The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1907-01-01

Existing Conditions in the Columbia
River Basin
One of the addresses on the last
day of the convention was that of ID
B. Shellar, superintendent of forest re-
serves in this state Mr.. Shellar had
been sent to the convention after cor
respondence with the association and
the department of agriculture, in or
der that he might to some extent less
en- the i'll feeling existing between the
forestry interests and those of the cat
tlemen. He said it is entirely posi-
BILE for the two interests to be in per-
feet harmony, and that it is the desire
of the department of forestry to for
ward such condition in any way that
it can.
The speech of Mr.. Shellar was fol
lowed by that of DR.. S. B. Nelson OF
Pullman, who spoke upon Municipal
Meat Inspection" "The question OF
the inspection of meats so that the
public may have a good meat food
supply" said Mr.. Nelson, lis one that
has probably received more attention
during the past year than any other
subject pertaining to the stock inter
ests. The man in this state who is
too far away from the city packing
houses and who uses home products
not killed in the packing houses must
take whatever the comparative hon
esty of his dealer will give him.
Dr. Nelson produced figures show
ing that the office Of the state veteri-
marian had examined herds Of dairy
cattle during the past 10 years, and
hot Nft 40
ined were infected with tuberculosis,
and six per cent of the COWS. He said
numbers of cattle in the range section
are infected with lumpy jaw or other
contagious disease, and many OF these
cattle are sold and put upon the mar
ket without ever passing through the
hands of an inspector. While the ma
jOrity of butchers, according to Mr..
Nelson, would not knowingly sell this
diseased meat, yet through ignorance
there are thrust upon the retailers cat
tie which are not fit for consumption,
endangering the public health.
The remedy suggested by Dr. Mel
son is for the public to pay for the
inspection of all animals killed for
meat purposes except in those houses
that have government inspection, and
also that the public pay two-thirds of
the actual price paid for condemned
animal which was intended for con-
sumption. "a levy of a part of mill,
said DR.. Nelson, would be the best
way of meeting the expenses incident
al to such a system"
Following the speech of DR.. Nelson
came speeches from L. G. Monroe,
whose subject was Relation of the
Railroads to the Live Stock Industry
of the Pacific Northwest Under the
New Rate Law; A. J. Splawn, speak
ing on "Stock Raising in the Irrigated
Districts" and DR.. K. W. Shoulder on
Some Common Errors in Horse Shoe
ing"
The stockmen evidently had looked
pretty thoroughly into a number OF
questions affecting their interests, and
set of several resolutions was for
INFLATED and passed. 1t was resolved
to urgently request our members in
congress to use their efforts in pre-
venting the passage of the bill which
would place the cost Of inspection OF
meats upon the packers instead Of
upon the government, the association
believing that such a change would
place the burden of cost upon the
stOckgrOWer
1t was resolved that the association
most urgently petition congress
through our representative to open
negotiations looking to the establish
ment of reciprocal trade relations that
will assist to increase these exports to
the place where they formerly were.
1t was also resolved to individually
impress upon the representatives in
the state legislature the necessity for
liberal appropriations for the farmers
Institutes.
Realizing that there will come up in