Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-09-09
Secretary of Agriculture May
Establish a Live Stock
Bureau in Denver
WOULD AID IOWA FARMERS
Secretary Wilson Spends Day in Dss
Moines and DISCUSSES Matters Of
Importance to People in Western
states-His View Of the Twenty.
Eight Hour Rule.

Des Moines, Sept. 8.-Secretary OF
Agriculture James Wilson who spent
/ yesterday in Des Moines, announced
Ibis intention to assign q live stock
expert to do duty in the west SO that
stock. growers and stock shippers In
| that section may not be compelled. Or
| dinarily, to suffer the delay incident
| to presenting complaints or requests
for consideration relative to their in
dustry, at Washington.
1T has occurred to me- said Sec
rotary Wilson in substance, that it
would be wise to establish at Denver
or some other center of the great
stock growing section of the west, q
| competent live stock expert who may
i represent the department so far as
possible in considering and adjusting
questions which arise in the i've
stock Industry. This service he could
perform to the advantage of those In
terested in the industry itself, to the
business interests involved and to the
department. OF course the agent
| would be able to refer such matters as
he did not wish to pass upon, finally
to the department at Washington; out,
generally speaking, certainly the live
stock interests would be saved a large
amount of time and trouble were they
not compelled to go to Washington
every time a question involving their
interests arose. Instead. they could
take it up with the accredited repre-
sentative of the department located in
their own territory and fully familiar
with every detail of the business;
and, therefore, specifically fitted to
pass upon the questions which might
arise"
The secretary did not say that, he
had determined to establish this agent
in the west, but it was fairly assumed
from his remarks that it is his present
intention to do it.
This, expert and special agent also
would have direct charge Of the wes-
tern inspectors, very large number
of whom have recently been put on
the force.
Twenty-Eight Hour Law.
Secretary Wilson was but recently in
Chicago, where the live stock interests
presented their grievances respecting
the enforcement of the twenty eight
hour law which was passed thirty years
ago and Is regarded by stock men as
obsolete and useless, If not positively
harmful.
The animal industry bureau under
took to enforce this law and it created
intense. excitement among. the stock
men. It was demonstrated at the Chi
cago hearing that 1t was infinitely
more harmful and far more cruel to
cattle, for instance. to unload them
tafter twenty eight hours travel, to
feed and water them, than it was to
allow them to remain In their cars
for thirty-six hours or such a matter
The matter has been pretty thor
oughly and satisfactorily adjusted, I
believe,s said Secretary Wilson, $50
far as this crop of cattle is concerned.
One OF E, the first considera tons, of
course, was to get the cattle crop Of
this season to market. The western
stock growers wished to market their
cattle; the east wanted the beef. And
/ believe that the situation has been
80 adjusted that there will be no
further trouble. In the meantime there
are many important questions to be
given careful study"
The stock men, for instance, con-
tend that the twenty eight hour rule,
/ If enforced strictly, will do much harm
to their stock, much more harm than
the confinement Of their stock in the
cars until they reach market on an
average perhaps Of eight hours later.
The ideal condition for shipping stock
would be to ship In cars equipped for
feeding and watering while the stock
remained in them. But there are not
enough cars of this class. 1t is easy
to see the harm that is possible if
proper feeding and watering facilities
are not furnished for the stock when
unloaded. Sheep will not drink in
strange place, as a rule. Cattle have
four stomachs and carry a water sup
ply with them. Horses, Of course, have
small stomachs, comparatively, and
require food and water more often