The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1908-08-06
and be obeyed, while the ticks STAY.
When they are stampeded out, it will end
the quarantine.
LOCAL APPLICATION.

W
When they are Stampeded out, it will end
the quarantine
LOCAL APPLICATION.
But how does all of thia interest and
concern the state of Mississippi, situated
as 1t is, not only in the great cotton belt.
but also In the very heart of the great
corn belt, with its limtless capacity to
eheaply produce and furnish an unlimited
supply of all cattle food and forage, with
its short winters and ever genial Climate.
with its easy and cheap shipping facilities.
with its needs growing more imperative
every day of a varied agriculture, with its
2 900, 900 head of horned cattle by the u.
S. census, which could be made .ooo.-
900, with the price Of meat now high in
all the great markets, and the certainty
of its continually advancing price as the
demand must continually grow, all these
favoring circumstances make il certain
that Mississippi will become as itnow
ought to be, one of the very best cattle
raising states in all America! But Miss
issippl as state is badly tick infected.
and as a sure result all Mississippi cattle
are now under suspicion and under the
ban In all the great cattle markets. The
entire state is below the United States
quarantine line, and below that of Ten
nessee. 1t terribly needs to have that
quarantine lifted by the stamping out of
the ticks.
LOSSES BY THE TICKS.
Just pile up together and add I'D the
loss and useless waste which is alone
caused by the contagion. A great manv
cattle-a very great many in the apqrc-
gate-do each year lie down and die of
this pestilence whether the owners realize
It or not. And this is surely very dead
lossl A much greater number, which do
not actually die, are so poisoned and stun.
ted as to be rendered Of little or no value.
They can't be fattened, and their meat is
well niga worthless. And one dire result
IS the fair herds Of the state are being re-
duced to a race of scrubs and runts.
And there is the loss of milk and butter
from thousands OF cowS-both in quantity
and quality. Then there are the fees, and
cost OF quarantine, in higher rates CT
shipment. and score of other costs, and
the vexatious and costly delays of quar-
antine-and the great discouragements of
the cattle industry. These losses on the
whole are enormous! But one great loss
the dullest mind must see and understand,
and that is the very great shrinkage in
the sale price of all cattle marketed. All
Mississippi cattle which are shipped to
market must run the gauntlet of the quar-
anime which has. a firm grip on all rail-
ways and steamboats,. Once gotten there
they are met by local quarantine laws and
can only be sold for immediate slaughter.
And the sure result Is they must be sold
at a dead loss of one half, and will only
bring from 40 to SO per cent of what they
might and would bring if it only were not
for the ticks, Put the whole loss on each
of her two million head of cattle at only
s.. per head and the total yearly loss due
to ticks Is for Mississippi the sum of $Eo,-
ooo, 900.
Surely, here is reason for the interest
and concern of all the people about Bran
don, and all the citizens of your great
state. Now, what is to be done? what
most is wanted? And the answer is to
rouse tine people from their cold indiffer-
enoe. This letter, with its facts and fig
ures, has been written for that end. IN
telligeut men have been on this subject
utterly indifferent because the facts have
not been strongly and bluntly told them.
Let the .publk opinion be aroused. Mr.
Editor, the press makes public opinion.
Public opinion is king. Will not the
Brandon News aid me in rousing its read
ers, and let US all set public opinion at
work, and together stamp out the Cattle
tioksl am yours truly,
A. D. PETTIBONE,
IL. s. Dept. of Agriculture.