Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-03-01
THE CATTLE BILL.
Views Of Prominent t,ttlcmcn Gu the
Dill Passed by IN House.
Fears that II VIII injurc the Live stock
Interests OF Texas.

eases among cattle having created
much talk in this city, n GAZETTE rep
resentative Yesterday interviewed
number of prominent cattlemen in re
gard To the probable results of the bill
If passed in its present form by TIN
senate. The bill provides that thu
commissioner of agriculture shsl
organize bureau OF animal indus
try, aud appoint a chief, who shall
| investigate and report upon tho mum
her, value and condition of domestic
animals of the United States, and
also the causes OF contagious and com
municating diseases, and the means OF
prevention and cure of same. lie 4.
authorized to appoint two competent
agents, whose duty IL shall be to re-
port upon the best methods of treating,
transporting and caring for ami
| mails, and the means to be
adopted for the suppression and
extirpation of contagious pleuro-
pneumonia. The bill further provides
that the commissioner of agriculture
may eNpend so much money appro-
pfiated by this act "a may be neces-
sary in paying for animals which 1t is
deemed necessary to slaughter, and
for such disinfection and other means
as may be necessary TO extirpate the
disease. The authorities of states
cha pay half tue expenses of all ami
mails ii is deemed necessary 10 slaugh
ter, and one-haif the cost o! disintrc-
ton and care of herds OF cattle. II
prohibits the transportation from one
state TO another of any live stock az
fected with amy contagious or intec-
tious disease. and provides for The
IL, ~ f4x
this prohibition. The sum of $3.50, 600
Is appropriated TO carry into effect the
provisions of the bill.
col. W. YOUNG,
the great cattle king of North
west Texas, received the GA
ZErTE repre- sentative very cor
daily and freely gave his views on the
bill. "Thls bill, said Colonel Young,
Sprung from feeling which has for /
years existed in Missouri, against /
Texas cattle, and Congressman Hatch, /
the father OF the bill, comes from a |
section which hus been n hot-bed for |
lawsuits arising from diseased cattle /
passing through it. That there was |
some ground for these suits there is no |
doubt, but the disease arose from |
the feet of the cattle which became /
sore in travelling over the plains. The |
state Of Missouri has had on its statute |
books, for many years, laws relating
to the transportation Of cattle through
its territory and some of the provisions
of this bill are but a repetition of the
provisions Of the laws of that state in
to the same subject. These
laws were enacted before the railroads
had opened up the great Southwest
a Il /
hundreds of miles to reach market
in travelling such a long distance their
feet'hecame sore and probably in some
eases contracted disease which was
to native Missouri cal
tie.
Since transportation by rail has be-
come so universal have never heard.i
of any cattle sent hy rail 10 great cattle
markets being refused on account of |
being diseased, which proves conclu-
siycly to my mind, that the disease
which may have occasionally existed |
in herds of Texas cattle driven on foot !
through Missouri, arose from tue con-
dlliun of the cattle 3 feet. | think the
bill arose on account of what the
Missouri people believed TO be real
grievance and when ii was framed by
Congrt 4.man Hatch il was directly
aimed at the cattle interest OF Texas
No doubt he had seen cases of disease
which ne thought was communicated
To Missouri cattle by tho herds of
Texas cattle In passing through the
state, and | do not believe that he
thought Of the differences in the
modes of transportation in vogue,
when those numerous lawsuits sprang
up in his state. from the modes in use
now. ! do not know OF single car
load Texas cattle which has been
received in Chicago or st. Louis that
has been condemned or rejected on ac-
count of disease; now ii any inherent
disease existed in our cattle ii
would have been found out in
some instances among the mul itudes OF
carloads of cattle shipped from this
state TO the great cattle markets.
Such are my views on disease among
cattle in Texas. AS for pleuro-pneumo-
mia, lido not know what IL IL, but am
sure IL does not exist in the cattle Of
Texas, AS they come fresh from the
ranches and plains. In regard tn the
operation OF the law, | do not see how
Texas will he injured by it ii men
of good sound Judgment be select
ed To carry out the provisions of the
bill. ! scarcely think such detention
of cattle Will take place in the trans
portation of cattle, as IL feared by
some. If the men selected To inspect
cattle,are reliable men Of sound judg
ment, / do not apprchend much diff
Guilty will arise; though fail to see
how it will benefit Te Xas' cattle inter
est. One of the results OF this bill will
he that it probably will raise the price
of native cattle in Missouri, which IL
probably the primary object of Con-
gresham Hatch in presenting the
bill. Texas cattle now go INFO N ~ of
tue states, aud consequently affect the
| price Of native beef
"rhere Is no danger of the bill mate
rally ipjuring the cattle trade Of Tex
as; II The laws o. transportation he
come too stringent, the cattle Will be
sent, AZ dressed beef. in refrigerator
cars wherever there IL n market for IT..
III the Texas cattle interests suffer
| from violent and unreasonable opposi-
ton in the appointment OF corrupt
men to carry out the provisions of the
law, IL will have the effect OF concen-
| tratilg the beef reirlgerating interests
In this state. Texas cattle will be put
on the market in spite of this bill
even II it- provisions are rs pernicious
as some seem TO think II Is. This bill
may not pass the senate but IL II does
| do not think the cattle Interests OF
this state VIII be materially Injured
thereby"
coll J. T.. SMITH
was found very busy In his oilice, when
| asked ms 3piiIion of the bill, and said