New-York tribune., 1903-01-26
THE SHIPMENT OF CATTLE.
A Bill that Permits Greater Cruelty.

| TO the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: 1t ia not eften that Congress has under con-
sideration bill directly and injuriousiy af-
fectfng the public health as one which introduced
through the influence of the Livestock Association.
| has passed the Housef of Representatives and is
| now before the Senate It Is a measure the fnhu-
| manity of which hardly be expressed and one
which, IL ever made law, would touch the we'll
being of the majority OF the people OF this
/ country accustomed to the of animal food. 1
refer to bill which extends the time during which
cattle and other animals transported on cars may
| be kept in confinement, without food or water, at
| all seasons of the year, for nearly two days.
The objections to this measure grave. 1t IL a
step backward AS long ago 187S through the
influence of the American Humane Association. a
law was passed by Congress making it Illegal to
con1ne livestock in 'for longer period than
twenty-e consecutive hours. without unloading
the same for rest, water and food for period OF
at least five consecutive hours, unless prevented
from unloading by storm other accidental
causes In my judgment that period Is quite long
enough; it means that animals may be kept in
crowded cars, during August and July, from
o'clock Monday morning until Tuesday noon,
without rest without food and without water. But
the American Livestock Association Is not satisfied
with this concession and it comes before
Congress asking that animals their way to the
slaughtering pens may be kept thus for forty
hours-say, from Monday till Wednesday
mornirg The inhumanity of such a law ought to
be manifest to every
But it is than a cruelty; such legal per-
mission would constitute distinct danger to the
health OF the community and particularly to the
health of the poorer classes. No matter how igno-
rant may be Of medical science, 1t ought to
be manifest to him that the flesh of no animal Is
in a fit condition for human food when. before Its
slaughter, the creature has been in the feverish
condition implied by a railway journey CT forty
hours without rest water food. In course Of
remarks made before the American Medical Asso-
citation it's convention in 1901, DR. Salmon chief
Of the National Bureau of Animal Industry, de-
clared:
There is surprising barbarity exhibited in the
have seen cases In which animals; in hot wea ther
nT 1ee for e nne4vsix M boars When unioaded In
stock yards they distend themselves enormously
than when they were unloaded, I believe that that
kind OF meat is not in the most Wholesome CON coadi+
may have on the consumer do not know ~.
nesses for which he cannot account. When we con
sider the amount % OF meat G on @ sa wc tbaf
there must be a considerable effect on the health
OF the consumer.
Everything that government do to detect
disease producing carried into effect. Is
this time when Congress should increase the con-
dtions which certainly potential for disease
and death? In asking for this modification Of ex-
listing law the Livestock Association ought to come
with somewhat cleaner hands than 1t can show to-
day It is an open scandal that for years the fed
eral law this subject has been openly and per-
sistently disregarded. Secretary Wilson has Ge
Clared that animals are frequently anu prODdDIy
regularly. confined in stock cars. without food,
water or rest for periods that absolutely with
justification" and DR.. Salmon, in the remarks
before quoted, stated that the federal law thai
animals should be unloaded often once in
twenty-eight hours for food, water and rest" was
"honored chiefly by paying attention to it,"
Admitting that the law has been dead letter, they
ask that it be modified in the interests Of greed
"Of course, people not in the livestock bus
ness for their health said the president Of the
National Livestock Association at Pittsburg two
years ago, declaring at the time that he rep
resented "over s600,0C0O0O of cold cash" We may
bow humbIy before the power Of such aggrega-
ton of capital to increase the price Of meat. but
assuredly it ought not to be strong enough to
compel the American people to suffer unknown
risks of disease in order to enhance the profits Of
the trade. This bill ought to be condemned. No
law should be passed by Congress cruel in its
effect upon millions Of animals, and potential
for injury to the public health.
ALBERT LEFFTNGWELI.
Brooklyn, Jan 9, 1903.