Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1908-04-30
TICK LAW
How One ASbeII Fared Who
Sought to Avoid 1t.

To the Valley News:
Although the good county of Marion
is comparatively free from the pest Of
cattle ticks, and the immense loss
which they cost, which to all the
Southern States now amounts yearly
to the enormous sum of One Hundred
Million dollars, ont of which vast loss
Tennessee's share is yearly not less
than five million, yet because the
| county is so near adjacent to tick in
fected territory, its danger to infection
from ticky cattle makes the matter Of
vital interest to all the farmers, and
cattle owners, and all the people of the
county. And because the United
States Supreme Court has Just render
ed decision, which all your readers
ought to know, | have written this
letter for publication in the News. In
word, the newspaper is the public S
eyes and ears.
Now, it has been a stout contention
that when domestic cattle are taken
from tick infected territory, whether
a whole state like Alabama, or coun-
| ty or even single farm, into now in
fected territory, without the same be-
ing inspected by competent state or
| United States inspector, and getting a
legal permit, then before the owner
can be convicted and punished under
the quarantine law it must be proven
that the cattle were infected with
Well, this was the contention of one
Asbell, of Kansas, in now famous
case just decided by the Supreme
Court of the United States, in which
that august tribunal has blown this sill
ly contention to the winds.
THE ASBELL CASE.
The facts in this case are simple,
clear and few. Asbell was indicted
for taking cattle without inspection,
and without perMit, from the tick
infected Indian Territory, now Okla
homa, into Labette County, Kansas.
He was convicted and fined $500, and
sentenced to Jail for thirty days. AS
bell took an appeal to the Supreme
Court of Kansas, but that court fully
sustained the trial court He ther
took an appeal to the Supreme Court
of the United States to test the con
stitutionality of the quarantine law Of
Kansas, on the ground that the law il
inimical to the personal liberty ant
the property rights of the citizens, anC
is an undue restriction on interstat,
commerce. The Supreme Court hell
the law was entirely constitutional
and that Asbell was justly convicted
and so he must now pay his fine of 500
and go to Jail unless he can secure ;
pardon.
The decision is one of immense i'm
portance. 1t fully vindicates tn
right of Kansas and also of Tennessee
to pass severe, stringent, and drastic
laws to secure the eradication of th
cattle ticks and. what is more, t
: have them strictly obeyed. The maj
who now tries to evade the stringen
quarantine law of Tennessee must d
, so at his own risk and peril. The tick
must go. The quarantine law will b
r strictly enforced. This season mus
end the pest and contagion, and end
, forever in Tennessee. The nuisance Q
cattle ticks must and will be abated
f and Tennessee must be lifted above tn
quarantine line to stay SO.
Ignorance and prejudice will not b
permitted to fasten nuisance on tn
E State which is yearly costing. by los
of cattle by death loss of owe
half in the price of all cattle marketed
q and by vexatious delays and fees fo
q inspection, and by a mass of othe
! ills, at least five millions of dollar
s yearly. No people are more intereste
in this matter than the citizens {
, Marion County. And in writing thi
letter | have only been
: Ringing fire bell in the night. -
Very Sincerely Yours.
A. H. PETTIBONE,
n Agent Z. 5. Dept of Agriculture