FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE.

Alarming reports from different parts of the country announcing the presence of foot-and-mouth disease have caused no inconsiderable excitement among the people and in Government circles. First there came news of an outbreak in Effingham county, Illinois, then in Louisa county, Iowa, quickly followed by similar information from Adair county, Missouri.

Dr. Paaren, dispatched to Effingham county by the Governor, reports the trouble there not foot-and-mouth disease. There does exist a disease there, however, similar to foot-rot in sheep, that is proving fatal to many cattle. There have also been outbreaks of disease among cattle near Duquoin and Xenia, Illinois, which Dr. Paaren has been directed to investigate.

No official reports as to the disease in Iowa and Missouri have been received, though Government Veterinary inspectors are now upon the ground making their investigations. It is said that several hundred head of cattle are affected in Missouri, though this is probably an exaggeration.

There is no news regarding the disease in Maine.

Reports from Kansas say the infected herds are strictly quarantined, and that as yet no fresh outbreaks have occurred. It is proposed to annihilate the five infected herds.

Gov. Glick has convened the Legislature of Kansas in order that proper measures may be taken to protect the cattle interests of the State.

A Des Moines dispatch dated the 15th, says letters from Louisa county to the Governor in regard to the new cattle disease were read in the House, and on motion of Mr. Watrous that body adopted the substitute for the bill providing for the appointment of a State veterinary surgeon. The substitute authorizes the veterinary surgeon to destroy all stock affected with contagious disease. The bill is intended to enable the State to take action in the foot-and-mouth disease now affecting the stock. Discussion then followed upon the substitute, which was taken up section by section, and it was for the most part adopted.

The series of reported outbreaks mentioned has aroused Congress to the necessity of action. The Senate on Monday passed a joint resolution appropriating $50,000 for the suppression of the disease in whatever State or Territory it appears.

It is to be hoped that the Animal Industry bill will at once pass and become a law. The cattle dealers at the Chicago Union Stock Yards have organized a Live Stock Exchange, and the first action taken by it is to fight this bill in Congress. Emory A. Storrs, attorney for the heavy brokers, is in Washington working might and main for its defeat. He finds it uphill work, evidently, for on Monday he sent a dispatch to Nelson Morris in these words: "Send to-day a delegation of strong men; everything now depends on backing; wire me at once protest; have seen several senators this morning; advise me when delegation starts; have them stop at Riggs house."

Acting under this advice the Exchange passed the following resolutions of "unbelief."

Whereas, It is the universal sentiment of the Chicago Live Stock Exchange, at the Union Stock Yards in Chicago, that the bill now pending before Congress, known as the "Animal Industry bill," is dangerous in its design, not called for by the condition of the live stock interest in this country, and tends to place too much power in the Department of Agriculture at Washington; therefore,

Resolved, That Elmer Washburn, Allan Gregory, F. D. Bartlett, B. F. Harrison, and H. H. Conover, members of this exchange, be, and hereby are, appointed a committee, with instructions to proceed forthwith to Washington, and present these resolutions to the proper authorities to prevent the passage of said "Animal Industry bill."

Resolved, Further, that owing to the present excitement throughout the United States over the false alarm of pleuro-pneumonia and "foot-and-mouth" disease, that we, as a body, should express our views fully upon this question.

1. We do not believe there is such a disease as contagious pleuro-pneumonia existing throughout the United States.

2. We do not believe that such a disease as the foot-and-mouth disease exists in either Illinois, Iowa, or Kansas.

3. That at no time within the space of twenty years have the cattle, sheep, or hogs of this country been in as healthy a condition as at the present time; for while we are in favor of strict quarantine laws to prevent any importation of disease into this country from abroad, we believe if any disease should break out in this State, or any other State, that the citizens would be interested sufficiently to stamp it out without expense to the National Government.

While these resolutions were being discussed Dr. Detmers appeared in the hall (accidentally of course!) and gave it as his opinion that not a single case of foot-and-mouth disease existed in America to-day. But the Doctor has so often put his foot in it in his mouthings about animal diseases in the past that his beliefs or disbeliefs have little weight with the public. The Doctor is evidently "put out" because he was not called upon to visit the infected districts, for he is reported as ending his harangue by declaring he was tired of working for the Government, and offered his services to the Live Stock Exchange.

Such, in brief, is a summary of the news of the week concerning the foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in the States.