The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-06-24
STRONG PROTEST IS MADE
Committee Appointed to Call on Sec
rotary Of Agriculture and
Ask Revocation.

the order recently promulgated by the
department of agriculture requiring
that all cattle shipped out of Mon
tana be dipped before leaving the
state.
The eason for the order given by
the department was that in many sec-
lions of Montana cattle are affected
with scab, says the Helena %Independ-
ent. The protest was made al a meet
ing which was held in the Office of
Secretary w. G. Preuitt of the Mon
tana Stock Growers association, which
was attended by leading cattlemen
from all parts Of Montana.
In addition to the cattlemen there
George s. Hlckox, who has charge of
the work of the bureau of animal in
dustry in the northwest, and Doctor
M. e. Knowles, state veterinarian.
There was a full discussion of the
subject, the cattlemen voicing the
opinion that if the order was not re-
scinded it would mean large losses to
the cattlemen.
Doctor Hickox told why the order
had been made. He said he did not
desire to inflict any hardship on the
cattlemen, but he had tried to have
the request to dip obeyed without go
ing to the extent of having the order
made. He intimated that he would not
oppose the suspension of the order
this year if the secretary saw fit to
suspend it, provided the cattlemen
would agree to have their cattle dip
ped nex year.
John T.. Murphy presided at the
meeting and a committee was named
to draw up a protest against the order.
So that the protest might have full
weight a committee consisting of Con
rad Kohrs, j. NJ. Holt and L.. S. Stacy,
of Miles City, was appointed to go to
Washington and present the protest
and request for the resembling of the
the gentlemen named, Representative
j. M. Dixon and former Senator T..
H. Carter were made members of the
committee to go to Washington.
Why the Order Was Made.
Doctor Hickox was asked last even
ing why the order requiring the dip
ping was made, and he told how prev
alent cattle scab was in the north
west. "The order, said Doctor Hick-
OK "applies to every state in which
the scab exists to such an extent as
to say the state is afflicted with it.
OF course in q state where there are
isolated cases it cannot be said the
disease is general. But in Montana
there are but four counties in which
it is not prevalent. For purposes of
investigation our men made an exami-
nation on the ranges last winter, and
we know in what brands the disease
is prevalent. The order has stirred up
the cattlemen, but they had warning.
Last spring I told them Of conditions,
and my understanding was that they
would take measures to eradicate the
disease, but I found they took the
warning coolly, and the order was the
result. l have no desire to inflict any
loss or hardship on the cattlemen, and
as they have promised to attend to
the dipping next season, I hope they
will succeed in having the order re
scinded this year. I certainly will moi
do anything to prevent the success Of
their mission.
scab Is General.
"Cattle scab is scattered generally
over my territory. A part of Wyom
ing is bad, so is a part of South Da
kota. In North Dakota the cattlemeI
took hold of the matter as l requested
and the result is that by August Owe
100000 head of cattle will have beer
dipped twice. The trouble in Montana
is that there is no state law requiring
the dipping, and the national govern
ment has had to take the matter il
hand. If the cattlemen will live VI
to their promise, the scab a b.
cleaned out of Montana in two years
l am sure one year will not do it
Ranges are affected, so are corrals
and it will take two years to cleal
them"
els the disease like sheep scab?
Doctor Hickox was asked.
1.-THE parasite in sheep scab and Il
cattle seal is of the same species
and it takes an expert to tell Their
apart. But the sheep parasites d
not attack the cattle, nor do the cal