The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-05-09
CA ORA
For Infants and Children.
The Kind You Have Always Bought
Signature s1sss 'ss Of a1A zz1x
Statement SEM OUT
Secretary BeenbIOssOm's Report on
Animals Slaughtered in Oklahoma


Guthrie, o. T., May Sc. L. Beenblos-
som, secretary of the sanitary commits
sion, is sending out the following state
ments in regard to the reports Of ami
mails slaughtered in the territory:
Dear Sir: in a former letter 1 instruct
ed you to inspect hogs and sheep, as well
as cattle; instructing you TO charge the
usual fee of % cents for cattle. The law
requires a report once a week on all anil
mails slaughtered.
Since my last letter have received an
opinion from the attorney general, J. c.
Roberts, which 1 append. Yours truly,
u. z. BEENBLOSSOM.''
DR.. 4. z. Beenblossom, Secretary Okla
homa Livestock Sanitary Commission,
Guthrie. Oklahoma:
Dear Sir: We have before us for an
opinion, your inquiry Of April II, upon the
construction Of the words animals. for
slaughter" found in section 16, of chapter
81 of the session laws Of 1897 1t seems
apparent to say. from a reading of the en-
tire chapter relating, to quarantine regu-
lations. that it is the spirit Of the act and
the intention of the legislature TO pro-
tect all domestic animals from contagion
or infection; and to protect the people of
the territory from the effects of such dis
eased animals which are likely or liable
to be served TO them as food. Through
out all the sections Of the above chapter
the words used to describe the objects
of the law are most general "All live
stock, domestic animals" "all ami
mails are used continually throughout
the various sections. It is true that in
tho section under consideration the leg
islature uses the word cattle" most fire.
quently. 1t is undoubtedly true that the
popular meaning of the word cattle" is.
species of the bovine family; that is to
say. COWS. heifers, steers, etc, but il viii
be found that Webster gives another
meaning to this word to cover all do
nestle animals including sheep goats,
mules. swine. etc. Anderson's law die
tionary defines cattle as follows: Do
nestle animals generally; animals used
for Tod or labor. Not only domesticated
horned animals. but also swine. horses.
asses and mules.
The section here brought reads as fol-
lows:
provided for IN this act 10 provide them
selves with record books. in which they
shall record age, brand and color OF all
cattle slaughtered within their respective
districts for purposes Of sale to the pub
lie either wholesale or retail. and to ap-
point in each counV Of his district. one or
more deputies, for the purpose Of inspect
ing animals FOR slaughter as provided for
in this act, etc.
1t viii be noticed that the word used.
animals" IS the broadest that could
possibly have been used in the connection. +
However. I am Of the opinion that il
that word animals" had not been used
and they had used no other word than
cattle" the meaning would have been
sufficiently plain and the word sufficiently
broad % have covered all domestic ani-
mails. The meaning Of the law is 70 he
derived from the spirit Of the entire act
taken as n whole. and from the ordinary
meaning Of the words used. According
IN either test. It must b. taken as true +
that it IS the duty q your department 70 /
inspect hogs and sheep. and there is moth +
ing in this section that would curtau the (
right Of che inspectors 20 charge q Zee (
fer Inspecting the same. I have above !
the meaning 70 be derived from +
the words used. The meaning 20 BE- OBJ f
tanned from the spirit o. the section IS (
equally apparent Il would b. ridiculous E
to presume that ths legislature had = I
ssind the protection q the consuming !
public from diseased cows slaughtered. +
md should allow K % - entirely unpro-
.ected from -ther dfSaasee animals which (
would likely - slaueh;ere5. cry respect +
,uliy. J. G. ROBERTS, !
49, T,enerai.