The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1895-01-05
RUSSIAN CACTUS HORROR.

W." WV o'hh ~ " WV
pen Of DR.. J.. $. ellis in u late nuu4be. Of
tho Fargo Argus. Il is now plain % be
seen how fatal for the best interests Of
ON St"tu. .hat Senator lIansb-uugh's cas-
tus bill was defeated last summer. The
press Of the State with one very lonely
exception, and most Of our wide awake
citizens were i'll full sympathy with the
untiring efforts of the Senator to save
his constituents and the State from a
great calamity.
The Russian post IN its terrible reality
is fast closing upon us. On the upper Bis
marck road arc already dark and forbid
ding lines of them growing along the
highway. They have them in Morton
and Wells counties and plenty will without
doubt be found in Mclean county and
then our real struggle for existence will
commence. But here We sublnit DR.. Ellis
communications:
The invitations of the Argus to contri-
butte articles on the living issues likely to
ccme before the coming Legislature of our
state prom pts me to suggests few thoughts
III the Russian cactus. That it is n very
present living issue needs not to be urged
now. Already the vauguards Of the com
ing hosts ere found. rs far north lis the
Northern Pacific road and in many places
have crossed it. Usually people not
knowing the pest allow. 1t to grow until
thoroughly entrenched ON their lands. The
enormous interest it is 10 the entire state
urges soIne measures, If such there are, to
combat the inroads aud progress of the
plague. We have the unquestionab!e
authority of Senator Hansbrough that
vast regions Ill Russia are depopulated
by this thistle We know it has driven
out Il large number of farmers in South
Dakota and lis pressing its %unimpeded IN
roads, extlnguishing the value of farms
and defeating the bravest fighters for
possession Of the country. According to
Il report published by the department of
agric llture. there were Il year ago $500
square miles of the western country more
or less covered bv tho Russion thistle"
"Tl'rouShout $4,000 square miles it is
very troublesome and is causing a large
a'noun of damage This report should
be III the hands of cvory farmer in North
Dakota. No expense can wisely he spared
to defend ourselves ffom this advancing
sconrge. Our farms Immediately begin
to decrease III value as it comes and they
will become unsaleabIe. Now. in medi-
cine. what will cure the patients is the
absorbing question. and here, what can
We To to defend ourselves? Is it practic-
abs to fence along the south line of Cass
and Barnes counties n" suggested: Ac.
cHrdirg to reports the enormous tu,nbler
would pile up and bound Over any height
of fence, md then what could be done at
the roads? Keep a gatekeeper at every
sectional road: What could he done with
this device along railroads? Flag the
trains and hold the thistles? l believe all
money spent i'll this direction would be
lost. for already it is beyond such barriers
Can the destruction be accomplished by
legislative enactmentss such as are now in
force regarding the farcial attempts to
suppress wild mustard? Notwithstanding
the ample laws and powers of our ro,d
fields are yellow with mustard
over the country. The average appointee
of local boards liz either Indifferent or in
COW potent. perhaps both. What should
he do with this more insidious, more ag-
gressive and tenfold more damaging in
Ordinary laws in this direction are
too tame to meet the emergency.
l believe the demand is for something
as forciful and stringent us martial Inv.
and 1 fear the pest will go OH d. vastating
marvellous west till our national gov
lnent sees the peril. and puts the whole
under scmi-military discipline. 1
think our legislature should work OH this
line. perhaps authorizing the governor to
appoint commissioners in every county.
who shall appoint a corpse of men to
patrol the county and compel farmers to
the thistle; destroy it on non-resi-
dent lands. summarily arrest all delin-
1uents after adequate notice. and thus
the woIk thoroughly no matter how
srea6 the needed price.
AL! appurtinances should be under state
authority and all expense met by the
Disaster will follow half way meas
8. We all vote the question as urgent
I raslize what cun be do le by the indlvid-
lnl in defending his W premises, but
he impeding colamity is common. All
Ire involved and must make q community
If defense. II in the attention of our
salons Russian thistle should over
reeubmission and the latter be
indefinitely the people of
North Dakota will be gratiied in that
me living issue is earnestly met,