The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-02-06
CATTLE.

superiority Vi AAOAldId
ranges is practically admitted by stock
men when stock cattle. are driven and
shipped into the territory from all parts
OF the country, as has been the case this
last season and promises to be the same
this coming summer. But this impOr-
tation Of cattle to fill up u ranges is
fraught with a serious danger to the
cattle interest which we do not think
is fully realized by those whose entire
fortunes would be swept away with their
herds of cattle. This disease (pleuro-
pleumonia) which has been thinning
out the cattle herds Of the east the past
few years, is especially liable to be
brought here by the fine stock shipped
from the more eastern states, as there its
ravages have been the worst. The com
mittee on agriculture has reported to
the house of representatives at Wash
ington a bill providing for the medical
inspection of cattle which are shipped
from n section Of the country. where
the disease is known to exist" to an
other. This would be a wise provision,
for checking the spreading of the fatal
congress will take prompt and effective
action in the premises.
But while the national authorities are
at work on this matter it would seem as
though our cattle men, on the principle
Of self-preservation, should see to it that
laws are enacted in this territory to pre-
vent the introduction of this highly
contagious disease. OF course all will
say that there will be plenty Of time to
talk this matter up When the danger
gets nearer than it is at present, but
there is nothing like taking time by the
forelock. The sheep men of the terri
tory succeeded in getting a scab law,
but not until a loss of several hundred
thousand dollars had been sustained by
the ravages of scab. 1t is human ma
ture not to cry before you are hurt, and
we expect nothing will be done by our
cattle men to bar out this disease until
it commences to thin out their herds.
In a letter DR.. d. Salmon. veterinary
surgeon of the department of agricul-
ture, points out the danger which west
ern cattle are exposed to. These in
fected districts" he says, though small,
are a real danger to the whole country,
because all the way from Connecticut to
Virginia there is a large and increasing
number Of thoroughbred cattle, which
are frequently shipped west, and some
of which have, from time to time, been
infected with this disease. With in
creased price, cattle in large numbers
are being shipped from the east west,
and the danger Of carrying disease is
consequently increasing. / have been
informed that, a few months after the
Connecticut outbreak occurred, one or
two more or less infected herds were
sent, according to contract, to a western
state. While it is true that pleuro-
pneumonia has existed in the east for
forty years without having been carried
west, it must be admitted, from what
has occurred SO many times in Pennsyl-
vania and Connecticut, that there must
be danger, and this danger increases
with the larger number of cattle now
being shipped ia that direction. Though
a number Of attempts have been made
in states now injected to rid themselves
of pleuro-pneumonia, those have geneT-
ally or always failed, because for various
reasons the work is not thoroughly done.
At best, the attempts of states are spas
modic, and while n is earnestly striv-
ing to accomplish something the neigh
boring one allows the shipment of dis
eased cattle, thus counteracting the
influence of the former. Lack Of united
action between states has prevented a.ny
lasting benefit. even when much has
been accomplished"