The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-03-13
EXTRA sEssION DEMANDED

TAI M oACO1ON DhMAHOkO
Kansas has had its share Of calamitieG
IN the way OF drouths. grasshoppers and
cyclones, but these pale into insignifi
canoe In their injurious effect when com.
pared with the evil threatened by the
disease now lurking among the cattle
herds In Lyon, Woodson add Cofey
counties, unless this evil is promptly
suppressed by the unitsd action of the
people In official and prIVa.e capacity,
This 10 not q calamity paper ard its
readers are not calamity people, but we
believe the above assertion in reference
70 the foot and mouth disease is strictly
true.
There were fourteen counties repre-
sented yesterday 10 the Neosbo Falls
convention. IL was large in numbers
and iDfut ntIAl in It's character ard In the
amount Of property represented. There
were six members of the legislature
present, three from each branch, and the
resolutions, including the one urging
the governor to convene the legislature
In extra session, were adopted b. q
unanimous vote, the entire au Hence RS
ing 70 their feet on the affirmative side
OF the question, 0nd not one on the mega
tive. THIS action was not taken hastily.
but after a weeks calm deliberation,
afler thorough examination bY two emf
DeDt surgeons and sffeT full d -s-ussion
o. the best molts TO mCe, the dangerous
emergency now existing in the preva-
lence OF the terrible disease among the
cattle In three counties. The universal
verdict reached was expressed in the
resolution requesting the governors
help. The people believe this is the
best thing to be done, and we lave no
doubt but that the voters of The state
would endorse this action could they
realize the facts and The situation.
The point is reached when it cannot
be expected that the great danger which
threatens the leading commercial inter
est Of Kansas can be sup
pressed by voluntary effort. Several
thousand dollars have been raised,
and every effort Is being used, but these
cannot be adequate TO the emergency.
The whole state is interested. Tee
whole state Is in imminent danger The
whole state must now act through its
Legislature. Men cannot destroy prop
erty without law for IL. The sale and
moving Of cattle cannot be stopped with
out law. The cattle plague which now
hieatens the utter pTostFation, If not the
destruction OF q business in which one
hundred million dollars are at stake,
cannot be suppressed except by law.
And yet there Is NO law by which these
things can be done.
The intelligent people of Kansas ap-
preciate the delIcacy of the situation and
the difficulties by which Governor
Click, who is guided by sincere desire
to do what is best for the whole state, Is
surrounded, but 1t Is the unanimous
opinion Of all acquainted with the facts
and all who have male personal IN
vestigatiOn have become converts to this
opinion-that The governor ought
not to delay issuing his call for an extra
session Of the legislature, another day.
The longer this matter is postponed the
more il will cost the state TO suppress it.
1t will take at least thirty days to pass
che law and put its provisions into ef-
feet.
There are nearly 100000 head of
cattle In Kansas. A depreciation of 81
per head will cause a serious loss-a
loss which, compared with the cost of an
extra session Of the legislature, would be
a trIhe. II the disease spreads, which
1t Is sure 10 do, and if the states sur
rounding Us should quarantine against
Us, which they are likely to do any day,
and thus stop the movement of Kansas
cattle to market. the appreciation
would likely be a l. at So per head or q
loss of $lO.OOO.OOO on cattle alone, to
say nothing of the immense injury to
all other branches OF business.
The only remedy a, hand is through
the Legislature, and there does not seem
70 be room to doubt that the governor
would be justified in Immediately
granting the 7, quest of the Neosho Falls
resolution. Let us have the extra SEES
sion