Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-01-18

to their attention. a disease that has
doubtless been the cause of more loss
than all other diseases combined in the
section of the country in which it is 80
prevalent as it is in southwestern Kan
sas and the Territory, where the coun-
try is one vast herd of cattle, and which
are liable to become infected with Tex
or southern Arkansas cattle, if allowed
to be driven or shipped in during the
year, except during the months of No
vember, December, January or Febru-
airy. The state Board of Agriculture of
Kansas met in Topeka January 10th,
and in view Of the steps being taken by
the commute selected at Chicago, and
the prospects of the introduction of a
bill to prevent the spread Of contagion
as well as the introduction of cattle Ii
able to spread disease in any state, pass
ed suitable resolutions asking our men,
bers in congress to favor such legisla-
tion as will protect the cattle interests
of Kansas against disease, either pleu-
Va CB1lllon ACNCAs vi
lowing are the resolutions:
Resolved, That our members of con-
gress be, and they are hereby respectful
ly requested to favor such legislation as
may be necessary to determine and
clearly define the territory in the Unit
ed States infected with the the disease
among cattle known as pleuro-pneumo-
MIA, and circumscribe and stamp out
this much dreaded disease in this coun-
try by the purchase, if necessary, at the
expense of the government, and the
slaughter of animals infected with the
disease or known to have been exposed
thereto; and be it further
Resolved. That our members in con-
gress be also requested to introduce, if
necessary, and urge the passage by that
body of such laws as will prevent the
importation into any state of cattle
from ether states and Territories in
which the infectious disease known as
Texas or Spanish fever is indigenous
except during the months in which the
spread of said disease is not liable to
occur, to-wit, November, December,
January, February and March,"
The disease known as Texas or Span
ish fever has caused great loss to own
ers of herds of cattle in Kansas, and it
has been our opinion all the while that
we must have national law to protect
us against this class Of cattle. Our cit
liens, as we'll as the stockmen of the
Territory south and west of us should
join in urging the passage of national
law for protection against this particu-
lar class of cattle at certain seasons of
the year entering our grazing country.
Experience both in Missouri and Kan
sas has taught us that state law does
not protect us if it is even constitution
al. So many men entertain different
opinions upon the subject that the first
thing we know herd of cattle liable to
spread the disease is driven in and the
owners are ready to test the constitu-
tionality of the law. Cattle that Craze
across the route taken by the herd, or in
any manner come in contact with them
begin to die; complaint is made, the
cattle are attached and the matter is in
the courts, and as in the case of the
Boyd cattle, the county must take
charge of the cattle and hold them at its
expense. Suit after suit follows, and
after years of litigation the owner of
the herd finds himself poor man, the
county has paid enough costs to have
bought the herdHnd still the matter is
in the courts with no definite decision
on the law.
The Boyd herd was shipped to Harper
in the month of April and driven into
this county, and reliable witnesses say
all herds of native cattle coming in con-
tact with them were more or less
diseased. Some 1 500 head altogether,
died, worth in round numbers S45, 900.
The parties who lost the cattle employ
ed lawyers to prosecute the case and
have paid out considerable money be-
sides their time in the prosecution of
the suit. The county has paid some
81 500 in costs, the cattle have passed
into the hands Of receiver and have
been sold. All parties in any way con-
nected with the case have suffered loss
because of the uncertainty of the law.
Other counties in the state are not af'
fected as the extreme southern and
southwestern counties, and it is our
opinion that while congress is passing a
law for the protection of native cattle
against cattle driven or shipped in, if
the proper action and interest is taken
repetition of the Boyd business will
in the future be avoided; while if we
sit still and take no particular interest
in the matter we need not be sur
prised If law should be passed for the
benefit of sections of the country liable
to pleuro-pneumonia. and those affect
ed by Texas or Spanish fever be neg
lected. This latter is singular disease
and only persons who have had years Of
actual observation and experience can
form an idea of its many phases, and
the amount of loss occasloned by the
neglect of the passage of alaw for the
prevention Of driving in cattle subject
to spread the fever.
A bill has been prepared by the ma
tional committee of stockmen, men,