Morning journal and courier., 1884-02-11
SINGLE COPIES TWO CENTS
Monday. February II. 1884.
A BILL THAT OUGHT TO PASS.


 We are sorry to see that the bill now be- fore Congress which aims to prevent the ex- portation of diseased cattle and to provide means for the suppression and extirpation of pleuro-pneunonia and other conts gious diseases among domestic animals meets so much opposition that it's passage is doubtful. Most of the provisions of the bill appear to be wise and thorough. It authorizes the commissioner of agriculture to organize a bureau of animal industry, with competent veterinary surgeon at ifs head with a salary of $3, 900, to report on the condition of the domestic animals of the country and upon the existence of contagious and communities ble diseases. There may also be appointed two agents, Sho shall be stock-raisers or business nzsn, to report on the cattle trade, ths manner of transportation, dealing and other points, with view to the suppression of disease. Whenever any State in which pleuro-pneumonis or other infectious or contagious disease exists is willing to accept the cooperation of the federal au- thorties, the commissioner of agriculture Is authorized to expend as much as may be necessary in investigating the disease and paying for animals killed to prevent the spread of the disease, providing the State pay one-half of the value of the cattle and of the cost of disinfection. If any State or territory fails to extirpats such disease, the president may declare it in quara ntine and regulate or prohibit the transp ortation of cattle out of the same. The secretary of the treasury is authorized to take measures to vI~o kho nf railroads and all common carriers are forbid den to take them for transportation, and no person shall drive them upon the highways
 This is, to be sure, pretty radical meas ure, but it is time that something was done. Foreign countries are glad of any excuse to prohibit the importation of American meats, and they find one in the lax methods of dealing with diseases in animals which pre- vail in most of the States of this country. But it is not alone on account of our foreign trade that some such law is needed. Thus far pleuro pneumonia has not appeared west of the Alleghenies, but unless active meas ures for it's eradication are taken it may not and probably will not be long before it will make it's appearance in the cattls-raiEing States of the West and do tremendous dam age. As an illustration of what may be feared it may be stated that this disease has cost Great Britain and her colonies no less than $500, GOO, 900.
 Congressman Wilson of Iowa is one of those who are heartily in favor of the bill He has made a strong speech in it's favor and in the course of his remarks he said some thing which is not very pleasant to read, though it is important. He declared that dairymen learn to detect the approach of pleuro-pneumonia before the most expert veterinarian could detect it, and they send their COWS to the butchers. ''rhe system pursued by dairymen is this: They buy fat COW giving milk, keep her fat, and the moment they see any approach of plsuro- pneumonia they send her to the market. That is what is done now in most of the old countries; that is what is done in New York done in Brooklyn and it is done here Gin Washington.)'
 The bill has the approval of the committee on agriculture, and the report in it's favor embodies memorials from the legislature of Montana and the stock breeders association of Minnesota and Iowa in favor of some action to prevent the spread of pIeuro pneu- nonia from tho middle States westward It ought to pass