Evening journal., 1915-01-15
HUMAN BEINGS LIVESTOCK, WILD GAME AND
PROTECTION.

PROIE(IION.
ONE OF the interesting portions of Governor Millers
~ message TO the Legislature is that which deals
with tile recent fight against the foot-and-mouth dis
in this county he calls attention TO the fact
that epidemc5 of footandmouth disease, hog cholera
and other livestock plaques likely to break out in
State at eny time. In such emergencies the gov
ernor says, immediate action is necessary to prevent
disastrous results.
"rhero should be ways aud means provided to leg
ally procure financial assistance to meet such emer
gencos" the governor adds would it not be advisable
to vest tho governor, the state Livestock Sanitary
Board tic Attorney General and the State Treasurer
with authority TO make such financial arrangements as
emergencies of this character might in their Judgment
domand?'
The question propounded by the governor is we'll
worthy of intelligent legislative consideration. When
the foot-and-mouth disease antrax hog cholera or any
of tie livestock diseases that spread like Wild
fire make their presence known i'm this state. it is no
time Ter those duty is to do the work of eradi-
cation c have TO cut their way through a network Of
financial tape that they get on the job Nor is
it right to place them in position where they must
solatc or at least disregard the law I'm order TO obtain
funds with which make the fight to save the livestock
industry OF our state
The epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease and its eff
feet ON the packing industry and the stock yards of
Chicago have been commented on widely in the daily
press from various points Of view. one of the most
Illuminating comments appears in recent issue of the
Clcago Journal under the heading Live Stock Versus
Quail" Taking the best available estimates of the
amount live contained in the State and figuring
ON an average value of horses at Sl4O head. milk
COWS at sos. other at $50, swine at Sl5, sheep
at SC and mules at $3.50 minimum valuations, as most
will admit the Journal says the total value of live
stock in Illinois would be SlS5276O00 for the pro-
lection OF which the State Legislature appropriated for
the current year a total OF S373i0 BY way of com
narison the Journal quotes the appropriation for the
protection Of fish and for the same time, which
amounts to S1516OO The Journal properly charac-
teriges such situation as "ntolerabe" 1t says, "to
spend four times as much money protecting quail
ducks and prairie chickeps spend in caring for
one of the basic Industries of is sheer conf
munal unacy" This is true The farmers and busi-
ness men of Illinois should to it that every cent
that is necessary to protect the live stock of the State
IS provided no matter what economies may be neces-
sary in ether directions.
But asks The Journal of the American Medical Asso-
ciatou if such appropriations are justified for the
nrotection of the lives and health of animals how much
should appropriated TO protect the lives and health
OF the men, women children Of the State? Certain
" more than for fish. game and live stock Yet the
anpropration for the protection Of the 56SS,591 men,
women and children in Illinois was for 1914 only
s12ao ooO0 100000 less than appropriated for the
nroteo,on of fish and game. Are the lives of its
citizens of less value TO Illinois than the preservation
of its quail and bass?
We think that with the governors message and the
pertinent inquiries Of the Chicago Journal and the
Journal OF the American Medical Association before
them our own legislators might with perfect propreN
take nm for comparison and intelligent readjustmen
ne financial end OF State aid for the protection o.
mon women children, livestock, fish and game, foi
surely the human beings in State are much more
miortant than the livestock and the livestock Is mucl
more important than the wild game.