National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-01-24
Cattle Plague Extinction.

Senator Williams, of Kentucky, ac-
quilted himself day before yesterday in
the best possible taste, appealing to Con-
gress for justice to the great West and
mercy to brutes. This continent knew
nothing till 1913 of devastating Oriental
plaques in animals. Insidiously intro
duced, these diseases have continued to
decimate the town eoW-shedS and dairy
farms of Eastern cities. Nearly ten years
since true type of American courage
and foresight, NIr. 7. C. Eastman, Of New
York, realized by boldest ventures the
idea Of selling our surplus beef in the
British markets. The London Times had
often re-echoed the story of Tantalus
and the poor, deprived of cheap animal
food, had to wait for the produce of our
plains, which could only reach Europe by
a cheap process of meat preservation
which Mr.. Eastman adopted in the face
of every cause for discouragement.
He now sees that the steamship COM
panies, at last awakened to their inter-
ests, have made extensive preparations
for a trade in live cattle, such as may
stop the traffic in dead meats. This rem
derS it of supreme Importance that the
reputation of American cattle as to
soundness may not be tarnished per-
manently by the state of infection Of
abominable coW-sheds in the Eastern
States.
The proposal made by Senator Will
Jams aims at radical cure. He pro-
poses the extinction of foreign pestilence,
and, as a guarantee against inefficient
measures, he suggests that the National
Board of Health shall be strengthened
by veterinary supervisor. The board,
thus constituted, can then employ any
number of veterinary or other experts to
cooperate with State authorities and
suggest investigations and preventive
measures such as will accomplish theend
in view and restore confidence in Euro
pean markets as to the healthfulness
Of our Western herds. The diseases of
men and animals are studied by like
methods and controlled by similar pro-
cedures. In our efforts at isolation, it is
often found cheapest to kill animals, and
this renders the extension Of cattle
plaques so much more speedy and certain
than the prevention of epidemics. Every
country in Europe has recognized the ad
vantage Of compensating the owners Of
sick cattle when infested animals have to
be slaughtered in the public interest.
Senator Williams asks for an appropria
ton of one million dollars, which is much
smaller than the sums expended abroad
under similar circumstances, and he has
proposed safeguards as to expenditure
which will prevent favoritism or pecula-
ton.
In view of the enormous development
of the stock-raising interests and Of the
British cattle trade, the bill introduced
by Senator Williams should be put on its
passage with the least possible delay.
Wintry weather may produce the impress
sion that the spring and summer trade
are not at hand, as they will be before it
is possible to do much in inspiring conf
dence in Great Britain. Nota day should
be lost, and no measure passed will meet
with wider appreciation of great SER
vice rendered by Congress than the one
now referred to the Senate Committee on
Epidemic Diseases.
The Black HANS National Organ on
NIahone.
The National Era of last week had a
wise and able article on "a New South"
The editor is Lewis Fl. Douglass, a learned
colored man, and his counsels will
probably have as much weight among
the colored people of Virginia as
those Of men who are conspir-
ing with Bourbon Funders to prevent
the success of the liberal cause in Vir-
ginia. The movement of which General
Malone is the leader is thus treated in
the article referred to:
General Malone, Scnator-elect for the State of
Virginia. is a leader in movement, the success of
which can only tend to further the cause of prog
rcSS in that State. His party proposes the honest
of the State debt, to which no reason
able objection can be made the removal of the
Bourbon reactionistS from place and power, free
suffrage for all men, and fair count Mt the polls:
free education for all children and an impartial
administration of the Constitution and the laws
for all citizens In order to be successful in this
proposed policy, the poyerty-Stricken, untutored
white people of Virginia must strike hands with
the poor, unlettered blacks, and free themselves
from the arrogance of those who hold power and
control the fortunes of the State solely because of
the unreasonable enmity they have urged and EN-
couraged between the poor white and the blacks.
We have no fear that the colorcd people, if let
alone to peacefully follow their inclinations, will
do anything to retard civilizing progress in the
South. The matter of progress in that section re-
mains to-day where it has ever benin the hands
Of the white people. The white people have to
learn justice, mercy, and charity, and not the
negro. Let the South remember and understand
that the failure of the negro to rise up during the
rebellion and play the assassin, the incendiary,
and worse, was not cowaTdce nor lack of desire
for freedom, but that he was more merciful and
less cruel than the white people of that section.
1t can do no harm for the poor white people to be
brought to understand how unjust, how cruel they
have been TO the negro since the rebellion, and for
the purpose keeping in power class of men that
never did anything to make them anything more
than mere dependents. We wish Governor Jarvis
and General Malone all success in their efforts to
build up a new South on a basis of honesty and
justice.
Something About Doctors.
People who have little occasion to call
in the "doctor" have great cause for self
congratulation. They may miss the
chance of forming an acquaintance among
class of irst-rate fellows, but it must be