Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-04-22
Live stock Transportatisn.

Live stock Transportatisn.
Mr.. Hopkins, of our state, has intro
duced into Congress a resolution call
ing for an inquiry into the present
methods Of live stock transportation,
We uuderetand his object to be the devel.
opment OF the fact that the federal law,
which requires cattle to be unloaded for
rest and refreshment after q certain
number OF hours Of confinement In the
cars, Is not obeyed and to discover why
it Is essentially dead letter, and
whether = law can be framed that will
secure the economic and benevolent
object aimed ut In the existing statute.
Mr.. Hopkins inquiry will possibly re-
suit In the discovery that the present law
Is not obeyed because 1t is impracticable !;
10 other words, It costs too much. The cost
and inconvenience OF transporting cattle
alive has resulted In their being largely
slaughtered and dressed In the West for
the Esste,n and European markets. 1t
apparently will not do to increase the
present cost Of transporting cattle alive.
What is needed is lessened cost and
the question to ie solved is as to whether
this can be obtained concurrently with q
more humane treatment Of the
beasts There Ia certain loss In
weight and quality, and hazard
to life and limb, In carrying cat
tie on the railroad. which may be re-
duced to q minimum by their proper
treatment and it Is possible, perhaps,
that they may be carried In safe and
comfortable way which will recommend
itself by itsreal economy. Ifany such way
can be pointed out it will need no other
law than that of self.interest to secure
It's adoption and until 1t can, statutes
will not readily be enforced which require
a costly care Of live stock in transit.
The alternative Of transporting the meat
will be preferred, II II can be done at
less cost, with all the considerations
taken into the account. Stock is needed
alive, of course, by our farmers, who
feed it solely to secure the manure to
enrich their lard. They will pay for it as
long as they can reap this small profit
out OF the feeding but the cost OF car
riage can not be raised by humanita-
rian methods OF transportation above
the price that they can pay. 1t
is not unreasonable, however, to expect
that improved modes of carriage can put
the cattle iato the farmers hands in so
much better condition that IL will take
less corn and care on his part to fatten
them than 1t requires with the rougher
methods OF carriage now prevailing; and
to this consideration Mr.. Hopkins com
mittee may prohtably address itself
One OF the chief inquiries OF the com
mittee will be as 10 the proper cost O
transportation Of live stock, and tn
means by which only such cost may
charged to the consumer, 1t Is alto
gether possible that the price now pai
by the consumer Is quite sufficient I
secure more humane and careful cal
riaPe than Is now given to the animal
We all know that railroads charge VIII,
they can get, and that in such times
these, when there is not freight enoug
go around among them all, their charg,
are not only forced down by their con
petition, but ilIegitimate commission
for business are paid by them. There
an association Of 50 called " Eveners, " i
is said, who get SIS per car load from tn,
carrier for doing nothing but controllin,
the trade. Those fifteen dollars woult
pay for 4 great deal of extra care Of tn,
cattle.
The committee, while easily discover
ing the evils to be legisIated against ,wil
have great deal more difficulty In di:
covering the remedies. Probably tn
only efficient one will be to place cattl
Transportation under government
supervision which will allot to the cal
riers their due share Of business at price
and under regulations established b
law.