The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-02-20
FEDERAL INSPECTION WILL
HEREAFTER BE SUFFICIENT.
new Law NOW IN FORCE
National Livestock Association Sue
cessfuIIy circumvents States Hav-
ing Objectionable Legislation.

In the opinion of stockmen who are
dependent upon the southern ranges
for animals with which to replenish
their own ranges each season they
have succeeded in circumventing the
obnoxious inspection laws of the
states through which they are COMPEL
ed to ship and which have in the past
been regarded as nothing less than
legalizing blackmail for the benefit
of state inspectors. Particularly Sc
we're have they been in their arraign-
ment of the Colorado law by which
they have been forced to submit to
what they have characterized as ex
tortion and unnecessary delay and an
noyances in getting their animals
north.
1t will be remembered that last
year a test case was made by a Colo
RADIO stockman, who refused to permit
the state inspectors to inspect "a lot
of cattle he shipped north from Texas,
claiming that the certificate of health
he held from the federal inspector
who gave his VIE at the point of
origin was a passport that gave him
the right to ship his cattle anywhere
within the United States without fur
Their, local inspection. Upon his re-
fusal to comply with the law he was
arrested and fined. In order to have
the constitutionality of the Colorado
inspection laws passed upon by the
highest court he declined to pay the
fine imposed and was imprisoned. At
the instance of the National Livestock
association the matter was taken into
the supreme court of the United
States, which upheld the law. The as
ISOLATION then brought it's great pow
er and influence to bear in the direc-
ton of the passage of a federal in
spection law regulating the ship
ments of livestock from n state into
another. In this it was successful
and the new law has been approved
by the president and is now in effect.
Under it the bureau of animal indus
try will have entire charge OF the in
spection of diseases. The full text
of the law is as follows:
can act to enable the secretary OF
agriculture to more effectually sup
press and prevent the spread OF con-
tagious and infectious diseases OF
livestock and for other purposes.
BE it enacted by the senate and
house of representatives OF the Unit
ed States in congress assembled.
That in order to enable the secretary
of agriculture to effectually suppress
and extirpate contagious pleuro-pneu-
monia, foot and mouth disease, and
other dangerous contagious, lnfec-
lions and communicable diseases In
cattle and other livestock, and to pre-
vent the spread of such diseases, the
powers conferred OF the secretary OF
the treasury by sections four and five
of an act entitled An Act for the Es-
Enlistment of a Bureau OF Animal
Industry. to prevent the expectation
Of diseased cattle, and to provide
means for the suppression OF pleuro-
pneumonia and other contagious dis
eases among domestic animals, ap-
.--. Mo-, 90 1904 tCC m SI)
are hereby conferred on the secretary
of agriculture, to be exercised eXclu-
siyely by him. He is hereby author
lied and directed, from time to time,
to establish such rules and regula
lions concerning the expectation ana
TRANSFORMATION of livestock from any
place within the United States Wnere
he may have eason to believe such
diseases may exist into and hrough
anv state or territory. including the
Indian Territory and into and through
the District of Columbia and to Tor
eisn countries, as he may deem nee
essarv. and all such rules and regula-
lions shall have the force OF the law.
Whenever any inspector or assistant
inspector of the bureau OF animal III
dustry shall issue a certificate o
ing that such officer had Inspected
n cattle or other livestock when
were about to be shipped, driven or
transported from such locality to an
other, as above stated, n had founo
them free from Texas or splenetlc
fever infection, pluero-pneumonla,
foot and mouth disease, or any other
infectious, contagious, or communlca-
ble disease, such animals, so inspect
ed and certified, may, be shipped, drlv-