West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-08-22
THE TRANSPORTATION OF CATTLE.


treatment OF dumb animals, essen.
tally a modern question. In times
when each country must feed its
own, and the only way of getting
cattle or sheep or horses from one
place to another was to drive them
In herds, under the care of drover,
the problem was in one way simple.
The animals could not travel more
than a certain distance each day
without definite injury, which would
probably be visible to the prospec-
tive purchaser when they arrived at
their destination. 1t was to the
interests of the drover, therefore,
to be very careful.
With the advent Of cattle.trains,
however, 1t became possible to
transport all sorts of live stock
round the round the world, if nee
essary, in less time than it used to
take to cross state. The railway
takes the Texas steer and lands him
in Chicago in a space of time which
must seem to his bewildered brain
an eternity, but is really but a few
days. His treatment en- route can
not well be so cruel as to depreciate
his ultimate value in any way which
the purchaser can see; moreover,
IN such cases the purchaser often
buys on faith, and pays without
seeing. So long as most of the
cattle get through all right, if few
die OF neglect, or lack of water, or
some other cause, the sellers rep
utation is good. The property
interest cannot be relied upon in
this matter of proper treatment Of
dependents. 1t was estimated in
the old days of slave trading that if
half the cargo got through the
dreaded Middle Passage alive there
was profit. The property interest
was no safeguard there. Ii never
protected any creature which could
be ill.treated by thoughtless or
cruel person with no immediate
punishment. 1t is one Of the char
acteristics of the callous and cruel
man, as a rule, to be short sighted.
He seldom sees that in the long run
humane treatment is profitable.
In this case the trader and the
railway man do not suffer much
even when their treatment of cattle
is absolutely cruel. 1t is the public
which suffers, and it is the public
which will therefore have to take
the matter in hand. There is a
great difference in the systems of
various railroads and dealers in
their treatment of cattle and sheep,
and some are much more humane
than others. But it is not so very
long since sheep were packed like
sardines in close cars, without a
drop of water during long journeys,
in the hottest of weather; and cattle
were subjected to the same treat
ment.
Such conditions breed filth and
disease; and diseased meat is not
safe for anybody to eat. 1t will
probably never be possible to as
certain the number of deaths which
have resulted from the eating of i'm
pure or diseased meat, and for
every death from this cause there
are many victims of disease. Some
times the ailment is obscure and
lnsiduous, but it is nevertheless
there. Sometime ago there was a
scare about trichine which resulted
in many people becoming Jews or
Mohammedans where pork is con.
cerned, but much Of the beef which
comes from cattle trains where the
animals are packed together in filth.
discomfort and thirst is not a bit
more fit for human consumption
than measly pork. In these DAYS
no man can tell where his butcher
gets the meat which is confdingly
bought and eaten by his customers.
1t may be good, or it may not. 1t
is time for the treatment of cattle.
on trains of transportation and in
sheds, during the time before they
are killed, should be regulated bv
law, and that everyone concerned
IN their transportation and care
should be required to see that they
are in conditions as nearly healthful
as the difficulties Of the case allow
Sure Preventive.
| 10 is better to prevent consumptiou than
TO afterwards be looking for a cure. Manv
cases become incurable simply because SO
long neglected. When you first catch cold
When you hrst begin TO cough make haste to
Use Mexican Syrup 1t may save your life
ipr DO has proven quick and never fall
iug cure for cOrn and irrftst.I 49,