(Witness: Melvin.)

particular States. In the States of Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado work was undertaken on quite an extensive scale to eradicate the disease among the sheep in those States.

The CHAIRMAN. Then you take sheep wherever they may be found in the possession of the owners?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir; on the ranges or any place. They are subject to inspection and dipping.

The CHAIRMAN. You say the State authorities cooperate with the Department in that?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Do they bear part of the expense or furnish part of the men?

Doctor MELVIN. They provide the laws under which we can operate, and in some instances furnish quite a large proportion of the force that is engaged in the work, and we furnish another part of the force. The CHAIRMAN. You say they provide the laws under which you operate?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, do the Federal officials go out there and enforce the provisions of State legislation?

Doctor MELVIN. Well, they provide under their State laws for this cooperation; otherwise we could not operate within the State. We could only control the interstate movement. By their providing laws under which we can operate within the State we can help to eradicate the disease within the State.

The CHAIRMAN. Then cattle that are not engaged in transportation are handled by you by authority of State legislation?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Because they have not become a part of interstate commerce?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, about what proportion of this money that is expended is expended upon the sheep and cattle while they are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the State-that is, what part of the work is done on the cattle while they are in the possession of their owners, and before they become a part of interstate commerce?

Doctor MELVIN. I could only estimate that. I would say that probably two-fifths of the expense, or perhaps not that much, was for work within the State. Possibly that is a little too much, but not very much.

The CHAIRMAN. Where are your men located that look after these cattle after they become a part of interstate commerce?

Doctor MELVIN. You mean cattle and sheep, both?

The CHAIRMAN. Yes.

Doctor MELVIN. They are usually assigned to certain territory, following a line of railroad. They work between certain stations, it being the idea to make these inspections as far as possible before the cattle are loaded onto the cars, in order to prevent the contamination of the loading pens and of the cars and to avoid subjecting the owners to considerable expense and inconvenience by having to treat their cattle after they are shipped; so that, as far as possible, we have this inspection made before they enter the stock pens at the loading pen. Occasionally, where they are not very far removed.

(Witness: Melvin.)

from the station, the inspector will go out several miles to make this inspection; sometimes right at the loading place. They travel back and forth upon the advice of the railroads as to the points at which they are going to have shipments.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, on further reflection, what percentage of the sheep and cattle that you inspect for that purpose are inspected under the authority of State legislation and prior to their being transported from State to State?"

Doctor MELVIN. This that I just described would all be under the interstate movement.

The CHAIRMAN. Yes; but you first suggested that two-fifths might be too large.

Doctor MELVIN. That would be simply an estimate; I don't know but what that percentage would come as near to it as any other that I could make at this time.

The CHAIRMAN. You have no way, I suppose, of determining what proportion of the work done by your Bureau is for purely State purposes as distinguished from interstate?

Doctor MELVIN. The two branches of the work are so intimately related that it would take a very elaborate set of accounts to separate them, so we have never undertaken to do that.

The CHAIRMAN. Do the States in which you operate under State legislation, for the purpose of enforcing provisions of law relating to their stock and cattle, furnish men to cooperate with your men?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir; in some instances. I think in nearly all the States they have some men; some States have more than others. The CHAIRMAN. Are there provisions in that State legislation for the segregation of cattle, and the destruction of cattle, if need be?

Doctor MELVIN. Well, yes; in some instances. Usually it provides for the quarantine and treatment of the cattle to eradicate the disease. We would not attempt to enter into the eradication of the disease without a suitable State law under which to operate.

The CHAIRMAN. That requires the exercise of control over the cattle by whoever is doing the inspection?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And that control is exercised under some provision of law enacted by the State?

Doctor MELVIN. In several States their statutes make a provision whereby the inspectors of the Bureau of Animal Industry may become State inspectors, without compensation, in order to enforce their State laws.

The CHAIRMAN. Without becoming and acting as State inspectors they would have no authority? .

