REPORT OF TIIE BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY. 325 



through the territory of cattle as stated, I believe that it is in the 

 province of the authorities of the State or Territory in which cattle 

 may pass through en route to points beyond the State or Territorial 

 lines, to require satisfactory evidence as to their freedom from dis- 

 ease, the same as they would require if the cattle sought admission 

 into the Territory for the purpose of remaining. It is a well-known 

 fact that litter from, cars in which diseased animals have been carried 

 will spread disease. It is a further well-known fact that litter is 

 kicked out of the cars and scattered in places accessible to other cat- 

 tle. If it is in the province of quarantine officials to prevent travel 

 through the country of people who have been exposed to yellow 

 fever and other diseases which afflict the human family, under the 

 exercise of police powers, I think it is equally within the province of 

 live-stock sanitary authorities to enforce such restrictive measures 

 relating to the movement within their respective territories of cattle 

 fVom infected districts as will protect beyond peradventure the health 

 of the cattle of their States and Territories. 



This is a very important qiiestion, for the reason that cattle from 

 the eastern portion of the United States are being shipped through 

 to Mexico, and while cattle from the same districts, from which cat- 

 tle destined to Mexico originated, would be quarantined by State 

 and Territorial authorities on account of the possible danger of dis- 

 ease, the mere fact that the cattle are consigned to Mexico has here- 

 tofore prevented our Western authorities from even inspecting them 

 or looking into the condition attending them. 



This is a matter to which I desire direct the attention of the live- 

 stock sanitary authorities of our Western States and Territories. 



UNIFORM SANITARY REGULATIONS. 



Considerable inconvenience has been experienced by shippers in 

 handling Texas cattle on account of the different live-stock sanitary 

 regulations in force in different States and Territories, and also on 

 account of want of knowledge of these regulations. 



While the regulations of Dakota as to the admission of Texas cat- 

 tle are almost prohibitory in their character, the regulations of most 

 of the other Western States and Territories are more reasonable, and 

 if not according the greatest possible freedom to the movement of 

 Texas cattle consistent with safety, they do not place the entire State 

 of Texas under ban. I have had frequent conferences with the live- 

 stock sanitary authorities of most of our Western States and Terri- 

 tories, and I am led to believe that with the light that the Depart- 

 ment can throw over the matter of splenic fever, and the facts we 

 will be able to present before the next shipping season as to the in- 

 fected portion of Texas, that uniform regulations on the part of all 

 Western live-stock sanitary authorities can be secured, which will 

 settle this vexed question in a manner that will be just and fair to 

 the interests of all sections. There is some little difference in the 

 regulations of the various Western States and Territories as to the 

 admission of Eastern cattle, of which there is a great dread on ac- 

 count of the possible introduction of contagious pleuro-pneumonia. 

 I have every reason to believe that uniform regulations as to the ad- 

 mission of Eastern cattle to the Western States and Territories can 

 also be secured in the interest of commerce, as well as in the interest . 

 of protection. It is important that uniform regulations should be 



