The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1909-08-20
The Sheep-Killing Dog.

Mining uOS ID Ille ONeTSeeT Ol Jne OUnel
mans farm. Says the New Orleans
States:
Lately there has been some talk
about revival of the sheep-raising in
dustry in certain sections of Louisiana
and Mississippi which are splendidly
adapted to the purpose, but before any
effort is made or money invested it is
well to confer with those who have at
tempted the growing of sheep in the
sections mentioned. If this be done it
will be learned that the growing of large
and valuable herds of sheep is impos-
slble so long as the yellow dog, with his
inevitable mango and insatiate appetite
for the frisky little lamb is permitted to
remain as an untaxed and cherished
part of the body polite. This has been
the experience of number of enter
prising citizens who have sunk much
money in hopeless attempts to become
wool growers in the Florida parishes of
this State, and the same experience has
been encountered in all of the Southern
States that suffer from the yellow dog
atfliction.
We are told by the medical sharps,
who occasionally journey down from
Washington for the benefcent purpose
of enlightening us, that because of ma
laria, hookworm, pallagra and other
diseases peculiar to the cline, the South
is losing hundreds of millions of dollars
every year. While the information is
somewhat distressing, the South would
welcome all these ills with open arms
and advance in prosperity by tremen-
dous leaps and bounds if it could get
rid of its prolific breed of yellow dogs.
There are in Louisiana, Mississippi
and other States as far north as Vir-
ginia lands which for sheep-grazing
purposes cannot be excelled anywhere,
and could be made to add enormously
to the wealth of this section of the
country were it not for the yellow dogs
and class of people who value them
highly as family possessions. These
dogs can be found in varying numbers
at every home in the rural regions. |
They produce nothing except heas in
abundant quantities, repulsive sores
and highly offensive smells, but they
are large consumers of fresh mutton
and veal which they seek on nightly
prowls.
What they cost this State each year
IN dollars and cents would be startling
+ the figures were collected and the
otal published, but nevertheless they
ire idols in a thousand households;
heir worthless tribe never ceases to in
,rease, yet experience here in Louis ;
ana has demonstrated that any propo-
ition to rid the State of their presence
" means of taxation or otherwise is {
to inviting a civil war or l
reat popular upheaval from which the {
ountry politicians shrink in terror So
is impossible to escape the conclusion S
hat the yellow and malodorous dog is {
ere to stay until, perchance, he devel- c
ps some day disease that will carry f
Il of his kind into the NAV of the hun v
ry and ever-ready buzzard S
We believe, however, that final and Il
rganized effort should be made to con-
nee the small farmers of the Florida u
finest sheep growing sec D
on in the State-that if they will stop q
Using yellow dogs and devote them II
Ives to the production of sheep and u
Dol, it will not be long before they II
yn automobiles and winter residences II
New Orleans and become constant n
I'd grateful subscribers to the Daily lie
ates. There is more money in rails l@
g sheep than in the propagation of III
eed of sheep-killing dogs, and the dl
oment ouy small farmers realize that ~
ct, that moment will their prosperity OF