The river press., 1914-08-05
OFFICIAL PAPER OF cHOuTEAU COUNTY
SWAT THE THiSTLEs

tAna statute in which various kinds
Of thistles are declared to be com.
mon nuisance and penalties are pro.
vided for owners of land upon which
such nuisance is permitted to con.
tinue? This law has been in effect
since its approval by the governor of
Montana in March, 1895, but during
the period of nearly twenty years that
has elapsed since that time, there has
not been any attempt to enforce its
provisions in the northern part of the
state. 1t is the belief of the River
Press that similar situation in re.
gard to the thistle law exists in other
parts of Montana, the newspapers
having failed to report any proceed.
ings against citizens who are respon.
sible for the prevalence of these nox.
ious weeds.
The various kinds of thistles-es
pecially the Russian variety-are "in
our midst" in ever-increasing quaint.
ty. In times Of drouth as well as in
seasons of generous rainfall they
flourish and mature with a vigor that
surpasses the growth of useful kinds
Of vegetation; they invade and take
possession of cultivated fields, and if
persistent warfare is not made against
the pest it overcomes and destroys
the crops from which the land owner
hoped to secure profitable returns.
The Montana legislative assembly
of 1895 attempted to meet the thistle
emergency by providing that:
"Any person or persons owning any
lands within this state, or occupying
or having control of any lands, wheth-
er within the plat of towns, villages,
or cities, or otherwise, within this
state, knowingly permitting or suf-
fering any Canada, Scotch bull or
Russian thistles to go to seed upon
any land or lands thus owned, Occu-
pied or under control of such person
or persons shall be deemed guilty of
supporting and maintaining a common
nuisance, and upon conviction there
of in any court of competent jurisdic
tion, of the offense, shall be punished
by fine not exceeding fifty nor less
than five dollars"
Further provision for the extermin-
alton of the thistle pest was made in
another section of the law, which
says:
"ln case any person or persons.
railroad or other corporation, owning
or occupying any lands within this
state, under his or her or their con-
troll. as the case may be, shall refuse
or neglect to destroy any Canada,
Scotch bull or Russian thistle or this
ties growing or standing upon any
land or lands so owned, occupied or
controlled, on or before the fifteenth
day Of August, it shall be the duty of
the county commissioners, road SUI.
pervisors, or other person or persons
having control of the public highways,
streets or alleys where any such this.
tie or thistles may be found growing
or standing. to Immediately destroy
or cause the same to be destroyed,
and pay therefor at the same rate that
is paid for road labor: and every SUI
pervisor or other person hereinbefore
authorized to destroy said thistles
shall keep a correct account Of all
moneys paid out for that purpose,
and charge the same to the person or
persons or corporation owning, occu.
pying or controlling the land or lands
upon which such thistle or thistles are
destroyed. and the person or persons
or corporation owning, occupying or
!, of In, ohnn Ar
liable in civil action for the amount
so charged against them and costs of
suit: provided that If any supervisor
or other person having, under the au'
tlority of this Act, destroyed any of
The said thistles, and is unable to find
collect such money. the same shall be
paid by the authorities of the town
village, city or county where such this
ties were destroyed; and provided fur
tier. that in case any railroad com
pany becomes chargeable under the
provisions of this Section. the super
vlsors of the township where same has
become chargeable may certify the
same to the county attorney of theil
county, whose duty it shall be te
bring and prosecute a civil actor
against the railroad company for the
amount so charged and costs of sui
aforesaid.
1T is hereby made the duty of ever,
person having knowledge of any Can
ada, Scotch bull or Russian thistle O
thistles growing or standing upon tn,
lands of another to Immediately de
stroy the same, or give the perso,
owning or occupying such lands i'm
mediate notice thereof"
Failure to enforce the provisions O
the Montana thistle law has resulte,
in such an abundant crop of tiles
weeds in many localities that it is
physical impossibility to completely
exterminate them; but they are sucl
a menace to the farming interest
that a concerted movement is neces
sary to check the damage caused b.
this pest, and continuous effort woul