Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1876-01-13
Does 1t Pay.


was brought into competition. All over
the Cumberland mountains, embracing
about one half the entir. area of the
state, grass grows knce,high. afTordng
tree feed for sheep nine or ten months in
the year. Sheep can be wintered here
at ten cents head, whereas in Michigan
1t costs not less than one dollar n head
This of itself is a dlerrence worth taking
into consideration. Yet millions Of dol.
lars in cash are annually carried into
Michigan, paid out for wool, ard scatter,
ed among the thrifty population, making
them richer every year las their tax da.
pIlcate annually shows, while in Ten
nessee not OnO.sixth enough wool is raised
for home consumption! Money is annu.
ally drained from this State to buy
wooIer clothing for the population, aud
money. too that pever comes back, for
there is nothing to bring it. The in.
crease in wealth in Michigan in one year
IS more than it is in Tennessee in eight
years. And in Massachusetts the in.
crease in wealth in five Gears is more
hin all Time see is w,r h. Th / is, the
people of Massachusc It's actually earn
and save more in five years than all ToL-
1esSee would bring, if sold at u fair valu-
alton. Notwithstanding that last year
vas hard year, the Increase OF valuation
ot property in Massachusetts on the tax
books was slXty>eight millions of dollars,
and 1t is doubtful if Tennessee this year
Will show one huudredth of this sum.
I0deed, from the tax duplicates already
sent IN to the Comptroller from thirty
'ouatles, there is an actual falling of of
about 100000 from last year. But in
these thirty counties tbere are over TO-
OVo dogs, or about three dogs to every
Two men. What is lacking in wealth is
made up ndogs. To say nothing of the
sheep these dogs kill, ard the alpost
complete annihlation of the wool busi>
aesS in general which they cause, in ad
d'tion to all this, they actually consume
enough to fatten hogs for home consnmp,
ton. In Massachusetts the "fwilr' from
the kitchen, embracing the refuse from
the table, (Which, in Tennessee, is thrown
to the dogs, iattenS suiliciency of pork
tor home consumption. Yet the waste
rom the table here is largely mole than
there, for here hot b.cad three times a
day is the rule, and whatever is over
goes to the dogs.
Not long ago l met farmer who had
moved from Michigan and settled in
Middle Tennessee. OF course he wanted
to raise sheep, for a Michigan farmer
takes to that as naturally as q duck takes
to water. He told me that he was de,
lighted with the prospect-dogs excepted.
lie told me he had wintercd his sheen
here at cost Of ten cents per head,
while in Michigan it cost him one dollar.
But grea ter advantage still was that he
never lost young lamb here from cold
whereas in winter the lsos in Michigan
was large. Lambs dropped in Tennessee
even in mid-Winter, were healthy and
thrifty, and grew like pigs, whereas in
Michigan the chances wero against the
tender newcomers, at that time cf year,
being able to survive.
But all these advantages were vel
nigh neutralized by the hordes of uses
less dogs which roamcd over the country
catching sheep as cats catch mice. This
man was wrought up to the poikt of de,
manaing dog tax Of twenty-five dollars
head.
1t is sadly significant fact that every
one of the thirty counties from every
division of the State) the returns from
which lave been sent m contain more
dogs than men. There is not an excep
tion. When oil the duplicates are made
out, it is possible that not county in the
State bnt what will show o greater nuns
Der of dogs than men.
Is not this positively discouraging?
Can people, supporting such numbers
of non producing animals ever attain
wealth. A sheep is a producer; every
one is an item OF wealth, every pound of
wool zen. out of the State brings cash
quickly in return. But dog produces
nothing; be is consumer, a non.prc.
ducer, tax upon labor, an unmitipated
curse, and where they exist in numbers
they are sure indication of the poverty
Of the Population. On the other hand
sheep are an emblem of civilization.
thrift. wealth. Where you find them in
great numbers you find wealth, industry.
comfort, intelligence. thrift. Whore dogs