The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-03-04
EXPENDITURE
OF FOOT-AND-
MOUTH FUNDS
Secretary of Agriculture Endeavors t
Clean Up Some Misunderstanding
About the Matter.

Washington, d c., March 4--Some mis-
understanding having arisen in regard to
the expenditure of the funds employed
in the suppression a. foot-and- mouth dis
ease, the secretary of agriculture in or
der to clear up the subject has explained,
in letter published in the Congressional
Record; the sources from which the neces-
sary money was obtained and the meth
DDS adopted by the department in ac-
counting for its expenditure. In this
letter the secretary said in part:
THE outbreak of the foot mouth
disease occurred in October, 1914. At
that time the only funds available for
use in combating the disease were those
Ecarried in the agricultural appropriation
act for the fiscal year ending June 80,
1915 under the heading, General Ex-
pense of Animal Industry The several
items under this appropriation aggre-
gated 81 ,597, 996, of which amount S466,
047.37 had been expended in furtheranee
of the regular lines of work authorized
by that appropriation. 1t viii thus be
seen that there was available balance
| of 81 ,l3l ,94S.63 for expenditure in carry
ing on the routine work covered by such
appropriation and in carrying on the
work involved in the eradication of the
foot-and- mouth disease. When this out
break occurred, Congress was not in ses-
sion and it, therefore, became necessary
for the department to draw largely upon
such balance successfully to combat the
foot-and- mouth disease. Payment OF the
expenses of the work involved in the
foot-and- mouth disease project from the
appropriation referred to necessarily en-
barrassed the other lines of activities,
the expenses of which were exclusively
chargeable thereto. In order to carry on
the several lines of work outlined in said
appropriation, it was necessary to REIN
burse that appropriation practically to
the extent of the amount paid there
from in furtherance of the foot and mouth
disease project. When Congress convened,
the situation confronting the depart
ment was fully explained to the commit |
tee on appropriations. AS result of
the matter to that commit
tee, an item was embodied in the def
cheney bill of January 25, 1915, reading
as follows:
For the arrest and eradication of the I
foot and mouth disease, the payment of |
claims arising out of past and future
purchases and destruction of animals af
fected by or exposed to the foot and
mouth disease, and for a deficiency in
the objects specified under the head Gen
eral expenses, bureau of animal indus
try in the agricultural appropriation as
for the fiscal year 1915, S2,500,000, to be
by the secretary of agriculture
"The objects of this bill were two
fold-(1) to defray the expenses incident
to the suppression of the foot and mouth
disease and (2l to reimburse the appro-
priation General expenses, bureau of an
imal industry for the deficiency in the
objects specified hereunder occasioned
by the outbreak of the disease. In con-
formity with this authorization, the va
rious Interpretations under General
expenses, bureau of animal industry
which had been heavily drawn upon for
lefraying the expenses of the work con-
leeted with the eradication of the foot
md mouth disease, were reimbursed from
he deficiency item of S2,500,000, as such
letion became necessary, by charging
tens of expense subsequently incurred
or dairy, animal husbandry, or other
ocular work to the emergency appropri
ition. In all such cases the vouchers
or such items bore the title of the emer-
,eney appropriation. together with the
title of the sub-appropriation under Gen
raj expenses, bureau of animal indus
ry' to which the expenses was charge
BILE, thus clearly showing that the sub
was reimbursed from the
emergency appropriation TO the extent
# the amount covered by such items, .
nd accounts of these reimbursements :
we're taken up and carried on the official /
eeords in this way. The items to which