The log cabin Democrat., 1917-03-19
TICK ERADICATION
 WORK MAY STOP
FOR WANT OF MONEY
Government Asks County to Put Up $2,OOO and Judge Smith Thinks it Can't be Done.

Unless $2,0OO is raised from some other source than county funds it is probable that the effort to free Faulkner county from cattle fever ticks this year will be abandoned and the United States government forces will withdraw from the county. This
 announcement will doubtless still further complicate situation in
 which there is considerable divi- sion. It will be received with great
 disappointment by those who favor cattle dipping and have gone to great expense to construct vats and get
 ready for exterminating the ticks, while those who have evidenced strong opposition to the plan will be correspondingly elated.
 Considerably to his surprise Coun- ty Judge K. L. Smith has received letter from Dr. R. M. Cow, state veterinarian, stating that it would be necessary for the county to expend about $2,000 in addition to the state and government funds fors the tick eradication work to be prosecuted in
 Faulkner county this year. Judge Smith, as we'll as most others inter- ested in tick eradication, was under the impression that the $50,0OO fund appropriated by the state together with the federal funds and the five cent cattle tax would be sufficient to defray the expense of tick eradica- tion, and this has been the case in other counties of the state which in past years have been placed above the quarantine line.
 Dr. Cows letter states, however, that the state funds and the i've cent tax have been apportioned to the counties in the infested area ac-
 cording to square miles. These funds," he writes, Twill be used to employ men to assist in vat con- struction and to supervise dipping, but said funds will not be used in your county unles systematic work is to be taken up and compelled in one year." The amount apportioned to Faulkner county, Dr. Cow states, is $1,705.38, and this will be suf- ficient to employ only three or four men for period of six months. The federal government will furnish one experienced man to supervise the work, but it will be necessary to employ three other men for a period of six months, which will cost about $1,2O0. In addition to this, the dip- ping chemicals will have to be fur nished by the county and the esti- mated cost of it is $500, making/a total of $2,0O0.
 Dr. Cow encloses a copy of the act passed by the 1917 legislature which authorizes quorum courts to appro- priate county funds for use in tick eradication work. The act also au- thorizes the county judge to allow claims for work in 1917, provided a majority of the members of the coun- ty quorum authorize him to do so.
 Judge Smith said to the Log Cabin Democrat that there is no law under which he could call the quorum court together to consider the matter and he does not believe the appropriation would be granted even if the court were assembled. He stated that he did not intend to take any official action in the matter. The appropria- tion would have to be in excess of $3,000 in county warrants in order to realize $2,0O0 in cash, as war rants are selling at present as low as 65 cents on the dollar.
 Dr. w. A. Mcdonald, the federal supervisor who has been in the coun- ty several weeks organizing commit nity dipping vats, said today that the failure to raise the funds requested by Dr. Cow would mean the with drawal of the tick eradication work from the county for the present at least. "There are 47 tick-infested counties in the state," he said, land it is the purpose .e clean up all these counties during 1917 and 1918 and discontinue the cattle tax thereafter, instead of taking up few counties each year as has been the policy in the past. The state appropriation and fve-cent tax have been appor- toned among these 47 counties ac- cording to areas and the money is in- sufficient to carry out the work with in the time set. An act permitting the counties to appropriate addition al funds for the purpose was there fore passed by the legislature, and under it the tick eradication author ites are requesting these appropria- tions. If they are not granted, the eradication work, as l understand it, cannot be put on."
 Dr. Mcdonald stated that 50 dip ping vats havs already been con- structed in the county and between 30 and 35 others have been organized.