Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-04-10
Entered ut tho Newport Rows Va. Postotfice
"a second olan matter.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10, 1907.
MUST TREAT STOCK HUMANITY

II the railroad officials of the coun-
try think Secretary James Wilson Of
tho Department of Agriculture Is not
going to insist OH strict compll-
nnce with the provisions of tho 81
hour cattlo shipping law, they had
better take an eye,opener. For
fine of $4,000 n day now lies against
the several cattle.carrying railroads
of tho west and southwest, and Il
fresh 100000 Is added every "a hours
the railroads continue to violate the
law.
Because the fines hive not yet been
collected, railroad officials apparent
~ nre not greatly concerned, but one
OF these fine mornings they Will awale.
eli to find substantial fine OF say
for instance, 100000, hanging over
their heads. Then they very likely
Will take notice The department
and the government generally need
the money. too. and 1t is not to be
supposed they Will feel any dellcacy
In forcing payment. The law was
enacted for the purpose OF putting
q stop to the unnecessary cruelties
attendant upon the shipment of cat
tie and sheep from the ranch to mar
ket The law provides that cattle
shall not be kept in cars longer than
2S hours without food. water ana
rest, with the proviso that the ship.
per may extend the time to SO hours
if he thinks best.
The care with which the railroads
have observed this law Is very an.
parent when il Is known that already
more than 400 cases OF violation
have boon sent to the Department
OF Justice for prosecution. So de-
partmont officials are looking for !.
substantial howl in the near future
about the time the systematic fines
reach the Auditors of the vadious rail-
roads. 1t may be said in this con-
nection, that officials of the Depart
] mont of Agriculture have peen care.
i'il to select only such cases as prac-
\ tically assure convictions. And the
department of Justice has been eau
toned not to accept any compromise
for less than the maximum tine OF
$500. Convictions at $500 mount up
rapidly when continued day after day
for an indefinite period. About 20
railroads are affected by the viola.
( tions SO far sent to the Department
Of Justice, making the total of &c.,
600 day
good many high railroad officials,
who have been in the national capI
tai, when their attention was called
TO the continued violation of the IS.
hour law. invariably explained that
they thought the law was being COM
pliod with, and they had no idea that
enough fines were being assessed
against their roads to materially re-
ruce the profit of live stock trans
portation.
While the cases so far presented to
The Department of Justice are based
entirely on the time limit governing
shipments of stock, there are no other
4 provisions of the law that will oe
rigidiy enforced when the machinery
is thoroughly limbered up. For exam
ple/th law requires that cattle shall
= be loaded and unloaded in humane
<manner and shall be properly fed,
watered and rested in decent inclo.
sures. 1t happens, however, so De-
& partment officials say--and their
statemonts are based on personal OBJ
seryation-thak cattle lose horns,
hoofss and evdn legs in the scramo.es
that frequently occur. In fact, some
Of their statehents Indicate that the