Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-05
WORTHLESS CUR MUST Co;
WAR ON SHEEP KILLERS
Some Southern States Now Raise
Fewer Sheep Than They Did
Fifty-Scvcn Years Ago.
NEWSPAPERS SOUNDING ALARM
determination Of the Cur the Do
= mand OF the Hour Coming From
-.An Parts Of the South-What Will
Virginia Do?


The Manufacturer .:ccord. which is
great on comparisons and comparative
figures. publishes an interesting table
showing what the sheep-raisins indus
Try was in the Southern States away
book yonder before the War Between
the States and what 1t is to-day. The
table brings out the fact that the sheep
and wool industry has declined just
as the cur dog industry has IN
creased. OF course, in Missouri and
Texas, especially the latter, sheep rails
Ing has Increased wonderfully in the
last half 4 century, but those are new
States. in which all enterprises and
all agricultural effort have enlarged
beyond the natural increase in the
older States.
Virginia and West Virginia taken
together, they being one State fifty
seven years ago. show some increase,
but in that part OF the once combined
territory which is now Virginia, there
are fewer sheep raised now than were
raised ffty-seven years ago. 1t may
be noted right here that in those far
away days negroes were not allowed
to own shecp-klling cur dogs. and
now they keep them world without end.
FIGURES SHOW NECESSITY
- OF VIGOROUS WARFARE
Discussing its own tables of figures
and some OF Il later date. the Record
says:
From these figures we find that dur
ing the last fifty-scvcn years the num-
Der OF sheep in the Central South has
NV 1ah Sh
an actual decline OF 24Sooo; Georgia,
$4,000; Mississippi, lA.754; North
Carolina, 100000; South Carolina, 2o3,-
600. and Tennessee, $4,000. Thus. de-
spite the great increase in population
between 1860 and 1917, these States
have 100000 fewer sheep now than
they had then. In 1860 there were
6,324,1sG sheep in these States. and on
the first day OF January, 1917. fifty
seven years later. there were 1876. 0oQ
an actual decrease OF 7TS.196 sheep,
or over Il per cent or course, Mis-
souri, and Texas. which in 1860 were
comparatively undcvcloped, have more
sheep now than in 1860"
1T is not claimed that the decline in
the sheep-raisng industry in the
Southern States is wholly attributable
to the ravagcs OF the sheep killing
dogs. but they are one OF the main
causes
THAT wandering. worthless ours are
menace to the shecp-raisiny business
IA business like that OF the raising
of cotton. which produces both food
and raiment-is attracting more and
more attention. and several States are
working on solution OF the problem
sEvENTY-F1vE PER CENT
- or DOGS ARE WORTHLESS
The Record makes this contcntion:
IN the face OF wartime taxes. is IL
not. sensible to tax out of existence
the worthless, wandering ours that
make profitable sheep Industry i'm
possible, that spread dangerous dis
eases. TINT consume more food than
all the children in our public schools,
and that menace our homes with
hydroIhobia?
LAS rough guess. 20 per cent Of
the dogs OF this country are worth
no more than their hides would bring
on the market a few well-bred and
we!l-iraincd dogs are useful in hand
ling stock: some are worth kecpinr
rs companions. But any uncontrolled
dog IL menace to the community.
l1c Is snreader Of dangerous dis
witness The quarantine against
oogs ouriiH the outbreak Of foot-and-
noc'h "4st'Hs's. The spread Of hog
choiera is frequently attributed to
soif'e r'Sitess canine. But the most
c"EsN PEI IS damage done by these
hnPsrN"2Hs animals is suffered by tho
sht spH" n sections that were once big
nntton ana wool producers have nr,r'
nea'iy gone out Of bushes. from mis-
causo alone
-ae ndiana Legislature. now has
before il Il bill for an improved ,au.
has NO the experience Of varinns
Srtes ana backed BY icvel-hcaaed
sihchmea II should he s,.pnortas Nv.
every pan who is Interested in in
creasIAG tic meat supply and MAXIM
iYf-st'o' 'arminG more inviting. The
PreseH ircIty of meat ana our di,-
i'cu i'leS n controlling contagious dis
Eases stock sho,ld he strong fac
tors IL Aeif 0H the bin TO become a
e" IN .nd in encouraging The
Nuo"l'' Dy other States"
'.N'r-. i.'n newspaper editorials
le1tcr .t I,cr,.,.t,,,', ''ie
He'eriE 10 The Times Disn,,ch
IN which - said that were the cur.dn"
eWl checked by adequate meaSs H.
disease Of .ahi"s among animals ,ro,,id
diaappear and stock raising would a.,
once become on" Of tho most proa,ahIs
industries Of Virginia.
hhNI NEWSPAPERS AXE
~. COMING TO TIE RESCUE
The Twin City Sentinel. OF Winston
Salem says:
i,fof course. there are some who win
say that the national lawmakers should
not be bothered with such an insignia
cant matter as the dog problem I'M,
!ittle hgurinG as 10 the amour, ,bnv
cost in this country every wear srd
PaTlcuiarly In the South. through ~
inability TO develop a shecp-r,isirr
INDUSTRY to the proportions tina, worI,
be. possible II the dog menace ,y.rn
eliminated, will show that the prorosi-
ton is not such a small one af,or III
,s."Consider 70! moment IN. nossi.
btlfties OF profit arising iron, Inc .h.,,,
INDUSTRY at present prices Of nu,,o,
ahd wool. Consider also mo vac.
amount OF food Consumed by the NH.
lions of dogs in this time OF fnn,