Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-10-04
STATEMENT BY GOV. BELL
Calls for Resignation Of DIR. Rich
and Declares His Position Vacant
Defends Rest of Cattle Com
mission.

East Hardwick. Sept. 29.-Having re-
ceiVed communication from the Hon.
Clarke G. Fits, attorney general. relative
to the charges that the State of Vermont,
has been dealing in diseased meat | would
state as follows:
Complainants and witnesses, at The ia-
quest of the encouragement We're sum
moned to appear before the grand jury OF
Chittcnden county in Burlington. where
the investigation before the grand jury
has been carried on and partially com
pleted. That body having taken n recess
until October 10, have no means of re-
porting their findings. but uasmuch ~
the above communication is in my hands
and | desire to retire from office with my
every duty performed, | now give il 10 the
public and reply thereto.
The attorney general names the cattle
commission of Vermont. the Burlington
Rendering company of burlington, the
New England Dressed Meat & Wool COM
pany OF Somerville. Mass. drovers from
East berkshire. Randolph. Underhill
West Windsor and ST.. bloomsbury and a
former cattle commissioner
II appears to me that all hut the first
named commission are in the hands of
the grand jury or arc Liable under the
laws of Vermont and must answer for
their sins of omission or commission with
out any unnecessary word from me.
Some years ago Vermont found the dis
ease Of tuberculosis in her herds. Pre-
vious to 1894 some cattle that responded 20
the tubercuin test were killed, being
a total loss to the owner The laws Of 1894
seeking to aid the unfortunate dairyman.
made it possible to receive 30 per cent. of
| the value of the cattle slaughtered. the
carcasses OF all condemned animals to he
buried or burned. This law was carried
out until 1902. when some dairymen
| through the Legislature, trying to rcsciad
the law, failed but made ii as ineffective
! as possible by curtailirg the commission
| in their assistants and per diem, while
the work had increased from year TO year
30 that It was impossible to answer
promptly all demands upon their time for
work.
| This same I.eeislature increased thu
price Of diseased cattle TO so per cent of
the value OF healthy cattle. continuing %
bury or burn the carcasses Of diseased
cattle The session of 1904 changed the
| law, not In price of diseased animals bat
IN the disposition of the condemned ca.-
tie.
| will not attempt to question the
attorney general in his construction
of the law, but must say in my opin-
ion the cattle commission has acted
in good faith in the matter of con
demned cattle and has the same un-
Outstanding of the law as did those
Interested in the Legislature of 1904
believing that the State, while killing
so many cattle and paying such prices
could reimburse Its treasury some
what by selling for fertilizer the cat
tie condemned, knowing that while
the tuberculin test Is not infallible II
is by far the most reliable test FOL
tuberculosis: that in some cases, less
than two per cent. the disease is mo-
found to exist also that the United
States government recognizes the fac
that even while the disease does exist
under certain conditions the beef IL
suitable for food purposes.
have always been opposed to hay
ing the State of Vermont party t.
encourage in the least degree tho pro
duction Of anything but pure article
and doubt not this has been the In
tention Of the law maker. But In hi
interest to hap the unfortunate dairy
man he has lost sight Of the fact tina
80 per cent Of the value of healthy
TO produce only q second class arttole
with a good psynaster to pay so near
r. tina full value whore they wish T.
dispose OF their herds
The cattle commission so far as 1