Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-01-20


II VIEW Of che tact that the subject OF the
enactment of a law to prevent the driving Of
diseased animals into the Territory is being
agitated at the capital. it may not be amiss
to make II brief reference TO the probable
result of such an i'll advised measure.
1t seems to those who are in the stock bus
mess, that the importation Of stock which Is
calculated TO spread disease among their
herds and locks is an injury, and should be
punishable by law. but, by examining into
the matter, we find that there is but one class
of stock being driven into the Territory, at
present. that is liable to be diseased-that
is sheep. And when we consider the vast
~sheep-growing facilities of our country the
extreme healthfulness of our climate; the
ease with which all diseases common to them
in other countries, are cured; the increasing
demand for this kind Of stock; their great
value as a source of revenue to our Territory,
there is but one conclusion that we can come
to, and that is this: The enactment of any
law that would, in any way, prevent such
stock from being driven into the Territory,
thereby crippling one of our most important
branches Of industry, should not be counte-
nanced for one moment, by any one who has
the good OF our Territory at heart. About
the only disease confined to sheep that have
been driven in up to the present time, is
scab, which, though it seems to strike terror
to the hearts Of the inexperienced, is a mat
ter of small consequence to men who have
been engaged in the business for any length
Of time. The ease with which it can be
cured in this country, dispels all its terrors.
That it can be cured, and that, too, at q tri-
fling expenditure Of time and money, even
In its worst form, has already been practi-
cally demonstrated, and we see no necessity
for legislation on the subject.
This is a broad country. There are mil
lions of acres of range peculiarly adapted to
sheep-growing, and the sooner the fact is
made known the sooner it is utilized, the
better it is for the general welfare of the
people. California and Oregon have hun
dreds of thousands of sheep their pasture
Is in a measure exhausted, and they must
look in this direction for relief; for feed for
a home. Then let us not close our doors
against this vast source Of wealth, for scab
universally prevails among the flocks in
these States, and the enactment of q law to
prevent their being brought here, when the
disease can be readily cured, would be a
mistake. There is no necessity for the flocks
already here, becoming infected with the
malady, as there is such an extent of coun-
try u~noccupied, and no necessity for herd
ing upon or near public highways Travelled
by these newly arrived focks.
We are satisfied that a policy so suicidal
in its nature, and calculated only to benefit
lucky few who are at present in the bust
ness, will never be adopted by so wise and
intelligent an Assembly. Upon the other
hand, let them adopt means to spread the
facts relative to our stock-growing adVan-
tages far and near, and encourage immigra-
ton, and importation of everything calcu-
lated to build up our Territory and increase
the valuation of our property.
EDITORIAL Observation-Disclosures.