The news & observer., 1905-12-24
AHALF MILLION To
EXTERM|NATE
Federal Government Will
Cooperate.
LETTER FROM WILSON
Secretary Of National Department OF
Agriculture in Entire Sympathy
With This Important Work in
the South. North, Carolina
Ahead OF Many States.

For severa, months DR.. TAFT Butler.
State Veterinarian. has endeavored to
obtain the cooperation of the Nation
al Department of Agriculture in the
determination of the Southern cattle
tick. He has had resolutions adopted
by the North Carolina Board of Agri-
culture, the Association of CommiS-
sioners Of Agriculture of the Southern
States, the NATIONAL Farmers Con-
vention. and the North Carolina Farm
ers' Convention. and others. all these
resolutions emphasizing the impor-
tance of the determination of the
Southern cattle tick. and asking the
cooperation of the National Depart
ment OF Agriculture.
In response to letter and a copy
of the resolution adopted by the As
ISOLATION of Commissioners of Agricul-
ture of the Southern States, Hon.
James Wilson, Secretary of the Ma
tionaI Department of Agriculture.
writes in part:
This is a matter that should be
taken up, and experimentation should
be carried on. / am in entire sympa-
thy with the effort. and as fast as the
Southern States arrange for co-opera-
tion, we shall be glad to do what we
can along this line. l shall have to
consult with our Bureau of Animal
Industry people TO ascertain what
amount of money might be necessary
to begin preliminary research and de-
monstration along this line, and /
will also discuss the matter with the
committees on Agriculture of the two
Houses. 1t would be difficult for us
to advise the committees with regard
TO the amount of money necessary un-
r.1r .lNsN1l hrx1p
prosecuted to some extent. But we
are in entire sympathy with the
movement here. If it becomes evil
dent that half a million dollars will do
The work and eXterminate the tick /
do not think the Federal Government
would hesitate to appropriate the
money"
So far as North Carolina is con-
cerned there have already been prac-
teal and successful demonstrations
of tick determination, and these pre-
liminary researches and investigation
were in progreS ins this State several
years ago, conducted by Veterinarian
Butler. Eleven counties and parts of
two others in this State have been
cleared of the tick, and exempted by
the Federal Government, and the work
done here by him places DR.. Butler
among the foremost veterinarians in
this country.
DR.. Butler is a member of<the COM
mittee which was appointed at the
meeting of the Association of Commits
sioners of Agriculture of the Southern
States, and DR.. II. A. Morgan, Direc-
tor of the Tennessee Agricultural EX-
pertinent Station. is chairman of this
committee In a letter to DR.. Butler
DR.. Morgan says:
while the Secretarv's letter is de-
cidedly ecouraging. his attitude is
like that of one who is not familiar
with the work that has already been
done by you in tick eradication and
the studies that have been made on
the life history by Curtice, Francis,
Dinwiddie, Hunter and myself. Ii
seems to me that enough work has
been done and q sufficient number OF
the States are in hearty cooperation
with the Government for them TO ask
for liberal appropriations to engage IN
active work this next year, and
write to ask if you will not address q
a letter to the Secretary setting forth
the work that you have done in North
Carolina and urge that the matter be
taken up actively now. One thing cer-
tain. the Government can have active
cooperation With your State and ours
this next year, and / am certain thar
there are other States that stand
ready to cooperate in every detail.
anent this matter by various livestock
associations and sanitary boards. and
if not too much trouble. will you send
me these resolutions in order that
NAV have them mimeographde and
sent along with other resolutions &c
the members of the agricultural COM
mittees?"
At its recent session, the State Board
OF Agriculture. at the suggestion o.
DR. TAFT Butler. anticipating tne re-
quest of Secretary Wilson, adopted
the following resolution, to facilitate
Federal co-operation in tick exterml-
nation:
Resolved. That it is the sense OF
this Board that in order to facllltate
and make effective the cooperation ol
the Federal Bureau of Animal lndus'
try in tick determination work IN TINS
State. the Commissioner of Agricui-
ture should. in his discretion. appoint
and commission all Federal inspectors
engaged in said tick extermlnauoi
work in this State as State inspectors
with all powers and authority OF oth'
er State inspectors, but without pay
from this Board"
A great many months ago the State
Board of Agriculture passed the fol
lowing resolution. which was offered
by State Veterinarian Butler:
"WnereaS, the E6Q0fals Government
in the exercise of its duties in pro-
tecting and fostering the livestock in
dustry of the nation has expende1
large sums IF public money in tie
control and eradication of contagious
pleuro- pneumonia from the Northern
States.
''Whereas. more recently it has ex-
pended largely from the national
funds in stamping out Foot and Mouth
Diseases in New England and
"Whereas, Texas or Tick fever. the
Southern cattle tick and the Federal
ouarantine restrictions cause much
larger losses to Southern cattiemef
than the diseases above named ever
caused the Northern States.
Whereas. the cattle feVer tlck
the greatest obstacle to the develop
ment of the cattle industry OF th'
South. and
"Whereas. the cattle tick is an eas
jly exterminable pest as demonstrate =,
- h; IlnafsA during tlt