The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-01-23
STOCK GROWERS
OPEN IN DENVER
Annual Address of Murdo Mac
Kenzie, President of Amer
lean Association.
REVIEW OF THE PAST YEAR
TARIFF QUESTION DISCUSSED
BY ATTORNEY coWAN.

Denver. Colo, Jan. 22.-President
Murdo MacKenzies annual address
was the main feature of the opening
session of the tenth annual convention
Oh the American National Livestock
association, which assembled at 10
CLOCK today in the Broadway theatre
IN this city a report on Legislative
questions, of vital interest TO all the
members, was made by s. H. Cowan of
Texas, attorney for the association.
Inc delegates were welcomed in felic-
ltous address by Governor Henry A.
Buchtel
Colonel w. +. Hughes responded to
Governor BuchteFs address of welcome.
He said the stockmen and farmers of
the west and south had upheld the fed
erai government in its effort to pass
new laws and enforce them
President MurdO Mackenzie delivered
lis annual address.
Address of the President.
President Mackenzie referred TO pre-
Vlous grievances stockmen had against
the railroads, saying that one of them
-eXorbitant freight rates-had been
corrected by the passage of the rate
Dill, but the only way shippers could
derive any benefit from the measure
was to carry their complaints OF un-
Just rates TO the interstate commits
sion without delay.
He told of efforts to have the law
amended which requires that livestock
IN transit be unioaded for feed and rest
every twenty-four hours, and said that
only partial success was had. The law
was changed so that by written request
OF the shipper stock could be held on
the cars for thirty-six hours.
Complaints Are Many.
During 1906 there have been to nv
knowledge more complaints of poor
service by the railroads than in any
year in the past, and unless something
is done to compel railroads TO give a
reasonable speed limit TO perishabIe
goods in transit, such as livestock. it
will create such loss that ultimately
stockmen will have to abandon the
business. ] would suggest that all
shippers who are members of this as
ISOLATION keep a record OF the rate of
speed made by the railroads Of all
shipments of stock i'm transit and
whenever it is found that q loss has
I been incurred through failure on the
part of the railroads 10 make reason
able time. a suit should be instituted
for the damages sustained by the ship
per.
Car Shortage.
There is another question which has
forced itself upon our notice during the
past year. and that is the absolute fail
ure of the roads to supply cars for the
shipment Of stock upon proper notice
There are some people who contend that
regulating the rates by the federal gov
ernment retards the building Of rail-
roads. but I will go a step further-I
would like to see a law passed pro-
hibiting the extension of a railroad now
in operation until. first. the owners of
such railroad could show that they had
equipped the road already built with
cars and motive power TO supply the
demands OF the public. and that they
had sufficient funds TO equip the rail
road which it intended to build. 7
would also like TO see a law passed
prohibiting railroad companies from
paying any dividends on stock espe-
cially watered stock, until they first
could show that their roads were prop
erly equipped. I think a bill is pending
in congress that 1 believe viii give us
the necessary relief. The bill penalties
the railroads for failure on their part
to supply cars upon receiving reason
able notice, and also provides for a
penalty of $25 per car per day for
every day in which the railroads fail In
this respect"
Minimum Weight Too Hioh.
Mr.. Mackenzie said that the mini
mum carload weight for all classes of
livestock was too high and should be
adjusted.
He spoke of the bill introduced i'm
the present congress to amend the meat
inspection law adopted by the last con-
gress so as to make the packers pay
for inspection. The objection stockmen
had to the proposed amendment was
that they would have to stand the cost
themselves, something like s., 600 900 an
nually.
Mr.. Mackenzie characterized the
question of the administration Of the
forest reserves as one of the most i'm
portant on which the association should
take action.
The Cooperative Livestock Commits
sion company, organized by stockmen
for the purpose of fighting the advance
in commission rates, is a success. Mr..
Mackenzie declared. He was confident
it would be a lasting benefit 10 the
stockmen.
Continued on Page 5.