The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-06-23

Reports Declared Untruthful - Treat
Lowell Same as Other People.
ST. ALBANS, June 23.-Complete de-
NAL that any unusual or unwarranted
conditions were imposed upon Lew"
Lowell of Bellows Falls, a dealer in reg
istered cattle, in the matter of admins
tering tuberculin tests to his herd, as
intimated in a news despatch, was made
today by State Commissioner Gilbert S.
Brigham, when interviewed by reporter
concerning what appeared to be, in all the
circumstances, an unwarranted display
of bureaucratic tyranny.
The facts have not been truthfully
presented to the newspaper reading pub
lie" said Mr.. Brigham, "and when the
people are spending nearly a quarter of
a million of their tax money annually in
u definite movement, they are entitled to
have the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth, concerning 1T. In
stead of making any attempt to prevent
Mr.. Lowell from shipping his. cattle out
of the state, everything possible was done
to assist him in making such shipment.
DIR. A. j. DeFoSset, deputy commissioner
and inspector in charge of tuberculosis
work in Vermont for the federal govern
ment, not only advised Mr.. Lowell, under
the circumstances, to have a private test
of his cattle, but specifically recon-
mended three approved veterinary prac-
titiOnerS in MIR. LOvelIS vicinity. any
one of whom he was free to employ to
test his herd. Test charts forwarded to
the agricultural office at Montpelier by
any veterinarian on the approved list of
the commissioner would have been
stamped with the certificate of the com
missioner stating his belief in the honesty
and competency of dhe veterinarian MAX
ing the test, and such certified chart
would permit the Interstate shipment of
any cattle and admit them to any state.
The right to have a private test and
the privilege of approval of such tests
when property made has never been de-
MED any citizen of the state by any Off
cial of the state department of agricul-
ture.
The law further provides that an
owner may have state test of his stock,
but specifically commands the commits
SlOner to prescribe as condition of such
test, the observance on the part of the
owner of such measures as shall be
deemed necessary by the commissioner to
keep the herd free from tuberculosis. The
conditions prescribed are those adopted
by the United States live stock sanitary
officials as necessary to produce and
maintain tuberculosis free herds. The
federal government co-operates with the
state in making these tests and in paying
indemnity for cattle which react to them.
but such cooperative work is done under
the laws of Vermont. These tests are
made by veterinarians employed on sal
airy, who are not allowed to receive pay
for any private practice.
MIR. Lowell requested DR.. DeFOsset to
assign DR.. l.. II. Adams, a veterinarian
employed on salary by the federal govern
ment and stationed at Bellows Falls, to
make a test of his herd without having
to sign an agreement as provided for by
the laws of Vermont, that he would, in
the future. observe the measures deemed
necessary to keep the herd free from tu-
berculOsiS. Mr.. Lowell evidently wanted
the prestige of a federal test because it
would add value to his cattle in the sale
which he has advertised, and then he
wanted to be perfectly free to do as he
pleased. DR. DeFOSSet, thereupOn, wrote
his superior officer. the chief of the bu-
reau of animal industry at Washington,
and asked if a special ruling would be
made in the case of Mr.. Lowell, and re-
ceived the following reply:
In reply to your letter of the I'd
instant relative to the request of Mr..
i. G.. Lowell to have bureau inspector
detailed to tuberculin test his cattle so
as to facilitate their interstate shipment,
you are advised that it is not the policy
of the bureau to assign employees to test
cattle for that purpose. Unless Mr.. Low
ell signs an agreement in accordance
with the policy of the state department
of agriculture, the bureau should not CO.
operate for testing his herd.
Respectfully.
j. A. HERMAN.
Chief, tuberculosis Eradication Di-
vision
Prom this information it is clear that
Mr.. Lowell received at the hands of both
state and federal departments exactly the
same treatment that any other citizen re-
ceiveS."