Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-04-21
IS BLOTTED OUT.
Sec. Wilson Says Cattle Contagion
in New England is Eradicated.
WHAT WILL BE NEXT FROM IOWA?
The Question Is Being Asked in Wash.
ington Circles as Result of Retire.
nent of "lowa Idea" Agitation
HaWkeye People Conservative.
tBY FRANK J. sTILLMAN.1

tBY FRANK j. STILLMAN.l
Washington, D. c., April 16-Secre-
tary Wilson says that the task of wip-
ing out the foot and mouth disease in
portions of New England has been
completed and that danger from this
loathsome disease, which at one time
it was feared might get beyond the
borders of New England and involve
the great west and northwest, is prac-
tically removed.
More than one-half of the fifty-one
townships in Massachusetts at one
time afflicted with the disease have
been thoroughly inspected by United
States inspectors under direction of
the department of agriculture. In
nearly thirty townships the inspectors
went from barn to barn and personally
and critically examined every animal
In only one place were animals found
having the foot and mouth disease. In
this place two oxen were found with
mild cases, contracted, it is thought,
through drinking contaminated water
The oxen were Immediately disposed
of. The policy of the department has.
been to take no chances whatever. NO
effort is made to temporiZe with the
disease. When an animal afflicted with
the disease has been found, it has been
dispatched and the owner paid for the
animal At the present time not
case of foot and mouth disease is be-
lieved to exist in Massachusetts.
The thorough and satisfactory man
ner in which this task, which looked
| like a very serious one at the outset,
has been performed reflects the great
est credit upon Secretary Wilson and
his able corps of assistants. 1t is not
an easy thing to go into thiekly pop
ulated state and search out infected
cattle, with local sentiment in many
sections opposed to your methods, XIII
the diseased stock and make settle
ment with the owners. This is just
what Secretary Wilson has done, and
and now that the farmers of Massachu-
sets have had time to think the mat
ter over they realize that Secretary
Wilson pursued the only reasonable
course. They know that if scourge
| should arise in any other section or
the country that it will be handled
right and will feel as safe as have the
farmers of the west during the pro-
gress of stamping out the plague IN
New England.
Washingtonians are asking of the
Iowa contingent What neXt?" Iowa
has always had the reputation OF be-
ing a state of steady, sober, conserVa'
| tive people. Events of the past year
have in some degree tended to change
/ this view so far as fasteners are con-
/ cerned. A number of things have hap,
pened and enterprising press agents
\ hot f6n
ed up in all the shades of the rainbow
and all the changes rung in major ana
minor. Matters of trif1ing Importance
have been magnified and distorted.
The claims of one alleged faction nave
been misinterpreted and the ideas OF
another alleged faction have been her
aided to mean this and that.
4 Iowa has many distinguished citi-
zens occupying places of public trust
. and filing them kith conspicuous cred
It to themselves and to the state OF
Iowa. Some of these citizens have
| friends who are injudicious and indls-
Greet They do not love each other as
they should and they have succeed
ed in kicking up, considerable dust
which has been labeled politics. In
many instances what has been in fact
merely personal animosity has been
heralded as wide divergence concern
Ting matters of political principle. This
latter sentiment is amply borne out by
events of the past ten days.
AS a matter of fact Iowa republicans
/ entertain views, concerning party poll.
cy along lines that are separated
but slightly if at all. In real truth
there is probably less division upon
matters of party policy among Iowa re
publicans than is to to be found in al
most any other strong republican COM
monwealth In view of the Iowans in
Washington and other republicans who
are informed, it is not creditable to
| Iowa and the masses of Iowa republi-
i cans should permit themselves to be.
come agitated and excited and prepar,
/ ing to decorate themselves with war
| paint Just because few politicians
have it in for one another. Neither is
/ it certain that the masses of the repub-
licans in Iowa nave become agitated
| or excited.
! However. it is certain that Iowa and
1 Iowa republicans have been grossly
misrepresented and maligned and the
reputation of her people injured by
he representations that have gone out
over the country and which, in the alb
sence of denials. have been accepted
as truth.
AS intimated at the outset, eastern
politicians are asking what is to be the
next sensation in Iowa. and in wha,
unique way the Hawkeye state people
will get themselves in the focus of the
lime-light.
The G. M. & ST. P. R'y will sell tick
cts to New Orleans, account annual