The Washington times., 1915-10-10

Out Of all this recent experience has
grown a program Of scientific detehse
against another epidemic OF the sort
On November 26 and "a thcre Will be
held In Chicago tho first national con-
ference for discussion OF the whole
problem Of conserving the live stock
resources Of the nation. The national
Department of Agriculture Is sending
out the call for the gathering: but every
State In tho Union Is expected to have
official representation. along with the
packers. the stock yards, the breeders
associations. banking interests inti-
mateiy concerned with the stock in
dustry, and the Federal Government.
II accurate figures could be given, the
shifts in the stock industry Of the coun-
try. as q result Of the foot and mouth
epidemic. would he startling. Depart
ment of Agriculture officials say that
the center Of gravity OF the business Is
moving Westward with greater rapidity
than for years past. and they attribute
the change to the fact that the epidemic
has taken business away from the form
er leading markets OF the country. chi
cago has been the chief sufferer, because
Illinois, according to the national offi'
GERS, has been least disposed to realize
Today, practically the only State under
Federal quarantine Is Illinois: and
that is in large part because some oi
the local courts In that state have peer
willing to interfere. with the enforce
ment OF the Federal regulations. The
effect on the live stock industry OF IL
linois and Chicago has been most un
| fortunate. Great sections OF the stoc'
yards in Chicago. as they were described
by Federal officials recently. are cleane
than ever since fhey were constructed
but there is no business going on. be
Other Cities Profit.
| Other livestock centers have increased
their business about as Chicago has lost
As between the cities the thing is lin
portant. Kansas City. Omaha. st. Paul
Sioux City. st. Joseph. Fort Worth
Oklahoma CITY. and the rest OF the mid
Western towns are perfectly willing 4
profit by the misfortuncs Of East 81
Louis and Chicago. both of which hap
4 pen to be In Illinois: but inasmuch n
the same interest controls about all tn
stock Yards In the country. the citie
affected. and the livestock commission
| firms In them. have to do the worryinG
! The owners Of the stock yards max
their profits whether they handle tn
stock in one town or another. bccaus
thev dominate the yards almost every
where.
Under the quarantine, stock may b
| shipped in interstate commerce to eve
n Quarantined market: but once there
1t cannot be shipped out. Chicago ma
been by far the most important cente
for the stock cattle business. The owr
| err of unfinished cattle has been ac
customed to ship them to marke
where they are sold to the feeders, VIII
| Ia n IN nf
belt and finish them on corn. b,
as matters now stand, cattle cannot b
shipped out OF Chicago, consequent
nobody can bring stock cattle in.
Federal Laws Favored.
Despite that at one time there wa
much criticism of the handling of III
Federal quarantine. the whole countr
is now pretty well convinced that tn
national authorities saved the day b
reason of their rigorous regulation an
vigorous enforcement. There is be
ter disposition than ever before towar
giving the national authorities comple'
power. The laws Of the different STATE
vary widely. and some approximate
to uniformity Is needed. and 1t Is hope
will be obtained as result of this col
. ference.
For instance. the Federal GoVernmel
has agreed to pay one-half the a.
praised value of stock killed after beir
condemned for the disease. There Is I
way TO stamp out the epidemic sno
OF destroying the stock. After the n
tional Government pays Its half. u
State must pay the rest or the own
Cf tho stock loses it, Some States pa
/, some do not; some that are authoriz'
10 pay have no funds appropriated al
available, so that stock owners mu
wait till their legislatures act to 7
imbursc them.
How unfortunate may be the confi
of Federal and State authorities In SUI
situation Is shown by the Dural
. case In Illinois. The. disease was di
covered In the Durand herd Of pedigre
stock. and the herd condemned to
DESTROYED. The appraisal had be-
= made. even the big trench In which 4
= infected carcassea were to be buried hi
, been dug. when the owner appealed to
y State court. and a local judge issued ,
Injunction preventing the slaughter
= the stock. The injunction runs again
[ the State authorities. the only ones tn
can destroy the stock; and for sever
weeks. pcnding trial on the merit
this herd has remained menace to /
:. whole State.
: One Man Keeps State Upset.
So serious did the case become tn
:. livestock interests in Chicago offer
u topay fancy price for the herd In ord
r that IL might be Immediately nht n