DAIRY MEETING. I37 



bearing upon public health interests in connection with animal 

 industry. This committee, representing every interest in the 

 cattle and dairy industry, is composed of the following persons : 



Chas. S. Pope, Manchester; Leon S. Merrill, Dairy 

 Instructor; Dr. F. L. Russell, Orono; F. S. Adams, Bowdoin- 

 ham; E. L. Bradford, Auburn; Rutillus Alden, Winthrop; 

 Dr. A. G. Young, Augusta. 



The sentiment of the meeting was that the State should do 

 more than it was doing to eradicate tuberculosis. The Cattle 

 Commission is at times criticized because it does not go farther 

 and do more. Every year we use up the appropriation and 

 create a deficiency of $10,000, $20,000 and this year about 

 $21,000. We feel that we should keep within the appro- 

 priation unless driven to exceed it and yet we know that we 

 should do more ; but the question is, will public sentiment uphold 

 us in creating a deficiency year after year? 



In the year 1884 the late Hon. Hall C. Burleigh,well known for 

 his great interest in the cattle industry and everything pertaining 

 to agriculture in this State, appeared before the Board of Agri- 

 culture and advocated a law to protect the cattle industry from 

 contagious diseases. His wide experience as a breeder and his 

 knowledge of contagious diseases in cattle in other countries 

 led him to prepare for just what came about a few years later. 



He spoke particularly of the danger of tuberculosis and said 

 that the time was coming when the cattle industry of Maine 

 would need to be protected by the strong arm of the law. He 

 was far-sighted enough to see what was needed yet he got no 

 help from the board. In 1889 he was a member of the legisla- 

 ture and succeeded in getting the law passed under which we 

 are working today. The law should be revised and provide 

 ample powers for the commission to do anything required to 

 control or eradicate contagious diseases, provided money enough 

 is furnished by the legislature. When the law was passed 

 tuberculin was unknown, and if Mr. Burleigh could have fore- 

 seen that by its use many apparently healthy cattle could have 

 been located as diseased cattle, he would not have come before 

 the legislature four years later and asked the legislature to 

 reduce the appraisals by one-half. His law provided for 

 appraisals of $100 on grades and $200 on registered stock, but 



