FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART IX. 629 



one of the brightest, keenest, transportation men in the United States, I 

 want also to congratulate you on having as a Commerce Counsel, Judge 

 Henderson, whose argument in the contract valuation case was a clean, 

 clear-cut, masterly presentation of the facts in the case. It was our 

 privilege to help your officers and the state railway commission in the 

 trial and argument of this case. We hope its outcome may be such as 

 will prevent common carriers taking your live stock, transporting same 

 interstate, and paying you but one-third of its valuation providing an 

 accident befalls same. It seems to me no more unfair provision could be 

 inserted in a contract or bill of lading than one of this character. It is 

 our hope in the near future to be able to ask for several changes in live 

 stock contracts. We expect to ask for the elimination of that feature of 

 most of the contracts which says claims for damages must be filed before 

 live stock is mixed. This is impossible at the public markets. When this 

 case is filed, we hope for the assistance of your organization. 



Many changes in packing house products, live stock and grain rates 

 have recently been proposed by the carriers, most of these changes in 

 the nature of advances. We have asked for the suspension of the tariffs 

 carrying these proposed changes until the same can be revised by the 

 Interstate Commerce Commission, and both the railroads and the shippers 

 have an opportunity to be heard. It is not our position that all live 

 stock rates are too high. We know of some rates that are too low; we 

 know many others which in our opinion are too high. We do think, 

 however, that all changes should be O. K.'d by the commission. 



In conclusion, I want to say a little concerning the outbreak of the 

 hoof and mouth disease, and the action of the Bureau of Animal Industry, 

 Department of Agriculture, in the suppression of this disease. We under- 

 stand, of course, that some of your members have been hard hit by this 

 outbreak, and to them some of the regulations of the department may 

 seem harsh, but we have implicit confidence in the honesty and ability 

 of Doctor Melvin and his assistants, to successfully quell this outbreak, 

 and in a manner that will be most beneficial to the entire live stock 

 industry. 



I thank you. 



The President : I now take pleasure in introducing to you 

 Professor R. K. Bliss, who is now the head of the extension de- 

 partment of agriculture, at Ames. 



ADDRESS BY PROF. R. K. BLISS. 



Mr. Chairman and Members of the Corn Belt Meat Producers' As- 

 sociation: I notice that the hour is getting late, and I wish to assure 

 you that I am not going to detain you from the opportunity of visiting 

 one of these cafeterias. You had a talk upon the cafeteria system of 

 feeding pigs this morning, and I thought when Professor Evvard was 

 speaking, what a fine thing it would be if every feeder throughout 

 the state of Iowa could have had the opportunity which you men are 



