The Monticellonian., 1915-01-21

be hearing frequently these days
of battles in Herzegovina that
would make us think of how Han
nibal fought his way through the
Alps, for down in that country there
are passes so narrow and slopes so
steep, just where desperate fights have
taken place, that even Napoleon might
well have been deferred
Warfare is bringing sad havoc in its
wake to the folk of Herzegovina. Not
only are towns being ruthlessly de-
stroyed not only are the men and boys
mustered into the armies of Franz Jo-
zef and away, but, among others, in
vading armies are living off the coun-
try and that means using up the great
herds of goats upon which the prov
ince largely lives. In fact, the one
trouble Herzegovina has ever given
the Austrian is its revolutionary spirit
over the goats. So true is this, so deep
the feeling on either side, that the
place has often been dubbed "a nation
at war about the goat"
THE goat" Baron RIFT, governor of
Herzegovina, explained in an inter
view in Mostar, lis the great factor In
the life of our people. A goat ranges
in value from $3.50 to $3.50 and a
mans wealth is often stated in terms
of his herd. The state has long been
striving to suppress the goats, as they
destroy the vegetation which we feel
is the great essential for the rehabil-
tation of Herzegovina; while the peo-
pie who care nothing about reforesting
the mountains, for the benefit of fu-
ture generations, raise the cry that
the goat is to them everything, and
that we are no better than despots.
All of the Goat Utilized.
Their praises of the goat are, of
course, we'll founded AS the rein.
deer to the Eskimo. SO is the goat to
the Herzegovina. Hide and hair, meat.
milk, horns, all are utilized Then,
too, the goat is hardy and hunts it's
own food, wherefore the people ask:
Why prefer the vegetation, which
there would be no animals to devour,
to the goats, who seem already to find
all that they need?'
Accordingly, to pacify them, the
goat-taX has been made very low and
it is regulated by the number of ami
mails man may possess, in direct
ratio. A peasant who has but ten
goats returning to his barns from the
mountains each evening, pays eight
cents head while he whose herd is
100 strong, it is felt, can pay more
per capita.
Now this is the governments side
of the matter. Forests are absolutely
necessary to Herzegovina, to regulate
the climate, if for no other reason. We
thus stop the spread of the Karst, OF
desert region, and we also need them
to regulate our water supply. We are
trying to reforest and make the noun
tains green in order to get all these
benefits for the peasant. But he
doesn't see it that way.
Different methods are being EN-
ployed to accomplish our purpose. One
of the commonest, is to blast. with
dynamite, holes for the trees, then
carry soil to the pit and create here a
forest reserve. Frequently what ap
pears from the road as a mere slope
of rock is covered with tiny oaks and
other very young trees and is edged
with signs, prohibiting pasturage in
the area. On the sly, however, and
frequently from mere laziness or spite
the peasant will drive his goats into
the area and then, when he is fined
heavily for the destruction that re
suits, he, too, becomes an opponent Of
the government.
Creating Forest Reserves
According as these plants thrive al
the outset, we Judge II it will pay t.
plant further in the locality and also
in just how many years such trac
may be termed fertile. Some places
have been covered by green vegeta
ton in two years and are then hel(