Doctor MELVIN. No, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. Now, the United States Government, in those instances, simply pays the expense of inspecting the cattle over which the State has exclusive jurisdiction?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, in one way; although in the case of many of these animals the range conditions are such that they travel from State to State. And that is particularly true in the case of sheep.

The CHAIRMAN. Well, that would hardly be interstate transportation; still I don't know but what you might predicate that idea upon a sheep moving from one State to another.

(Witness: Melvin.)

Doctor MELVIN. The general way in which they handle the sheep in the West is to graze them in the mountain sections in the summer and upon the deserts in the winter. In the winter they live very largely upon the sagebrush.

The CHAIRMAN. Have you any provisions of law-Federal law— that authorize you to exercise any control over cattle that you are inspecting or treating for this disease, until they become a part of interstate commerce or until they participate in interstate-commerce transportation?

Doctor MELVIN. The original act creating the Bureau, the act of 1884, provides specifically for cooperative work upon the part of the Bureau.

The CHAIRMAN. Yes; but does it give you any power to control in any way the cattle until they become a part of interstate commerce? Doctor MELVIN. Oh, no. We can simply quarantine one State against the others, or a part of one State against another State. The CHAIRMAN. This disease in horses called maladie du coït is treated under circumstances that are practically similar to those under which you treat scabies in sheep and cattle, I suppose?

Doctor MELVIN. We have not looked for much cooperation on the part of the States in that work. In cases where we have found the disease we have gone in and purchased and destroyed the animals in order to dispose of them. The eradication of this disease results in a saving of at least $50,000 a year.

The CHAIRMAN. What is the nature of that disease?

Doctor MELVIN. It is somewhat allied to syphilis in man. It is a disease that is produced by a parasite which exists in the blood, and is transmitted through copulation.

The CHAIRMAN. You say, "inspection of southern cattle." Why is that differentiated from the cattle that you have already described? Doctor MELVIN. That is on account of the zone where this tick lives which produces or is a carrier of Texas fever. It is necessary to provide an inspection for cattle from certain sections in order to be sure that the ticks are not carried by the cattle to northern cattle. The estimated value of southern cattle marketed annually during the closed season is $1,000,000.

The CHAIRMAN. And is that inspection made without reference to whether they are a part of interstate commerce?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes; those inspections previous to this year were entirely for interstate shipments.

The CHAIRMAN. Previous to this year they were entirely for interstate shipments?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. And this year what has been the difference?

Doctor MELVIN. We had a specific appropriation of $82,500 given for the purpose of experimenting in the eradication of this tick; and in this instance we have made inspections for cattle within the State by cooperation with the State authorities, in the same manner as for this scab eradication. Tick eradication each year saves $2,000,000.

The CHAIRMAN. And so far as you act under that, you act by virtue of the authority conferred by State legislation?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

Mr. SAMUEL. You succeeded Doctor Salmon, did you not?

(Witnesses: Melvin, Zappone.)

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

Mr. SAMUEL. I notice on page 61 that Doctor Salmon receives $1,666.66, and on page 85, under "Miscellaneous supplies," he receives $1,000. I would like to know what that is for. Presuming that the first item was for salary, what was the other?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes; that is for salary; and on page 85 that was for service rendered after his separation from the service, in writing an article on tuberculosis.

Mr. SAMUEL. I notice you have a number of items of expense in connection with newspapers. Are they advertisements or subscriptions?

Doctor MELVIN. They are all advertisements; all the periodicals are purchased by the library of the Department.

Mr. SAMUEL. I notice you have dairy experts ranging from $2,000 down to $1 per diem.

Doctor MELVIN. In some cases that low salary is only part of the salary, the rest being paid by some of the States. When we have cooperative experiments we will sometimes bear a small part of some man's salary when he is employed by a State, as additional compensation.

