The Portland daily press., 1890-01-28
SHALL THE STATE PAY7
Letter from Or. George n. Bailey Of
the State Cattle Commission.
To the Editor Of the Press:

~ He LutJOT OF We TreSS.
My attention has been called by yesterdays
morning papers to an extract from the
Evening Express of January 9th, which had
escaped my notice, and since utilized by the
Maine Farmer, which l never read, recon-
mending that the State should not pay for
cattle condemned by the Cattle Commits
sioners. My valued associate, Mr.. Beal, has
already offered some sound and urgent
reasoning as opposed to such sui ,idsl policy,
but has evidently been misinterpreted in
what he intended to say about paying full
value for condemned cattle.
Under the present law the State pays but
one half the appraisal and in the case re-
ferred to at Bangor. the COW was appraised
at $28 and the owner received S14 for her
under section 2, which provides, "That when
animals affected with tuberculosis, or other
contagious diseases, have been condemned,
tney snall De appraised, and when destroyed
Tue owner or owners thereof shall receive
one-half of their value as determined uron
the OASIS OF health before infection, out of
any moneys appropriated for such purpose.
Inc law OF 1887 awarded the owner or
owners three-fourths of their value as de-
termined upon the basis of health before in
lection" while the law of 1888, provided
that when animals were adjudged diseased
they should be appraised at their value at
the time OF appraisal, one-fifth of the ex-
pense to be paid by the town, and fourth
ffths by the State; now the State pays all.
The Farmer says
"The Portland Express very sensibly remarks
that Just why the owners of diseased cattle should
dfncult TO see. Massachusetts adopts the same
line OF procedure In cases of tube culosis or
CHAMBERS, but does not pay for the cattle. Few If
any, States do.''
The facts are that Massachusetts, does not
| deal arith tuberculosis at all. 1t is not rec
| ognized among contagious diseases, and as a
| direct consequence of this, that wealthy
State is thoroughly invaded with the disease
and the citizens are drinking tuberculosis at
| eight cents quart and eating it at the same
price per pound, with bologna sausage
| thrown in, as native productions
| Let us see what the Massachusetts CON-
mlssloners themselves say upon the subject.
| The cattle commissioners of Massachusetts,
| in their annual report for 1887 say:
| "In their annual report for 1886 particular at.
| tenton was called to the prevalence of tubrrcu.
loss, its peculiarite. described and the difficulty
of Graduating it by the force of our present stat
utes, or any appropriation the legislature would
make. The facts of year ago are in the main
the facts OF today. The disease contin ues with
no apparent abatemenI or Increase, III ugh as the
veterinary profession increases in number and
attention Is called TO IL more and MORE there is
call Tor more active work. The disease could
doubtlsss be eiadicated by placing it in the SAINT
| category with pleuro pneumonia, and applying K
1t the same provisions of law; but it would, doubt
less necessitate the dest, uction of twenty ami
nias 10 save one, and require the payment O
| many hundreds Of thousands of dollars"
Our neighooring State, New Hampshire
! which has Just commenced to eradicat,
tuberculosis from its herds, pays the ful
amount for all cattle destroyed, ''at the valu,
thereof at the time OF the appraisement, one
town and four-ffths by the State
DR.. Irving Watson, NJ. d., secretary o.
their state Board of HEALTH" in a recen
number OF the Sanitary Review, says:
The last legislature enacted very importan
| measure Tor the restriction and prevent ion O
contagious diseases among domestic animals
winch we herewith give in full. We would sng
gest to town and city authorities that this meas
deal OF good, or it may be rendered so obnoxiou
as 70 cause its repeal at the next session of III
legislature. The good which in will accomplish
both for the health and stock.rasing Interests o
the state Will depend almost entirely upon tn
WISDOM OF the several town and city authorities
other states have passed laws which, at least i
part, reimburse the owner of an Infected ANNA
for his loss; but under this law the owner is to b
July reimbursed upon the award of dslnterest
ed committee. There are two ways in whic
there Is danger that the law may be rendered cd
Gus: First The attempts of unprincipled partie
20 make 1t appear that worthless creatures 1
their possession are suffering from contagiou
disease, and in this manner seek an opportunil
to get little cash out of yaueless animals. Sec
ono, From the difficulty which may be experienC
ed ID many places Ia obtaining correct diagn(
SIS OF the disease with which the animals appea
10 pc SUFFERING. This we regard as the more ser
GUS weston of the two.
do not care to occupy your columns will
any extended remarks at this time, whicl
| would only be accumulative and confrma
tory OF those advanced by Mr. Bea', only t,
give the pith of the article from the Express
which clearly refutes itself. The Express
says:
III the cattle commissioners should have rea
son 70 heiieYe that a.. ais in certain herd wer,