Fit AN K S. BILLINGS. 
456 
the State authorities be held responsible for outbreaks of swine 
plague within its boundaries f 
When should the State remunerate owners of diseased o? 
exposed swine on account of the above or on account of any 
action of the State authoritiee f 
1. The State should not be held responsible for any outbreak 
of swine plague in domestic hogs, nor should owners have any 
claims for remuneration on account of any action or want of 
action on the part of the State authorities, when any owner or 
owners, or his or their representative, failed to comply with any 
or all the regulations of the State for the suppression and pre¬ 
vention of the disease, and swine plague broke out among his or 
their hogs. 
2. The State should be held liable to the full value—as market 
animals only—of domestic swine when any outbreak occurred 
among such that could be traced directly to imported hogs or 
some negligence on the part of the State authorities, or through 
any action or want of action of any railroad officials or other 
common carriers, whereby the disease was introduced into or 
extended over the State. 
(The State and central authorities must eventually regulate 
the relations, responsibilities and obligations of common carriers 
with regard to the extension of contagious and infectious animal 
diseases over the country, both with reference to intra and inter¬ 
state commerce.) 
Whether or not the State should be held responsible for the 
negligence of owners of infested herds, and to what extent, and 
what should be the penalties placed upon owners or others guilty 
of misdemeanor in regard to swine plague, are questions I will 
not take upon myself to decide or even give an opinion upon, as 
they belong to legislators. 
One thing must not be forgotten. Legislators must protect 
the rights of the State, and not award remuneration except where 
it belongs, as well as be just to the rights of the owners of dis¬ 
eased domestic animals. Owners who fail to conform to the law 
in every minor detail should never receive remuneration for any 
action on the part of the authorities. 
