380 
EDITORIA1 
We have endeavored to point out the benefits accruing to all 
those countries which, by the adoption of such regulations, effi¬ 
ciently protect their live stock ; but it* seems that as vet our ef¬ 
forts have borne no fruit. 
What* then, is the position in which we now find ourselves 
placed ? The English Government, under the “ Contagious Dis¬ 
eases (Animals) Act,” asks of our Secretary of State “ What laws 
have been adopted by your General Government to prevent the 
spreading of contagious diseases, when they exist in any part of 
the United States?” the object of the inquiry being to satisfy her¬ 
self that we are entitled to the privileges offered all countries in 
which Veterinary Sanitary Departments are well organized. 
Evidently our answer cannot be satisfactory, and it is a dis¬ 
grace to our Government that this great nation, with its immense 
wealth of horses, cattle, sheep, and swine, can show nothing re¬ 
lating to sanitary measures, except a few unimportant regulations, 
adopted separately by some of the States. 
Of course this action taken by the various local governments 
is commendable ; but it is not sufficient, for it supplies us with no 
safeguards beyond the confines of the States in which these regu¬ 
lations are adopted, and because no adequate regulations exist in 
any State. 
The time has come when the entire country should see the 
dangers ahead, and our stock-breeders fully appreciate the im¬ 
mense losses, which must sooner or later overtake them, if our 
laws remain as they are. 
True, our agricultural papers, especially those published in 
breeding districts, have taken the subject in hand, and seem to 
appreciate our deficiencies and the requirements necessary to 
remedy them, so that we may perhaps be justified in looking 
shortly for some action in the matter upon the part of our Com¬ 
missioner of Agriculture. 
Other governments in the past have remained in apparent 
happy ignorance of the same dangers which now surround us, un¬ 
til awakened to action by animal plagues which destroyed millions 
of dollars worth of property, and ruined hundreds of their best 
breeders. It had seemed that the same fate awaited us until this 
