Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-09-23
Topeka Letter.

tracts attention by the discovery OF
the fact that the herd Of cattle at the
college are affected with tuberculosis.
Fifteen head responded to the test,
that is, were found TO be affected.
One animal was killed and found TO
be q mass Of tubercles and it's system
thoroughly diseased. The committee
of agriculture Of the Board Of Re-
gents believes that not one Of the en-
tire herd Of fifty eight valuable cattle
are free from the disease, and they
state that il is doubtful il the sheep
and hogs are not also affected. The
committee expresses it's belief that
the yards and feed lots have been CO.
cupied for years by animals seriously
affected with the disease and that at
this time they are little less than
pest house, dangerous to both ami
NAL and human life. The committee
recommends that no stocb be sold,
that no stock be added to the herd
and that no milk shall be used for
any purpose until the disease is Grad
icsted from the farm. October 20 has
been set as the day on which the in
vestigation Of the entire herd will be
conducted and the diseased animals
slaughtered. II has been demon
strated by the testimony Of those who
know and by the admissions Of the
republican press, that this disease
has been known TO have been in the
college herd for several years. Some
years ago one Of the professors made
an examination Of a few cattle and
found that the disease was there.
Instead Of taking steps to stamp it
out the matter was hushed up in the
usual republican way and as result
cattle which could have been saved
then will be lost now. These cattle
are very valuable and the loss to the
state through republican negligence
and lack of proper attention will be
very great. There was no excuse for
1t either as the condition was I'M
doubtedly known to college authori-
ties as Mrs. Kedzle, the professor of
domestic economy gave orders some
time before her departure from the
college that the milk should no long
er be used. No attempt was made
whateyer to stamp the disease out.
This is one Of the many evidences
which are coming to light which
tend to show that the board of re-
gents acted wisely in making changes
in the faculty.
Republican editors are not all de-
handing the floor at once to explain
why there was $4,000 less in the
state treasury at the close Of the re-
publican administration than there
was at its beginning.
If the investigation next month
shows that all Of the fifty.eight head
OF valuable cattle at the State Agri-
cultural College are diseased and
must be slaughtered to prevent the
spreading of the infection, it will be
an enormous loss TO the state, which
is directly chsrgesblS TO inattention
and lack OF proper action at the right
time by republican authorities.
Superintendent Stryker says that
reports from county superintendent
in response to inquiries sent out by
him show that the school districts Of
the state are paying from three to
four times as much for insurance
protection as they receive In losses.
In other words they pay $500 to
$500 out for premiums for every
dollar paid back by the companies IN
losses. He thinks that the state or
county could carry the insurance by
levying assessments on districts in
proportion to the value Of their prop
erty at less cost by far than under
the present system.
The saving Of $274 81 per day in
its own expense is not the only di-
rect saving made to the people by
the last legislature. The saving
which would accrue from the county
salary bill, the text book bill, and
many other similar bills will foot up
an enormous amount.
The dlSgrsCeful efforts put forth
by republican members of the execu-
tive council to enable favorites to get
contracts for buildings under the last
administration will ha varnavoharod