ARMY VETERINARY LEGISLATION. 
775 
Brief (S. 4300. In the House of Representatives, May 5, 1900) of facts 
in support of Senator Kenney’s amendment to the Army reorgani¬ 
zation bill, which has passed the Senate and now goes to the House 
of Representatives for concurrence. 
Senator Kenney’s amendment to the Army reorganization bill pro¬ 
vides for the establishment of an organized veterinary service, with 
reputable officers, whose education and competenc}" is insured by rigid 
examination ; to replace the present system of employment of an un¬ 
organized class of individual civilians, with no rank, no future, no re¬ 
sponsibility, and no official position. 
t he United States Army is absolutely deficient in a proper veterinary 
sei vice, which exists in the army of every other civilized country in the 
woild. The present system in the United States Army has less method 
in it than that found needful in any large contractor’s stable or stock 
farm in the country. 
ECONOMY. 
The entire cost under the amendment is only $6500 over the present 
cost of civilian employees under the present system, and will be more 
than compensated for by the economy resulting from an organized 
veterinary corps. 
1 he establishment of an organized veterinary service— 
To give proper instruction in liippology, inspection of forage, stable 
hygiene, and farriery, to officers, cadets, non-commissioned officers, and 
farriers, at our military schools and large posts ; 
To furnish expert veterinarians for service as members on boards of 
purchase of remounts ; 
To furnish qualified inspectors of live stock and dressed meat for our 
soldiers’ rations [there is not a qualified meat-inspection service in the 
United States Army]; 
To furnish practical services in prevention and cure of diseases— 
is needed, both on the ground of economy, for the efficiency of the Army, 
and for the health of our soldiers. 
Ihe letters, copies of which have been furnished, from Major-General 
Merritt, Major General Brooke, Major-General Wilson, and numerous 
others of the higher officers of the Army indorse such an organization. 
The establishment of such an organization has had the approval of 
the President, William McKinley. 
The General Commanding the Army, Major-General Miles, and the 
Quartermaster-General, Brigadier-General Uudington strongly approve 
and favor the amendment. 
(Committee on Army legislation. American Veterinary Medical As¬ 
sociation, Rush S. Huidekoper, secretary, Washington, May 4, 1900.) 
Mr. Gaines. I should like to ask the gentleman from Penn¬ 
sylvania if th° veterinary surgeons contemplated by this amend¬ 
ment are to be graduates of a school or college. 
Mr. Bingham. The surgeons employed under this corps 
will be subject to the directions of the Secretary of War, who 
will make regulations as to their credentials. 
Mr. Gaines. Does the gentleman give that as one reason 
why this amendment should pass ? 