Mr. SAMUEL. Here is P. H. Keifer, dairy expert, $1 per diem for his salary and $49.03 for traveling expenses.

Doctor MELVIN. What page is that?

Mr. SAMUEL. Eighty-three.

Mr. ZAPPONE. That is at the bottom of the column, “Dairy experts."

Mr. SAMUEL. The difference between the salary and the traveling expenses is so great that it attracted my attention.

Mr. ZAPPONE. Of course, you understand that includes his railroad transportation; he probably expended a large part of it for transportation.

The CHAIRMAN. How are your supplies purchased-by the central Bureau?

Doctor MELVIN. Not all of them. Some are obtained through competitive bids; some very small items are bought upon exigency statements that is, amounts less than $50. But usually all of them are bought under the contract price, which is made once a year.

The CHAIRMAN. In the case of these traveling expenses, which represent a pretty large sum of money, does the Department require vouchers to be furnished for all the items?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir; in all instances.

The CHAIRMAN. And those vouchers are all on file?

Doctor MELVIN. Well, not all expenses. Their railroad fares, which of course are fixed and uniform, are not supported by subvouchers. Items such as single meals are not supported by subvouchers. All items for board, lodging, horse hire, and expenses of that sort must be supported by subvouchers.

Mr. ZAPPONE. The fiscal regulations of the Department provide that subvouchers must be obtained for all expenses over $2. If they are not obtained the account must be sworn to before a notary.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there any men employed under your Bureau that are rendering service under any other bureau or bureaus?

Doctor MELVIN. Not wholly. We have men who are carried on

(Witness: Melvin, Zappone.)

our rolls for a time, rendering service to our Bureau, and who are then sometimes transferred to other bureaus for service.

The CHAIRMAN. My inquiry goes to the question as to whether they are rendering service elsewhere at the same time-that is, have you any men that are duplicating their service?

Doctor MELVIN. I think not.

The CHAIRMAN. Will you look that over carefully and ascertain what the fact is?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes.

Mr. ZAPPONE. Service or compensation, Mr. Chairman?

The CHAIRMAN. Whether they are rendering service elsewhere for which they receive compensation.

Doctor MELVIN. There is an item here for the partial service of Doctor Langworthy. The most of his service is in the Experiment Stations Division of the Department.

The CHAIRMAN. Is that under your Bureau?

Doctor MELVIN. No; that is under the general Department. We engaged him for a part of his time on some work for our Bureau, and he was then transferred from their salary roll to ours for that time. We paid his expenses while he was doing this work for our Bureau. After this work was done he was transferred back.

The CHAIRMAN. But what I want is this: Is there any man that is on the rolls of your Bureau who is on the rolls of any other bureau for services rendered and compensation received during the same period of time?

Doctor MELVIN. No: I think not.

The CHAIRMAN. Has that ever been the case in your Bureau?

Doctor MELVIN. No; I think never, as far as my recollection goes. The CHAIRMAN. Are any of the men who are on the rolls of your Bureau rendering service to private individuals for which they receive compensation?

Doctor MELVIN. NO.

The CHAIRMAN. You say there are none?

Doctor MELVIN. There are some that have special permission to do some work outside of official hours, but not during official hours.

The CHAIRMAN. Who are those that have special permission? Doctor MELVIN. There are some that have asked the privilege of writing certain articles for periodicals and to prepare these outside of official hours.

The CHAIRMAN. Are there any who are engaged in continuous employment for private parties outside of official hours?

Doctor MELVIN. No; I think not. Several have permission to deliver lectures at universities or colleges once or twice a week during the session, for several weeks.

The CHAIRMAN. Do they receive additional compensation for that? Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir.

The CHAIRMAN. That is, they do not receive additional compensation from the Government, but receive compensation from the college where the lecture is delivered?

Doctor MELVIN. Yes, sir. That is also done outside of official hours.

The CHAIRMAN. And whenever it is done it is by virtue of special permission granted by your Bureau?