Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1906-09-06

raised about 25 per cent, and the raise
would 90 to the thievish Official.
FARMERS frequently ask why 1t is
that North Dakota, unlike most other
states, has no provision in its statutes
for making a partial remuneration
for stock killed to prevent the spread
Of infectious or contagious diseases.
There was law previous to 1895 max
ing provision for such payment; but,
In the coditication of the laws that
year, this statute seems to have been
lost in the shuttle. The law was never
repealed; but, as the latest edition Of
the codes is supposed to contain all
the state laws in existence at the time
of its being legally proclaimed, any
law dropped from an edition passes
out OF existence. That there has been
no agitation for the re-enactment of
the law referred to can probably he
attributed to the fact that there have
been very few cases of contagious or
infectious disease within the state.
The dead law that was so carelessly
killed made provision for the state
to stand a portion Of the loss caused
by the destruction OF an animal under
its provisions. The law provided for
a certain amount to be paid by the
state for horses, cattle or hogs that
we're killed or ordered killed by lawful
authority. 1t seems that there should
not be much opposition in the legis-
Iature to the re-enactment of the
statute. A number of horses have
been killed in Emmons county, some
of them very good ones. They were
destroyed as q protection TO the pub
lie against the spread OF CHAMBERS, the
disease with which they were afflicted;
and it is not right that the owners
alone should be made to stand the
entire loss. A merely nominal tax
levied on the above-named animals
would establish a fund that would
meet all requirements. A law of this
sort would, also, help In another way.
1t Is unreasonable to suppose that a
man whose horse Is sick with disease
that may be either CHAMBERS or dis.
temper will, when he knows that ii II
Is CHAMBERS the horse will be killed and
the entire loss fall upon himself, be ia
u great hurry to communicate the fact
to the public. Ii he knew that, in
case of the incurable disease affiict.
ing his animal, he would, after II
has been destroyed, receive a part Of
its value from the state, 1t would, we
believe, make him more active in re.
porting the matter, and thus tend to
more quickly discover and eradicate
CHAMBERS many neighborhood where it
may have appeared. Chambers, too, is
serious proposition for the owners Of
all horses whenit appears many neigh
borhood. 1t is the only disease Of stock
that has yet appeared in this state in
which the authorities have seen tit to
order the victim killed. Ii. then,
CHAMBERS is SO serious q matter for any
farming region, the whole power Of
the veterinary department Of the state
should, when Il report Of glanders is
sent In 10y Il district veterinarian, be
concentrated at the point where the
disease is prevalent. The slaughter
ing OF possibly large number nf vail
liable horses is altogether too much Of
responsibility to he placed ON one
man. Then, again, it might happen
that personal bias would lend it's in.
fiuence in the matter. and the one VET
erinarian, without taking counselo Of his
fellow-exper's, might destroy the prop
erty of q man who was objection
able to him or to some one to whose
unskilled opinion the veterinarian
might give undue weight. There cam
not be too much care given by the
state authorities to the investigation
OF alleged cases OF this horrible dis
ease dangerous to mankind as we'll
as to the horse-and certainly the
entire veterinary force Of the state
could not find more valuable work 10
do than to go in body to investigate
and consult upon the limited number
of cases of CHAMBERS that appear occa-
ssionally in the various parts Of the
state. With such provisions Of law,
the horsc-Owner would not have to
stand all of the sacrifice made for the
good OF the public, and, with "A compe-
tent corps of experts investigating
the matter, lie would feel that there
was no possibility whatever that lie
had been finn tlammcd.