SPECIAL MEETING. 5 



Several resolutions were introduced there and passed, after 

 a good deal of discussion, and I have drafted three, embod}"- 

 ing such parts of those resolutions as I felt like presenting 

 before this meeting for discussion ; and to open the subject 

 fairly and place it before the meeting, I will read the follow- 

 ing resolutions : — 



R'^solvecl, That the Secretary of the Board of Agriculture be 

 and hereby is instructed to communicate with the President of 

 the United States and request him to call the special attention 

 of Congress to the outbreaks of contagious lung plague among 

 cattle in the vicinity of Chicago, and to ask of Congress such 

 legislation at the earliest practicable moment as will tend to the 

 eradication of this disease from the entire country. 



Rp.s(ilned, That the Secretary be further instructed to address 

 letters to the several members of Congress from this Common- 

 wealth urging upon them the importance of giving this subject 

 their early and earnest attention. 



Itekolved, That we recognize with gratification the value of the 

 work of the Bureau of Animal Industry in so far as its limited 

 means hitherto have permitted it to aid in the work of investi- 

 gating and stamping out contagious diseases among the domestic 

 animals of our country. 



There are other matters that mio-ht be brouo;ht in here for 

 a more or less informal talk in regard to what the Cattle 

 Commission ought to do, and what the State ought to do, in 

 the emergency. Whether there is an emergency really at 

 the present time that calls for heroic action, is the question. 

 I think something like thirteen States have quarantined 

 a2;ainst the State of Illinois or the district around Chicaijo. 

 The Western people are determined that the disease shall not 

 come into their Territories if it is possible to keep it out. 

 The State of Michigan had not yet adopted any restrictive 

 measures, but was waiting to learn what was done at this 

 meeting ; and the Commissioners, who were present, ex- 

 pected that very likely when they got home again, they 

 would quarantine Michigan and refuse the passage of cattle 

 from Chicago into the State. They were very earnest gen- 

 erally at the West, where they feel the importance of keep- 

 ing this disease from the ranch districts. 



