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The Commoner
NOVEMBER, 1914
12
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tion in strong contrast with the constitutions of
the north Atlantic states, in which only a few
fundamental principles are laid down. Recently
it was necessary in one of the states of this
group to amend the constitution before the sim
ple duty of collecting taxes could bo transferred
from one comparatively unimportant local official
to .another. ,
BUREAU OP NAVIGATION
Between September 8 and October 2, under
tho amendment to the Panama Canal act of Au
gust 18, 1914, 54 foreign-built vessels with a
gross tonnago of 217,207, took out United States
registry and aTe now sailing under the Amorican
flag. The total present value of these steamships
is not known but Is probably somewhere between
$12,000,000 and $15,000,000. Tho question or
principle of .prizo has not in the opinion of As
sistant Secretary Sweet been Involved in any of
these registers. The vessels were previously
under British, Belgian and German registry and
flags because, until the act of August, 1914, the
fact that they were foreign-built prevented them
from carrying on trade under the American flag
between foreign ports and those of the United
States.
Although their ownership was in reality Amer
ican, they were obliged to have a foreign owner
ship of record, take out foreign registry and sail
under foreign flags.
The chango in our domestic policy begun by
the Panama Canal act of 1912 and extended by
the recent act of August 18, has brought these
54 vessels into the American merchant marine.
Others are following daily, but just how many it
is impossible at this time to say.
DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE
'
CHICAGO UNION STOCK YARDS QUARAN
TINED
On the last day of October notice was sent out
generally announcing the quarantine of the Chi
cago Union Stockyards, which wont into effect
immediately. Tho secretary of agriculture has
quarantined the stockyards because there is
danger that cattle infected with the foot-and-mouth
disease may have passed through them.
Under the provisions of this quarantine no
cattle, sheep or swine can be moved from the
stockyards in interstate or foreign commerce,
except for the purpose of immediate slaughter
and under permits issued by federal inspectors.
In such cases they must be. transported in sealed
cars placarded "for immediate slaughter." The
stock in these cars can only be unloaded into
reserved pens which have been designated for
this purpose by the chief of the bureau' of animal
industry. Cars used for the transportation of
stock from the yards must be thoroughly
cleansed and disinfected before they can be
moved again in interstate or foreign commerce.
Shipments of stock into the yards from unin
fected areas must be unloaded through cleaned
and disinfected docks and alleyways under the
supervision of federal officials. When reloaded
the stock must be placed in cleaned and disin
fected cars and the cars officially sealed.
These measures are considered essential to
the prevention of the spread of the disease.
Foot-and-mouth disease is one of the most con
tagious infections known, and if it were possible
to move stock from the Chicago yards to the
country for feeding or dairy purposes, there is
grave danger that the disease might be dissemi
nated over large areas.
Up to the present time no cases of foot-ana
mouth disease have been found in the union
yards but there is some reason to believe that
Infected stock may have passed through. It is
certain that shipments of stock to Chicago have
been made from regions where the foot-andr
mouth disease has broken out.
NEW REGULATIONS FOR MEAT INSPECTION
Tho new federal meat inspection regulations
covering the slaughtering of cattle, sheep, swine,
and goats, and the preparation of meat food
products in inspected establishments, went into
effect for domestic meats on November 1, 1914.
In the new regulations are incorporated the
latest discoveries of veterinary science and meat
inspection, and also a number of practical
changes suggested by eight years' experience
under the present law. From the public s point
of view the more important changes are require
ments that animals which show symptoms of
"certain diseases shall be condemned I prior -to
slaughter and never allowed to enter the killing
rThe post-mortem examination has also been
made severe, new diseases added as reasons for
rejection, and new and complete tests proscribed
for detecting prohibited diseases tho presonco
of which is not clearly marked. Tho use of
raw pork is also prohibited in food products
which are to bo eaten uncooked, complete reg
ulations governing tho cleanliness of establish
ments and m employees are imposed, and rlg'd
rules laid "down for disposing of condemned
meats, and safeguarding tho use and Integrity
of tho federal inspection marks.
In addition tho now regulations, under cer
tain conditions, permit the selling, in a cooked
and canned condition, of certain meat hereto
fore wasted, as "Second-class Stortlized" moat.
The regulations governing imported moats do
not go into effect until January 1, 1915.
ANTI-HOG-CHOLERA SiUM GIVES GOOD
RESULTS
A report has been received from tho United
StateB department of agriculture's county aeonts
in fifteen southern states, which gives additional
evidence of the value of antihog-cholora serum.
Although many authorities do not advocate tho
treatment after the hog has become visibly af
fected, this report seems to indicate that a con
siderable saving was effected in this way. Hero
is a resume of tho report:
1. Number of hogs given single treat
ment ... 34,2GG
2. Number of hogs that were well when
treated, 27.22G
3. Number 'died that were well when
treated 008
4. Per cent died that were well whon
treated 2.22
5. Number of hogs that were sick when
treated 7,040
6. Number dod that were sick when
treated 2,057
7. Per cent died that were sick when
treated 29.21
8. Number of hogs given simultaneous
treatment 7,713
9. Number of hogs that were well when
treated 7.410
10. Number died that wore well when
treated . .., . 179
11. Per cent died that wero well when
treated 2.41
12. Number of hogs that wero sick whon
treated 303
13. Number died that wero sick when
treated 1G0
14. Per cent died that wero sick when
treated 52.85
15. Total number of hogs treated .... 41.979
16. Total number of hoes died 3,004
17. Per cent of hogs d'ed 7.1 r
18. Total number well when treated... 34,030
19. Total number died that were well
when treated 787
20. Per cent died that were well when
treated 2.27
TO ENCOURAGE APPLE CULTURE
Apple clubs are being formed by the depart
ment In co-operation with agricultural colleges
of northern and western states to Interest the
boys and girls of apple-growing sections in the
possibilities of apple culture. The organizations
for the young people on the farm are being
planned and begun in the New England states,
New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania,
Michigan, Ohio, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and
Washington. Any young people in these states
wishing to find out the details of the new apple
raising clubs should write at once to the state
agent In charge of club work ai the state college
of agriculture, or the United States Department
of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.
