The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1904-08-10
Beware or the Boil Weevil.

|
ports the boil weevil is spreading at
the rate of two hundred and fifty
miles a year in Texas, and unless some
sort Of precautions are taken to pre-.
vent the introduction Of this pest it is
sure to make its appearance in South
Carolina. if, indeed. it has not already
done SO. Several days ego Mr. j. J..
Lawton, of Hartsville, S. c., wgote to
Gov. Hayward requesting information
as to what steps, il any, have been
taken or would be taken to prevent
"the importation into South Carolina
the coming fall and winter Of Texas
oats. A great many oats are planted
in this State that are imported from
Texas" and it has been pretty we'll
established, we believe, that Texas
oats is very good medium for the
transmission Of the Texas boil weevil.
Unless there shall be am pie protection
against this source Of infection, it as
certain as anything can be that the
cotton crop pest which has proved so
destructive in Texas will rayagc the
cotton fields Of South Carolina also.
In reply to Mr.. Lawton's letter Mr..
j. Il. Normept, Private Secretary,
wrote as follows in the absence Of Gov.
Hayward
II am advised that the statue pass.
ed at the last session OF the Legisla-
ture prohibits the importation of oats
coming from points in Texas affected
by the cotton boil weevil. This pro-
hibition is absolute in terms, but it
leaves the material question 90 to
what points are 30 affected to be de.
termiued by the jury trying o case
brought for the prosecution of any
person charged with violating the Act.
In order to convict in such cases. I
am also advised by the Attorney GEN
eral that it would be necessary to
prove what point the oats came from;
second, that such point was affected
by the cotton boil weevil. Hearsay
evidence and Government reports
would not be admissible to prove these
facts, and they would have to be prov
ed by witnesses brought from Texas in
order to testify before magistrate.
This renders the Act practically inop
erative and not enforceable in this
State, as there is no process that
could compel tie necessary witnesses
to come from Texas in order to testify,
and the expense of bringing them
would be 80 considerable it is doubtful
if any county would care to incur it.
There is no State fund for the pay
ment of such expenses, and no State
| officials specially charged with the en-
forcement Of the law"
Here 3 pretty how-de.do Here 8
state of things |" If the Act pass
ed by the Legislature at its last ses-
sion ''is practically imperative and is
not enforceable in this State," why
was it passed, and why was it approx
ed by the Governor after it was pass
ed? The danger to the agricultural
interests Of the State is imminent, and
having failed to advise the General
Assembly as TO the wholly inadequate
means Of protection provided in the
boll weevil Act it is particularly the
duty of the Governor to guard against
the introduction of the boil weevil in
to South Carolina through the impor-
tstion OF Texas oats, or by any other
means Dhntsoever.
Probably the Governor might be
able to employ the dispensary con-
stables in the special work of guard
ing tho State against the importation
of Texas oats in sheaf or grain just as
we are sure these functionaries would
be employed to protect the State of
South Carolina against the importa-
tion of Texas grains in its liquid form.
IF yellow fever or cholera or bubouic
plague OF smallpox should break out
in Texas it would be incumbent upon
the authorities in this State with or
without any special statute defining
their special duties in such case. to
! provide against the introduction Of
any Of these plaques into South Car.
olina. The Texas boil weevil is as
destructive to the se.ton crop as the
Texas yellow fever or small pox or
bubonio plague would be TO human
kind, and we are SIRE that the General
Assembly would sustain the Governor
in any extraordinary efforts he might
make to prevent the production Of
the boil weevil into this State. News