Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1895-04-25
nltl;.h, Y0lH FEARS,


The truth is thai the great lody of the
is word for word the proc
lamation of the secretary of agrlcu
turc There was hardly any other wai
in which it could have been issued, cN-
ccpt the governor were to assume that
all the stockmen of the state knew what
agriculture was, and simply say in II
few brief words that his proclamation
would he enforced in the state of South
Dakota. There is nothing in the gov
crnors proclamation from first To last
that Is not taken from the secrctary's
proclamation, except the bare introduc.
ton and the special rules relating To this
state. In other words. the stockmcn
are simply notified of The full import of
Secretary Monon'S proclamation, arc
told that its provisions must no, be VIC
lated and the promise is given that il
Will be carried ont faithfully so far as
South Dakota is concerned, and the
state board of health, The Veterinarian
and his deputies are directed To see that
ii is done.
Those VINO kicked up NIL the disturb
ancc which WAS made over the govern
orS proclamation Will have an oppor-
tunity now 10 see how fool>hly they
have acted What >nould prompt II
person To send Il telegram ou, OF this
state that the governor had issued a ter
rblc proclamation. based upon the
presence OF ro-pncumonia, tina,
WAS us Secretary Morton states cablcd
abroad, and made him 10 end of trou-
Bile is something THAT !, sane man would
be slow 10 understand.
The Sioux Falls Press is credited as
saying; "Governor Shclaon's qu;ran-
tine proclamation against cattle from
certain sections of the country reads
like Il combination OF :, surveyors chart
and Il late style geography 1t would
figure finely in the city schools as Il
companion piece to the current bcfud-
ding forms. Ii correspondents and
newspapers would be II little more care.
ful to find out the frct they would MOI:
only frequently avoid doing great harm,
but they would not be guilty OF doing an
act of gross injustice TO :, public officer.
Here is :, copy of Secretary Morton's
letter, on file in the executive office:
WAslIINGroN, April lS.-lIon. Chas.
III. Sheldon, governor. Dear Sir Re
fcrring TO your letter of the 18th inst. |
regret that the reports concerning Texas
fever were issued some years ago, and
the editions are now exhausted. ! am
consequently unable TO send you copies
The excitement which followed the is
Suance of your proclamation was due to
the statement of the press dispatches
that il was issued on account of the en-
istcncc of contagious plcuro- pncumoni,
of cattle i'll Texas. ! explained TO the
newspaper men here when they con.
suited ne on the subject. that yo,ll
proclamation was probably substan.
TALLY the same as the regulations issued
by this department, and that il was tho
usual form of cooperation of the var
ious states with the federal government
for preventing the dissemination OF
Texas fever. ! was pleased to see or
receipt Of the proclamation that thi.
suDDOSitiOn WAS correct.
Unfortunately, the first dispatch
which was sent from your state alleg
| ing plcuro-pncumonia as the cause o
the proclamation, was cabled abroad
and as u number of foreign govern
mcnts have bccn only too anxious tt
make it appear that plcuro-pncumoni;
exists in this country, they not only nc
ceptcd this dispatch rs evidence, bu
are ow cndcavorinS to obtain con
iirmalion of it. There has been nc
plcuro-pncumonia in this country fo
three years, and the regulations of thi
department, with the cooperation o
the various states, have been sullicien
to prevent any considerable outbreak o
Texas fever.
1t is generally admitted that will
these regulations, there is no danger O
Texas fever being communicated by ou
export cattle to the cattle of othcrcoun
tries, and consequently those govern
mcnts which desire to shut out our cat
tie, show great enterprise III their eff
forts to prove the existence of plcuro
pneumonia.
The statement in the regulations O
this department that the district define.
is infected with Il disease known a
splenetic or southern fever, which is tn
same as Texas fever, should be sulli
cient evidence that the quarantine j
not ON account of plcuro-pneumonia
1t is, however, unfortunate that tn
title of the act establishing the burea,