who has
to be trusted, indeed, and we suppose, as
the Changers say so, he is all the moro re'i-
able for being Granger. But there are
ways and agencies of multiform nature
which may not be fully understood or anti
cipated by one party to the cattle trade
we mean the producers. The other party
the butchers-is very powerful and, al
though we cannot speak OF the case under
consideration, we generally find that it Is
better for two parties to a transaction TO
understand each other fully, and to agree
upon some plan that may be in the spirlt OF
compromises spirit that must prevail IN
business as in politics, and in everything
which involves the interests, or even the
preiudices, of two parties.
But, again, independently OF this point'
the process of transporting and putting cat
tie on the market is most important to cat
tle-raisers. It involves, at present, grea'
loss to craziers, and is often shocking tc
humanity. The system OF transportation If
cruel and destructive. Cattle are otter
killed in the cars, and all animals are i'm
paired in condition before reaching mar
ket. They are not watered sometimes fo1
two DAYS, nor are they fed; so that Wher
they are taken from the cars they are, nearly
all OF them, fit for no place save the hos
pital of the veterinary surgeon. And yet
under the regulations that prevail ut many
markets. they must be weighed and sold Al
the weight that is ascertained before they
are allowed to drink. .:.,. -. As..-.s
The producer is seriously the loser by TIT
process. This matter needs reform. jus
tice as well as humanity demands 1t. Ths
railroads have ended the old system %
driving the cattle to market, BY which they
were driven slowly, well fed, and Were
freely watered, reaching market in gooo
order; and the railroads should give in lieu
OF the old system entire justice to cattle
raisers. t,.'. 3; ....... ~... >..s,
Cattle should be carefully transported
should have food and water-and upon ar.
irving near market should be delivered
from their painful confinement and rested
and cooled aud revived before the grazier
should put them on the market. Cattle
should be sold for what they are really
worth in good condition, but not hurried to
market in a lank, languid, and fevered
state, by which the butcher is enabled to
get them at heavy loss to the grazier: a
loss in value OF the animals more than
gained by the butcher, whose treatment in
day restores the weight and good appear
ance OF the steers he buys under the system
SO detrimental to the graziers.. -.
In some Of the northwestern States, we
believe, cars have been built for the COM
Portable transportation and regulations
adopted for the proper care Of animals on
their way to market. Something ought to
be done to secure this sort Of transportation
wherever cattle and horses are transported
by rail. II the Changers everywhere would
give this subject earnest attention they may
save great deal more than they can save
by appointing agents for the sale of cattle,
however important that may be.