Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-01
VIOLATION OF 28-HOUR LAW
In Regard to the Transportation Of
Cattle.
BILL PASSED LAST CONGRESS-
Provided Specifically for the Humane
Handling Of Cattle at Entrain-
ing and Detraining Points.

The railroads of the United States are
being mulcted of about $4,000 a day in
fines for the viola ton Of the "twenty-eisht-
hour law In transporting live stock. Now
! 10000 Is not sum to make or break the
average railroad, and as the fines have not
yet begun to be collected, the railroads are
paying but little attention But the officials
| of the Department of Agriculture are look
ing for howl to go up after this systematic
process of filming has gone on for while
and the assessments get around to the
auditors of the roads who have to handle
the funds.
SO far there have been about 400 cases
sent TO the Department of Justice and the
/ estimate of twenty additional cases a day
is by no means an over-statement, the num-
Der frequently reaching twenty-five The
Department of Agriculture has been careful
to select only such cases hat are prac-
ucaliy certain of a conviction and the De-
partment or Justice has been cautioned not
10 accept any compromise for less than the
Maximum fine This Is $500 and convictions
at s'sU throw mount up pidly when they
are Kept up day after day.
New Cattle Transportation Bill.
Inc systematic campaign against the rail-
roads Is a sequel to the passage of the
new cattle transportation bill that was mt
through at the last session of Congress
lhe conditions before that were very bad
ana since then they have not improved
much, but under the steady system of fines
tHey are expected to improve materially
nder the old law cattle might he trans
ported Tor period not longer than twenty
9isht hours without food rest or water
me, 4 ne la" was continually violated both in
ie'ter ana spirit till the Secretary of Apri-
culture got after the railroads and tbe
Shippers, and secured a number of con-
Nictions against them. When the CON
Victions began to pile up some of tbe roods
squealed. and one line begged to com
promise on the basis of the minimum fine
OF SloO in each of thirteen ca ses provided
.ne other cases were not pushed This
was allowed, and the roads then swoonad
down on Congress for new law nrac
ticany extending the time of trarsporta-
tion 10 thirty-six hours ION the request of
the supper. OF course. the request of the
shipper was easy to secure in each case
ana the matter was supposed to be settled
the new law provided specifically for the
humane handling of the cattle at points of
e ., and detraining. and for proper
pens and water and feeding facilities at the
rest points There was also in the law as it
was drawn by the department. provision
Tor a minimum speed of seventeen miles
an hour for all cattle trains. But the rail
roads baked at this, and persuaded the
cattle shippers that it was an impossible
ana undesirable provision. The result was
, ,Hat tne minlmnm speed limit provso was
This Was Much Needed.
how much this was needed was shown bv
the fact that the National Wool Growers.
Association at its last annual meeting
petitfoned to have the law amended with
the minimum speed clause included Some
OF tie states have also passed local ordi
nances to the same effect
The violations OF the law have oono =,
steadily. the railroads apparently hnine ~
di!1erent to the fines. bat while the onerat
ing department of the road as a ruie doc,
a aou care anything about few thousand
dollars more or less of expenditure. whether
II be in fines or lubricatIng oil il is thouuht
that when the bills get around to some ~
the administrative officials of the road fbev
law. 'he
The cases presented for prosecution h.
so far been based entirely on the time limit
governing the shipments some of the cases
, rsoo,uihs shipments that have been carried
ninety hours without food. water or rest
But there are other provisions that win ta
enforced after the law has gotten into a
httie more settled shape. The observations
OF the omciais OF the department show that
there is often. even usually gross inbu-
mainly and mistreatment of the stock at
loading and unloading points Some of
the cattle nave their horns knocked off
by rough handling, and there have been
cases where legs were broken and hoofs
wrenched off in the same way Some of
the So-caHed rest points are mud waIIows
where the smaller animals sink I'D to their
bellies In slime and ooze and frequently
the food and water are so placed that MANY
of the cattle and sheep cannot get at them
at ALL
Cases Will Be Prosecuted
These cases will be prosecuted and the
roads compelled not only to handle the cat
tie decently. but to provide proper quarters
for them when they are disembarked for
the rest
Quite a number of the higher officials of
the roads, who have been in Washington
have had their attention called to the viola
tons of the law and were asked Why tbev
did not see that the law was comnIied
with. Their reply Invariably was that they
supposed the law was being complied with
and they had no idea that enough fines
were being assessed against their roads to
materially reduce the profit on stock trans
portation.
There has been particular section Of
the country where the offenses were more
common than another. except that In the
middle west there is more cattle transnort
Ing done and more chance for violation Of
the law But. generally speaking the prose-
cutions are pretty well scattered over the
country.