530 
CORRESPONDENCE. 
one that, I believe, cannot be realized here, at least at present, 
on account of the serious obstacles which present themselves at 
the very outset. 
To constitute such an association would require an act of 
Congress, which the profession is not powerful enough to pro¬ 
cure. Furthermore, it is doubtful if an act giving the sole power 
of granting degrees in veterinary medicine to such an association 
would be constitutional. The individual States have a law-making 
power, in which is vested the authority for regulating institutions 
of learning. It is the inalienable privilege of each State to de¬ 
termine for herself what shall constitute the proper qualifications 
of her recognized practitioners of a profession. No other power 
can dictate what shall be done by a State Legislature in regard 
to their educational matters. It is presumed each State is best 
acquainted with her own interests, respecting the subject of edu¬ 
cation, and it is taken for granted that her institutions of learning 
are provided for the instruction of her own citizens. She can gs 
tablish her standard of qualifications, but she cannot discriminate 
against the citizen of another State, or against her own citizens 
educated in another State or country, providing her standard is 
reached, and her regulations complied with. 
The General Government is evidently in the same position. 
She may determine what shall constitute the necessary qualifica¬ 
tions for her officers or employees, and may even provide institu¬ 
tions in which to give the necessary instruction to obtain that 
end, but she must at the same time concede to every State the same 
privileges regarding their own officers, employers and citizens. 
If all the schools teaching veterinary medicine should con¬ 
sent to submit their candidates for graduation to a Board of Ex¬ 
aminers appointed by a National Veterinary Association, and 
agree to issue diplomas to only such as were passed by this Board, 
the end might, perhaps, be effected. But there could be no com¬ 
pulsion in the matter, except each State should put such a pro¬ 
vision in the charter of every authorized school. Otherwise, the 
moment any discontent arose, or any institution saw fit not to 
submit to the exaction, the whole matter would revert to its 
present condition. 
