Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-10-04
STATEMENT BY. GOV. BELL.
Calls for Resignation OF Dr. Rich
and Declares His Position Vacant
Defends Res; of Cattle Com
mission.

I
has been dealing In diseased meat l would
state as follows;
COmplalnants and witnesses, at the s'e-
quest OF the encouragement were sum-
moned to appear before the grand jury OF
Chittenden county in Burlington. where
the investigation before the grand jury
has been carried on and partially COM
pleted That body having taken recess
until October 10. l haye no means OF re-
porting their findings. but inasmuch IS
the above communication Is In my hands
and desire to retire from Office with my
every duty performed. now give II to the
public and reply thereto.
The encouragement 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. Johnsbury and
former cattle commissioner.
1t appears to me that all but the first
named commission are In the hands OF
the grand jury or are 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 10 1894 some cattle that responded 20
the tuberculin test were killed, being
total loss to the owner. The laws of 1851
| seeking TO aid the unfortunate dairyman.
made 1t possible to receive 20 per cent. Of
the value of the cattle slaughtered, the
carcasses of all condemned animals to be
1 tau al
out until 1902, when some dalrymen
through the Legislature, trying 10 resciad
| the law, failed but made Il as Ineffective
as possible by curtaillng the commission
| in their assistants and per diem, while
the work had increased from year to year
so that il was impossible to answer
prompt, ali demands upon their time for
| work.
| This same Legislature increased the
price of diseased cattle to 50 per cent of
the value OF healthy cattle. continuing 20
| bury or burn the carcasses of diseased
cattle. The session of 1904 changed tae
law not in price of diseased animals b 1t
| Il, 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 I'M
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 it
is by far the most reliable test for
| tuberculosis; that In some cases. less
than two per cent, ths disease is not
found to exist: also that the United
States government recognizes the fact
that even while the disease does exist.
under certain conditions the beef is
suitable for food purposes.
l have always been opposed to hav-
| ing the State of Vermont a party to
encourage in the least degree the pro-
duction of anything but a pure article
and doubt not this has been the in
tention of the law maker. But in his
| interest to help the unfortunate dairy
man he has lost sight of the fact that
| so per cent. of the value of healthy
ANIMALS might lead some to continue
| TO produce only second class article,
with a good paymaster to pay so near
| ~ the full value where they wish to
dispose of their herds.
The cattle commission so far as it
| appears to me have been dealing hon
| 1906 when the herds from Richmond
1 ,nll -.
head 1t would appear by the ship
ments to the slaughter house in SOM
erville, Mass, where they knew Uni
ted States government inspector was
employed that they were exercising
good judgment and working for the
interests of the State.
| The commission did not keep an ex-
act account of each herd shipped as 1t
would have been impossible without
accompanying each lot to its destina-
ton. l am thus led to believe they
considered them as going for fertilizer
purposes, They therefore kept only
a memorandum of the lots shipped
with the understanding the drover
would return any surplus funds that
might be gained by somc animals
selling for food purposes. thereby
| saving some expense and at the same
| time being able to look after the de-
mands made upon them in the State in
the best way possible
| Selling condemned cattle to the
Burlington Rendering company in
Burlington, where there was no Uni
ted States government inspector to
inspect each animal slaughtered, and
having one of the commissioners in
spect such animals after slaughtered,
while hanging upon the track in the
slaughter house, was quite another
consideration and would not under
any condition aid in establishing the
good reputation of the cattle commits
| sion.
| To the one whose duty 1t was to
be present when the cattle were
slaughtered and at the proper time to
examine carefully to determine If the
!, carcass was fit for food purposes or