122 Twenty-Second Annual Report of the 



under still further liabilities. The question of compensating 

 owners for animals killed has been the subject of much discussion. 

 The desirability of extending the system to include diseases in ad- 

 dition to those already on the statute books, namely, tuberculosis 

 and glanders, is very doubtful. The disinclination of legislative 

 bodies to provide money to meet claims for animals and property 

 destroyed is likely to become more pronounced, and the abolition 

 of such compensation laws will no doubt ultimately result. 



During the legislative session of 1915, there was appropriated 

 for the payment of claims for animals killed because of glanders, 

 the sum of $280,306.25, and for animals killed because of tuber- 

 culosis, the sum of $152,416.50. These amounts were made neces- 

 sary by the fact that glanders claims had accumulated for a 

 period of about four years and no tuberculosis claims had been 

 paid for about two years. It will therefore be seen that these ap- 

 propriations were for the payment of liabilities past due rather 

 than for the compensation of owners for animals recently destroyed. 

 The appropriations referred to were not adequate to complete pay- 

 ments due at the time such appropriations became available, but 

 were sufficient to cover indemnities until about January 1, 1915, 

 only. Consequently, there are outstanding bills for a considerable 

 amount, which have accrued since these appropriations became ex- 

 hausted. 



In addition to the appropriations made for the payment of 

 tuberculosis and glanders indemnities, there was provided by the 

 Legislature the sum of $25,000 to pay interest on claims. 

 This provision in the Law became effective in March, 1914. The 

 amount used from this fund was approximately $7,797.54. If 

 sufficient advance funds were provided for the payment of claims, 

 this interest allowance would not be necessary. 



The Legislature of 1915 provided a fund of $300,000 for the 

 payment of one-half the indemnities and other expenses incident 

 to the eradication of foot-and-mouth disease. This fund could 

 be used only for that specific purpose, and of the sum approxi- 

 mately $275,000 have been expended, the United States Govern- 

 ment paying a similar portion. The statistics hereafter shown 

 will give in detail the districts where the disease appeared and the 

 allowances made for indemnities in the various counties. 



