The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-12-03
Claims That Present School
Enumeration Law Is Faulty
And Superintendent Should
Have Say.
WOULD REVISE THE
STOCK FOOD LAW
Scalp of State Dairy Inspect
or Also Desired, Wayne
County Representative Say
ing High Prices Result.

Walter S. Ratliff, state representa-
tive from this county, is at Indianapo-
lis to attend the meetings of the Scot
tish Rites Masons and also a meeting
of the state agricultural board. Incl
dentally Walter has been seen" by a
newspaper reporter and the gentleman
from Wayne has broached the subject
of legislation that he proposes. Ratliff
seems to have gained distinction at
Indianapolis by being the only owner
of bug farm in Indiana. Ratliff ad-
vocates the bug eat bug" process for
the protection of crops. The govern
ment entomologist station is located
on the Ratliff farm west os the city.
Il expect to introduce a modifica-
tion of the school enumeration law"
said Ratliff, which shall enable coun-
ty superintendent to reinstate schools
where the attendance has fallen below
twelve, the minimum Of the present
law. The present law provides that
when a school falls below twelve the
school shall be abolished. Later it
often happens the school enumeration
of a district where the school has been
abolished, ia increased to such an ex-
tent that it is more than reasonable
to suppose that the daily average at
tendance would be greater than the
minimum. Under such circumstances
the school should be reinstated." -.
A revision of the stock food bill is
also proposed by Ratliff. Il believe"
said he, that farmers are tired of pay
ing for tags upon milling stuffs.' The
stock food bill provides that every
farmer exchanging grain with millers
for milling stuffs, such as bran. shorts
and other mixed feed, shall receive
bags tagged at the rate of 1arcent a tag.
Endowment for Purdue.
The 1a-cent goes to Purdue Univer-
sity as an endowment, and is worth
about $4,000 year to the institution.
Under the law the tags are supposed to
be paid for by the miller, but Ratliff
says it has operated the other way
that the farmers have had to pay. Rat
lift would do away with the tagging.
The tagging is to insure a good grade
of foodstuff for fattening stock, and
was originally passed by the legisla-
ture to protect Indiana against an in
fluX of low-grade foodstuffs. Ratliff
says the farmers are Indifferent about
the grade and do not care to pay for
the tags.
Another thing which Ratliff would
do is to do away with the state dairy
inspector, position filled at present
by John Owens of Frankfort. '.:The
public feels" said Ratliff that the
increased price of milk and dairy pro-
ducts is due to too much dairy inspec-
ton. They feel that the dairymen
are already putting in effect the re-
forms advocated for dairies, and the
start made will be sufficient to keep
the matter going for all time to come
without the state dairy inspector. The
| inspection of dairies will not cease by
any means because there is no state
dairy inspector. The matter is al
ready in charge of local inspectors. to
whom credit for reforms is due. The
local inspector is under the local
health boards, and all are under the
! State Board of Health. There seems
to be enough supervision without the
state inspector"
A law to exempt from taxation trust
funds of 5000 and less is the last of
the Ratliff measures proposed. Il
think legacies to minor children. in
sane wards or others in the care of
| guardians of the amount named should
be exempt from taxation. Such leg
acies are soon wiped out by other pro-
cesses," said Ratliff, explaining his
motive for introducing the law. ''The
| return to the state in taxes from such
| sources is undoubtedly very small, and
the benefit to the state is not to be
compared to the benefit which will re-
suit to the ward