Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-02-20

Statement OF e. j. Ransow in Regard
to Certain Cattle.


TO the Editor of the Free Press:
As the Free Press has given circulation
to an editorial Of the st. Johnsbury Repub-
liCan, in which editorial | am represented
as having attempted TO bring into the
State a herd OF cattle which have since
been condemned and as this is given as
Il reason why am opposed to the working
of our cattle commission think common
justice gives me a chance to tell the story
as it is in truth.
1t is not clear just how the fact if it
were a fact that l had made such attempt
would show that the cattle laws of New
Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connect
cut were worse than our own in practical
working and results, which had supposed
to he the main question But let that 60.
l will now tell simple story which Will
prove that my experience instead of boil
storing up the cattle board does not leave
them n leg to stand upon.
Two years ago after selling one IF my
farms just across the river in New Hamp-
shire ! rented about % cows to the pur-
chaser, then sold some fat cattle and pick
ed out five OF as good cows as | could
from the whole herd to add to my herd
of over 60 in 1ighgate As 1t cost no more
l added a bull to the lot. then left the
shipment to an agent at Woodsville. No
one of us dreamed that the cattle must he
tested to come to Vermont as had
rever done so when lived at Wells River.
Just as the cattle were to be put on the
cars my agent learned that they must Ire
tested and employed Or. John Thomas of
Wells River to do so. lie condemned four
cows and the bull, that is five out Of the
six cattle.
The agent then telegraphed me, which
was my first news that they were to he
tested. I ordered them back to the farm
and sent word to the New Hampshire
AVID nf L.. to-.
my herd and destroy all diseased animals
They respo nded by sending DIR. Macg,iiro
of Concord. | was not present hut he told
my agent that the cattle were all right
But to satisfy all he would kill two. whiC Ii
he did. He then sent me an official ocrti-
fcate that the whole herd of 30 animals
were free from all contagious disea ."
! afterward sent the bull and a COW to
Boston, where they passed inspection and
! received full price. Only enc of the FIVE
gave evidence OF unsoundness and ] have
no reason to believe she would not have
died of old age.
Afterl had this official certificate that the
hCrd was sound | wro to Hon. Mr. Bell ask
Ing If could bring these surplus cattle to
my farm, not u be sold but kept for my
own use. He said could not as they did
rot recognize tie decisions of the New
Hampshire board. I wrote back that he
was more nice than wise as il was motor
iously true cattle came into the State all
the time under fake certificates.
SO the affair ended. If asking the PER
mission to bring In these cat tie was a sin
] plead guilty. But being placed on pill
Tory by the advice, ard as / believe. con
sent of the cattle board, ! win now use
> my elevated position to give them shot
These five cattle condemned were among
the best In the whole herd. If they shoult
> have been killed then q larger per cent
should have been destroyed In the herd
or this there can be no reasonable doubt
What has become of that herd after TIVE
years of probation? Why they have dom
splcndidly and after six months the pur
chaser of the farm bought the whole 10
and now wants to buy my other farm ad
: joining of $50 acres, because he has "st
;, many cattle" Had those cattle been
mile farther vest. that Is In Vermont a
least 70 would have been killed What ma!
b be in the future no one knows, but tina
: they have put in two years of good worl
c Is fact indisputabc | presume in an
e swer to all this We shall he treated to col
C UNI ms of decisions by agricultural board
T. and dictums of men with great name
from various parts of the world. But II
the end this question will be decided b,
common sense and not by persons inter
@ cSted IN br1cing up an opinion
The farmers of Vermont have borne tn
r yoke as they have because they did no
$ know the facts. They supposed that al
: they known that Massachusetts and Con
0 necucut and other States had tried faith
:, fully law like ours AMI east il cut ha
- they known that New Hampshire lcVe
had such law and that no man cou
e say with evidence that there Is more tn
r bcrculosis in that State than this, VIII
Z they would not have submitted as long a
they have.
In these States there are three witnesse
to the destruction of an animal. The farm
err knows the cow is sick. The veterinar
knows the sane and flrally the anima
y agrees to the fact, In this State in a Inu
d ttude Of instances the veterinary says tn
J. COW is diseased while both the farmer an
l. cow deny 1t, Lut die she must
y If any body wants their cattle tested l
Il these other States by the tuberculiI. pre-
J. cess they can dc so. They have all the ad
9 vantage with none of the obnoxious lea
n lures Of our law
h To find in what estimation our Law
!. held by the farmers let one start out an
hon Ian, col.