The Portland daily press., 1899-03-10

idea OF what the law governing the
board OF agriculture really Ia, but there
Is a feeling that 1t Is not necessary ex-
penditure for the board to hire band
OF music when 1t gives a meeting for the
purpose Of teaching dairy men how to
make butter and cheese. Nor do they
think that the annual meetings of the
board should be accompanied by a con-
cert programme at the expense Of the
state. Press clippings, they say, may be
interesting, but the making Of scrap
books they do not regard as part of the
work Of the board. In fact many of the
members are finding this report of Mr..
McKeen's one of the most interesting of
the session.
The PRESS correspondent talked with
Mr.. Mokeen about these things today.
Mr.. McKeen was ready to talk. He said
that the music at the board meetings
was hired to help draw crowd The
mere announcement of lecture would
not fiostt ~ sJssne particularly anxious, /"
said Mr.. McKeen, ito have a large at
tendance at the Portland meeting. l
wanted city people to see the butter and
hear the lecture, and knew that there
must be something to draw the crowd.
So the band was hired by MIR. Frye, and
1t gave us good music"
Mr.. McKeen has large and ornament
ed oak cabinet filed with newspaper clip.
pings. He says that these clippings
which are received by the hundred and
relate to oil sorts of agricultural topics,
have been Of great assistance to him,
but he proposes to discontinue them AS
they are TOO general.
MIR. MoKeen explained the bills for
services of members of the board before
Legislative committees. MIR. McKeen said
that the board appointed a committee on
legislature. This year the executive COM
mittee was appointed. "Ibe members
| came here to appear before the committee
Of the legislature In behalf of bills advo-
Gated by the board said MIR. Mokeen.
l''If there Is to be counsel on the other
side, the COMMITTEES employees counsel,
but l want to say that the expenses in
Cured are only for the present ntation of
cases to the committee. We don't expend
money for lobbying among the members. -
| And then the conversation shifted to
the Blue Hill matter. Mr.. Mckeen was
earnest and emphatic when he announced
81 will say to you and l don't care who
knows 1t. that the farmers of this state
have no confidence in the cattle commits
sion. At the time of this Blue Hill case,
the veterinarians were trying to work VI
u public sentiment TO make the use OF
the tuberoulin test compulsory
Mr.. McKeen then told the story of the
death of the children in the Blue Hill
family at about the time the COW waf
killed or died and 1t was declared that
the children had died of tuberculosis,
caused by drinking the milk of the COW.
1t was claimed by the cattle commission
that the COW was tubercuious. Then the
board of agriculture took the matter up
submitted tissue from the bodies of the
children and the cow to DR.. Charles ID
Smith, and lie reported that neither tn,
COW nor the children showed evidences o
tuberculosis. Had the CATTLE commits
sion not done AS 1t did with Mr.. Libby
herd at Saocarappa and had DIR. Bailey
not delivered the lecture In whion he said
that consumption was being peddled IL
milk cans at five cent quart, We shoulC
not havs interfered, " said MIR. McKeen
l'As 1t was, we saved thousands of dol
lars to the cattle interests of the stat,
and l have letter from one of the otf 0
ials of the national department. of agri
culture, commencing the action of tn
board"
MIR. McKeen wanted it understood tina
all his acts had been done by direction
and with the sanction Of the board.
The tight is on. Its most interesting
phase will be the question. of the prophet,
of state department hiring attorneys t.
advocate legislation. 1t looks as If tn
developments would be Interesting. Mem
bers want to know why all the state de
partments cannot hire lawyers and a ban
II one can. There may be new jobs 70
eminent attorneys and state musica
festival If Mr. Mckeen's views are adopt
: ed by tho Solons. After the ever presen
railway question, this is the one whic
gets the most airing in the State House.
THE DAHLGREN READY TO
LAUNCH.