The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-25
BRIGHAM EXPLAINS
BOVINE TESTING
Sends Open Letter Refuting
Statements In Yer
mont Press
LAW PROVIDES
REDUCED INDEMNITY
Order Not Arbitrary Act of Commission
er-Required Examination of Neteri-
narians Explained States Oppose
Private Tests for Export of Cattle.

MONTPELIER. June 25.-E. S. Brig
ham, commissioner of agriculture, has
sent the following open letter to the ed
itor of the Rutland Herald:
Your paper of June 20 carries a news
story which was sent to the papers of
the state under a Montpelier date line
with the compliments of II. l.. H., evi-
IDENTIFY showing you to be the author.
While l have endcavored to keep the
people of the state fully informed aS TO
all phases of the bovine tuberculosis
eradication program, | have avoided en-
terlng into a newspaper controversy. |
believe sincerely that leading industry
of the state very fundamental to its eco
nomic welfare is threatened by this Sc
riouS disease. which is also considered by
the leading medical authorities of the
world to be menace to the public
health. Believing as / do. it Is my plain
duty in the position | hold to Use every
ounce of energy ! possess to carry for
ward this program TO n successful con-
cluSion.
You hold an opposite view and seem
to have assumed the leadership, insofar
as publicity is concerned. of those who
are opposed to this program and are do
ing everything in their power TO thwart
it. In taking this position I believe you
are sincere and | respect your opinions.
In advocating my side of the ContrO-
versy | have. however, always tried to be
perfectly fair and to be very careful to
state actual facts. | am of the opin-
ion that YOU aim to do the same and that
You desire to make a fair fight. For this
reason alone | am writing YOU for the
purpose of pointing out certain errors in
your news story which / hope YOU will
be willing to correct.
The only trouble with the news story
is that it has absolutely no foundation
in fact.
First of all. reference Is made to an
order issued by Commissioner Ebert =.
Brigham under date of May 81 which
cuts down the indemnity for privately
tested COWS one-Aalf' If you will refer
To Ne. 20 of the Acts Of 1921 YOU will
find that an amendment was made by the
last legislature to section 5O3 of the Gen
cral Laws which made the change which
1t is ALLEGED that | made by order. Under
date Of May 81 | did write a letter to all
the veterinarians on our approved list.
enclosing amendments to certain sections
of the General Laws which went into eff
feet on June l and called attention to the
changes made by these laws and in
Structed veterinarians when called upon
to make q private test of cattle to see
that the owner has a clear understanding
of the law. 9ou viii see therefore that
the change in indemnity was made by
statute and that il Is beyond my power
as commissioner to issue an order chang
ing this Indemnity i'm any way.
The story further refers to an order
alleged to have been issued by DR. De
Fossct to Vermont practitioners to ap-
pear on June - and take an cxamina-
tion for the purpose of showing cause
why they should not be taken off the list
Of approved veterinarians" of the state
and federal departments Of agriculture.
The purpose Of the examination is on
tirely different than that alleged and this
fact has been made so clear by Or. De
FosSet in all his correspondence to vet
eruarians in relation to this subject.
that | am at loss to understand how
there could have been any misundcr-
standing.
The accredited herds plan provides