From: "Basil R. Eastwood" <BEASTWOOD@cite.esusda.gov>
Organization: Extension Service, USDA
To: ALAMAR@ESUSDA.GOV, GWEBER@ESUSDA.GOV, RREYNNELLS@ESUSDA.GOV,
VJENNINGS@ESUSDA.GOV, ADYE@ESUSDA.GOV
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 1993 08:02:31 EST
Subject: historical note related to BST
Reply-To: beastwood@esusda.gov
Priority: normal
X-Mailer: PMail v3.0 (R1a)
FOLKS:
Thought you might be interested in the following 'historical note'
which appeared on Dairy-L. Agnes, the SANET group may be interested
in this. I appreciate the SANET messages you have forwarded to me. -
BASIL
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------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
Date sent: Tue, 7 Dec 1993 15:31:55 LCL
Send reply to: wlazarus@mes.umn.edu
From: Bill Lazarus <lazarus!bill@TINMAN.MES.UMN.EDU>
Subject: historical note related to BST
Originally to: dairy-l@umdd.umd.edu
To: Multiple recipients of list DAIRY-L <DAIRY-L@UMDD.UMD.EDU>
I've been enjoying the recent DAIRY-L exchanges concerning BST. A retired
member of my department, Burt Sundquist, who has devoted much of his career
to technology assessment and analysis of agricultural research policy,
found something in his files which might be of interest to DAIRY-L readers.
Unfortunately he has lost the original reference. He is sure it is
authentic and is probably from an old textbook on the history of
technology. He just circulated the following memo to members of the
department (Ag and Applied Economics, U of Minnesota):
Some of the recent lobbying activities relative to biotechnology (for
example, bovine growth hormone) and trade policy (particularly NAFTA)
remind me a bit of the lobbying done in 1829 by then New York State
Governor, Martin Van Buren, to Andrew Jackson, then President of the U.S.
Bear in mind that the Erie Canal had opened in 1825. I quote from Van
Buren's letter to Jackson:
"The canal system of this country is being threatened by the
spread of a new form of transportation known as "railroads".
The federal government must preserve the canals for the following
reasons:
"One - if canal boats are supplanted by "railroads", serious
unemployment will result. Captains, cooks, drivers, repairmen,
and lock tenders will be left without means of livelihood, not to
mention the numerous farmers now employed in growing hay for
horses.
"Two - boat builders would suffer, and towline, whip and
harness makers would be left destitute.
"Three - canal boats are absolutely essential to the
defense of the United States. In the event of expected
trouble in England, the Erie Canal would be the only means
by which we could ever move the supplies so vital to waging
modern war.
"For the above mentioned reasons, the Government should
create an Interstate Commerce Commission to protect the American
people from the evils of "railroads" and to preserve the canals
for posterity. As you may well know, Mr. President, "railroad"
carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour
by things called "engines", which in addition to endangering life
and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the
countryside, setting fire to the crops, scaring the livestock and
frightening women and children. The almighty certainly never
intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed."
Maybe things haven't changed all that much in 150 years!
========================================================
Bill Lazarus
Extension Economist
U of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55108
(612)625-8150
wlazarus@mes.umn.edu
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BASIL R. EASTWOOD USDA-Ext. Service Ph. (202) 720-6486
Prog. Leader-Dairy 3334 South Bldg. Fax (202) 720-7714
Washington DC 20250 BEASTWOOD@ESUSDA.GOV
===================================================================
-- Agnes Lamar PHONE: 202/720-2420 Office Management Assistant USDA-Extension Service/Agriculture FAX: 202/720-4924 Room 3851-South Bldg Washington, DC 20250-0900 E-MAIL: alamar@esusda.gov