TO AID COTTON FARMERS
In a circular sent out to farmers and business
men in tho cotton states, the department offers
a series of suggestions to remedy the situation
created by the falling off In tho demand for cot
ton. Instead of attempting to obtain through
cotton the cash required to buy other necessi
ties, farmers are urged to raise these necessi
ties themselves. Cotton is low and likely to re
main so. Food products are high and also
likely to remain so. A man, therefore, who has
all his acreage in cotton finds himself compelled
to exchange a low-priced article for a high
priced one. This Is not profitable.
One way within the reach of all to cut down
expenses is to pay proper attention to the home
garden. A nice piece of good land, as near the
house as possible, should be devoted to this;
given extra care and well supplied with manure.
In return the farmer will have an abundance of
.good, wholesome food throughout a large por
tion of the year which will cost him little or
nothing In cash. Vegetables and fruit nhofcMI
bo canned for winter use. In this connection
It is pointed out that summer Is not the only
timo that work can bo advantageously put Into
a garden. Farmers aro advised, therefore, to
got In touch at onco, ofther with the county
agonts or with tho state and federal department
of rrlculture, If thoy wish Information on thie
matter.
EUROPEAN DEMAND FOR WELL-BRBD
HORSES
During tho noxt decade, according to one of
tho department's exports, there will probably be
an Increased demand for Amorican horses in
tho countrloo now engaged In tho European war.
Tho demand may oven contlnuo much longer,
as not only will horses ho needed for armies,
but when peace is restored moro will be needed
for agriculture. Already European agonts are
said to bo ondeavorlng to purchase horses in
this country and Canada, and there is an In
creased Interest In many sections In horse
breeding. ,
To meet this Increased European demand,
Amorican farmers may well endeavor to ralee
woll-bred horses, but the department does not
advise them to purchase a surplus of horses
merely for breeding purposes. It merely ad
vises that ordinary farm work should be done
whenever poss'blo by good mares, which should
be bred to good stallions. It also desires to era
phaslzo tho fact that only horses of high qual
ity may bo profitably raised today. Inforlor
horses aro a drug on tho market, and their pro
duction is to bo discouraged as much as the
production of good horses should bo encouraged.
ALCOHOL AND FIGHTING EFFICIENCY
One of tho remarkable features of tho present
European war is the adoption of liquor roform
measures by practically all of the nations en
gaged in the conflict. On this subject an edit
orial In tho New York World says:
"The relation of alcohol to Industrial efficiency
is still a moot question, but apparently the great
commanders aro convinced that alcohol does not
improve an army's fighting efficiency. That the
Kaiser has forbidden tho 'treating' of Gorman
soldiers, while Earl Kitchener asks the British
troops 4to abstain from drinking while abroad
is significant of a new ordor of things in war
fare. The suppression of tho sale of absinthe In
Paris, if not strictly a military measuro, is
prompted by tho emergency of war.
"A temperate army was something not con
ceived of in tho old theories of war. But,' in
fact, a drunkard Is today as much out of place
in an army as he would bo on a battle-ship. A
modern army is a fighting machine only less
complex In its nature than a modern navy and
equally dependent on sobriety In tho ranks
"Perhaps another Trafalgar or Waterloo could
bo fought on grog, but tho military authorities
today take no chances with 'Dutch courage It
will seem singular that war, In which the worst
passions of mankind find play, should incident
ally serve tho cause of moral roform. Yet the
practical gain to temperance Is the same whether
men are kept sober on behalf of industrial effi
ciency or by tho injunctions of army commanders."
Commenting upon the election returns. Pott,
master Burleson emphasizes the fact that it is
but rare that a political party retains control
of tho house after having revised the tariff. The
reason Is not far to seek. Those whose special
privileges vero curtailed or cut off started out
with a fine array of knives, while those In whose
interest the law was drawn accepted tho new
conditions as a matter of course. That the dem
ocrats escaped with a fair-sized majority left to"
them may be traced to the fact that the onslaught
this year differed from that made on the repub
licans after each of their tariff laws in that the
attacking force was not inado up of outraged
consumers.
When a political party really desires to re
deem a solemn pledge made to the people in its
platform there is no difficulty about doing It.
For years the republican national administrators
talked about what they were going to do with
Alaska in the conservation of her great natural
resources and in protecting these from spolia
tion. At tho first session of congress at which
it was possible to reach the matter, the demo
cratic administrate passed a bill providing for
the construction of a government railroad in
Alaska and for the leasing or the public coal
lands there, ending for all 'time the question of
who is to profit from her great natural wealth.
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