The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-04-11
RATS.

hAIS.
Missouri is an empire state, of large area
and vast resources. Her mineral wealth is
exhaustless, her iron is piled up in noun
tains, her rivers are the largest and
her forests and fields are the most ex-
tensive and inviting of the ssterhood
Among her cities she numbers the
Future Great" Her people are enterpris-
ing and farseeing, and eminently capable of
approaching the boundless wealth which
lies within their reach and invites them
to put forth their largest energies
The. lawmakers of Missouri have
been in legislature assembled for
several weeks, and under their new
constitution and governor have doubtless
considered well the wants of the common
wealth. Debt and taxation have not
escaped attention. Crime and criminals
have been discussed. Grasshopper raids
have been subjected to standing and special
committee investigation. New departures
have been mapped out. and new theories
advanced, but we venture the assertion that
the Rat law. from a financial point of view,
will be regarded as the most important
statute of the Missouri code. The legis-
lature has made a dead rat worth
five cents to the person who
kills it. We are not aware of
any reliable statistics in regard to the
rat crop of Missouri The state includes an
area of IS, $50 square miles, and with a soil
and climate favorable for the production
and growth of rats the presumption is that
the rodents are numerous throughout the
entire state. Taking into consideration the
cities, towns and villages of Missouri we
conclude that il is safe to estimate an aver
age of 100000 rats to the square mile,
which would give 81, 1850, OO0, 900 as the pres
ent rat population of the state This crop,
at five cents head, would amount to the
neat little sum of S., 265, SOC, 900. This sum
total looks large, and the estimate may
be excessive and therefore may BE reduced
seventy-five per cent, and then we have as
the value of the present rat crop OF Missouri,
at five cents head, $Sl6 S75, O00 There may
be those who understand the subjet better
who will place the crop at still lower figures,
since it is hardly to be supposed that Mis-
souri, has determined to exhaust her re-
sources for the purpose of killing her rats.
But admitting there are 1000 instead of
100000 rats TO the square mile, the out
lay, if the rats can be killed, would amount
TO So 267 900, and few will doubt the
proposition that if not more than one
half are killed during any one year
the stock on hand will never be
reduced below 80, 675. 900 rats Here then.
is an opening for an entirely new branch of
industry We conclude from what we
know of the law, that young rat is valu-
able to the slayer as an old one, and hence
growing rats for market might be made
more profitable than a moonshine distillery.
The importation of rats to Missouri is likely
to be profitable in future. Illinois, Iowa
Arkansas. Kansas and the Indian Territory
could annually smuggle in few Millions
draw their pay and skip out without detec
ton, unless the authorities have some meth
cd of determining the question OF nationality.
If other states find that Missouri
increases her wealth by the expenditure of a
few millions annually for the destruction OF
rats, and conclude to adopt her policy, the
business will assume magnitude vastly in
excess of anything that commands the
attention of the bureau of statis-
tics, and the rat crop will be
a matter of quite as much solicitude as the
cattle, hog or cotton crop. Inventors will
devise new methods for catching the old
rats and there will be more solicitude in
regard to the supply. II Missouri can pay
FIVE cents head for dead rats, we see no
reason why other states may not do the same,
and the effect upon financial affairs is emf
nently worthy of the consideration of George
Francis Train.