Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-02
AGRICULTURE
For Live Stock Sanitary Board-Puro
Milk-Raees at Fairs for Trottsrs y

Miik-Raees at Fairs for Trottsrs y
DR.. Henry B. Wescott of Portland was
the only champion who appeared this aft
ernoon before the committee on agricul-
ture upon the bill which would create a
State Live Stock Sanitary Board of five
members with a veterinarian at a salary
Of $1,000 a year as an executive officer.
DR.. Wescott explained that the bill was
modelled upon the Pennsylvania law. that
! it would bring about a better co-opera-
ton between the farmers and the vettert-
narians of the State, and that its pro-
visions if carried out would do a great
deal towards reducing hog cholera AMI
contagious abortion among cattle.
More than 100 farmers from all parts
lsof the State appeared in opposition to the
bill and their case was conducted by Hon.
Cyrus L. Blanchard of Wilton. Mr..
Blanchard said that the proposed bill
was not needed and that the farmers
were opposed to it. They were satisfied
with the present law Under the present
law 10000 more cattle had been tested in
the past two years than In any two pre-
vious years and that the law was work.
ing well. The placing of two men who
should be farmers upon the commission
in addition to the Governor. the commits
sioner of agriculture and the State veter-
marian was sop to the farmers to in
duce them to support bill that they
did not believe In.
Hon. w. J. Thompson Of China. mas
ter of the state Grange. said that the
bill as whole was unpopular and that
the farmers were against having a Get
Urinary surgeon put over them in such
a positive way as provided by this bill.
Mr. Blanchard went on to say that the
farmers of the State had not asked for
such a law. He read from the report OF
DR.. Achilles Jolly of Watervlle, live
stock sal 'tary commissioner In 1914 in
which D. 'oly had declared positively
and empha - for the enforcement OF
the present Nv nd sufficient appropria-
ton for their ell cement before adding
any new laws. :
b. l.. Bradford manager Of the Tur-
ner Center creamery, Of Auburn. OBJ
1ected to features of the bill which re-
quired the use Of a greater heat for
the rendering sanitary Of the skim,
milk for the use Of pigs and cattle,
than in that sold for ordinary food
consumption. I'VE are willing to let
the pigs and cows take a chance with
the human beings" he declared amid
laughter. Mr.. Bradford also spoke OF
the great expense to which his asso-
citation had gone for having cows !
tested and objected to the bill as some
thing that might undo the PRESENT.
work.
Commissioner Of Agriculture John
A. Roberts Of Norway was opposed to
a commission for handling the livestock
sanitary work. 1t was better to give
it into the hards of one competent
man. The bill required the executive
officer of the commission to be a vet
erinarian to which he also objected.
All that was needed OF sanitary Of
ficer was that he should be a good ad-
ministrative cHcer. II the bill should
be reported favorably he would want
some changes n ade as to the salary Of
the State veterinarian which was plac-
ed at $4,000 while that of the commits
sioner of agriculture who had a great
deal more work and responsibility was
but $4,000. He knew that Mr.. Bearce,
the present livestock sanitary commits
sioner. was carrying on the work Of
the department well and that the peo-
pie were we'll satisfied.
Leslie E. MeIntire of East Water
ford, former member Of the Legisla-
ture, said that he was one Of the first
to have his cattle tested under the
present law. He said that he opposed
a bill for a change two years ago and
that he believed that the farmer as
we'll as the veterinarians should have
something to say In regard to the en-
forcement of the law.
This bill is a child without a ia
Their unless he lives in Pennsylvania"
said F. S. Adams of Bowdoinham, the
State dairy instructor. Mr.. Adams said
that he was member Of the old cat
tile commission but that he was fully
satisfied that the livestock sanitary
department could be better handled by
a single man than by a commission be-
cause a single man could settle better
upon q fixed policy.
In closing, Attorney Blanchard filed
with the committee 80 petitions. con-
tanning over 700 names, from Dixfield,
Belfast, Brighton, Hartland.s Exeter,
Pennington and other towns protest
ing against the proposed legislation.
DR.. J. A. Ness of Auburn told the
committee that the Veterinary Medical
Association of Maine was not behind
the bill and that they had no legisla-
ton to offer at this session of the
Legislature.
F. S. Adams, the state dairy in
structor, appeared in behalf Of a bill
which would take the live stock sani-
tary department out of the control of
the department of agriculture, as he
expressed it. divorce the two depart
ments" He said that the present law
should be amended SO as to exclude
the provision that the live stock sani-
tary commissioner should be under
the control Of the department Of ag-
riculture and that veterinarians should
file their certificates with the COM
missioner Of agriculture. He would
have the veterinarians under the con-
troll of the live stock sanitary commits
sioner.
Hon. John A. Roberts. the commits
sioner of agriculture. spoke in favor Of
the change. The live stock sanitary
commissioner was appointed by the
Governor and the commissioner Of ag-
ricuIture could neither hire nor fire