The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-11-25
THE TEXAS CATTLE pIsEAsE.

About the last of July, there appeared
among the cattle in Champaign, Macon aud
Sangamou counties, in this state a fatal
malady, which was known as the Texas or
Spanish fever. Great alarm and conster-
nation prevailed among the stock dealers of
the state, and thorough investigation, made
by men acquainted with the history, habits
and diseases Of cattle in the West, and ca.
pable Of giving a reliable report upon the
subject, seemed desirable. Accordingly on
the 9Th Of August James n. Brown aud
Dr. II. c. Johns, we're requested by Mr.
John P. Reynolds, secretary Of our state
agricultural society, to enter Immediately
upon the investigation of the disease. We
have received a pamphlet copy Of their re-
port but, Of course cannot find room for its
lengthy details. The commissioners say:
On entering upon the duties Of this nvestiga-
ton, three important points seemed TO claim our
attention; lst--Tho health of the Texas cattle
at homo, and after their arrival on the farms in
this state 2d-The history of the malady which
affects native cattle that follow and Craze on the
trail Of the Texas herds ard, 3t-The immedi-
ate causes operating to produce the disease.
The commissioners visited Kansas, Mis-
souri,, and all places in this state where the
disease had appeared, and after the most
careful examination, and detailed state.
ments of facts aud observations, come to
tho fn1Iowiuv cnrclrsinus.
/. The isolation of native stock from Texas
herds, is impcratiyely demanded during the hot
summer months
2 That one days contract, or the crossing of
the trail of the Texas herds by native cattle,
does not infect the native stock, but continuous
contact and yruziny after them is necessary to
produce the disease.
s. That native cattle do not contract the d.
eease by being fed VIII Texans in dry lots
!. That the disease is not disseminated by
Texas cattle that have been wintcred in Arksn-
sas Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, or Iowa, nor has
the disease been known to prevail after the au-
tumnal rains and irOsts.
The closing page Of the report is as fol.
lows
This question of trade in Texas cattle is
one of vast Importance not only to Illinois,
but to the whole country. Texas wants
market for her untold thousands Of cattle
Nebraska and Kansas want this stock to
craze their millions of acres Of rich native
grasses Missouri and Iowa want them to
craze on their rich prairios aud give them
market for their surplus corn Illinois needs
them to fill up her pastures and consume
her millions of acres Of corn, and thus give
prosperity and wealth to her people. Our
eastern cities and manufacturing towns
need cheaper beef to enable them to furnish
US the products of their industry at lower
prices, Can Illinois, without danger to her
native stock, receive and feed the applicants
for our surplus corn and pastures? We
think she can. Illinois, by her geographi.
cal position, is the great artery through
which this vast trade must be distributed to
the various markets east of u.s. Any har5h |
and hasty legislation, restricting free inter
course and trade between the states, would |
be injurious to Illinois and prciudicial to |
the whole country. And this leads US to the |
next question for serious consideration.
What sanitary regulations will secure Us iu
demnity from this fatal plague, and yet per.
NIT importation from the vast herds If Tex
as of stock to consume our surplus products |
The first suggestion is naturally, the entire |
isolation of our native cattle The questions
OF domestic and political economy, arising
out of this suggestion, as to whether the |
farmer shall keep his home stock in his own
farm Enclosure. and leave the public high.
ways for the Legitimate travel and traffic of
the country or whether the highways shall |
be the grazing ground for stock owned by |
ulA bD II, :
the tratBc, are questions we leave for the
proper authorities to decide.
That proper sanitary laws should be pass.
ed and rigidly enforced, no correct thinking
man will deny. Our present prohibtory law |
has, up to this time, been dead letter on
our statute books, and had it been enforced |
to the letter, would have given vast profits to |
few land proved disastrous to the cattle |
trade by sending beef to ruinous prices. |
Let our next state legislature SO modify this |
law as to leave trade in cattle unrestricted |
from October LIST to NAV LIST. Allow no |
Texas cattle TO be brought into the state In |
be grazed or fed from May lst to October
LIST; and to insure against the violation of |
this law, make Quincy, East St, Louis and |
Cairo, ports of entry, through which Texas |
cattle may be introduced and provide for
an inspector at each of these ports. with |
power to enforce the law against any who |
should attempt to evade or violate it, II |
such law should be passed by our legisla,
ture this winter, Texas dealers would drive
their stock to Kansas and Nebraska, where |
there is boundess range, and hold them
until frost, when our shippers, packers
graziers and feeders could in safety intro
duee them to all parts of the country.
We close this report, believing this board |
to be fully impressed with the vast import |
snce of this branch Of the agricultural |
interests OF the country, and that they, in