The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-10-21
THEIR HELP
IS REQUIRED
SOMETHING THAT INTERESTS
MONTANA STOCK MEN,
WANT THE time EXTENDED
Renewed Effort to Secure Repeal Of
Law Concerning Unloading Of
Cattle in Transit,

Already those particularly interest
ed in the repeal of the federal law
requiring livestock in transit to BIZ
unloaded at least once in every q
hours during the journey from the
shipping point to it's destination are
beginning to get in shape for a renew
al OF the fight instituted by them al
the last session of congress-. Bills
were introduced in the senate and
house, but they failed to be acted up
on. At the coming session like bills
will be introduced and every possible
effort will be made to have the law
repealed or amended in conformity
with the ideas and desires or i. large
majority of the shippers.
DR.. Knowles, state veterinarian, re.
ceived the following letter a few days
ago from w. E. Skinner, general man.
ager of the Union Stockyard and
Transit company of Chicago:
Wants Letters from Shippers.
"You will recollect at the last meet
ing Of the National Live Stock asso.
citation, as well as on a number of
previous occasions, l had up with you
the question of a change in the 28-
hour unloading law in the Transports
ton of live stock to 40 hours. This
matter has now been introduced both
in the house and senate in the shape
of bills before both bodies, and while
we have every eason to believe that
the matter will pass, yet our friends
would like to be supported with good
strong letters from actual live stock
shippers. You know that the feeling
is that this matter of forcing to un-
load is all a farce, and a man who
owns stock can be safely trusted to
treat his stock humanely.
"In the interest CT u southwest
ern friends who have urged this mat
ter very vigorously, we have induc-
ed Representative James R. Mann
and Senator Shelby M. Cullom of
Illinois, to further the interest of this
measure both in the house and sen
ate. l would like you to see some
CT. the prominent shippers and all of
your friends who object to being tied
up through any mistaken idea of a
humane society proposition and get
them to write strong letters to James
r. Mann and Shelby R. Cullom, urg-
ing them to have the bill passed, set
ting forth the reason that it is very
often more cruel to force cattle from
the car than to feed them and take
care of them on the car and have
them run through to their destination
where better car can be taken of
them, and such other reasons as may
occur tc, them
Or. Knowles Comment,
Commenting on the matter Dr..
Knowles said the idea was a good
one. at will be WE'LL" he continued,
for shippers to write these letters so
as to give the support Of this state to
the measure and thus help to bring
about the desired legislation. There
is no necessity for unloading within
% hours, as under the present law;
it will be better if the limit is made
longer. 1t is a well known fact that
animals are often injured by being
unloaded in transit. 1t is really less
humane to unload them than it is to
keep them on the cars.
at is ridiculous for the humane
society to come to the conclusion that
the shipper will stand in his own light
by practicing cruelty on his animals,
as they seem to think he would do
if the law should be changed as pro-
posed. Anything having a shadow of
cruelty initiates against the value
of his stock, a small price being in
evitable. The shipper has too much
sense to give his support to any meas
ure hal would likely to- lessen the
price of his stock when it reaches
the market. l hope that the shippers
of Montana will follow the sugge
tons made in Mr.. SINNERS letter.
ANa @-