The Donaldsonville chief., 1917-10-13
A STRIKING LESSON.
Absence of Cattle at South Louisiana
Fair Demonstrates Importance
of Tick Eradication.
COMPULSORY DIPPING
ESSENTIAL.
Discriminate Inevitable Unless More
Progressive Policy is Pursued
Henceforth.

/ Editorial in New Orleans States Oct. g..
The Donaldsonyllle taIr last week
offered many or the usual and neces-
lsary attractions OF a Louisiana parish
falr and 1T was a Well-managed and
successful event, rejecting credit up
on the enterprislng citizens of Ascen-
sion who have taken great deal OF
pride IN. its development.
But to every visitor the most strik-
| ing thing was the absence of the
fundamental attraction of an exhibi-
tlon OF this kind. Not a head of
cattle was shown.
And the reason was that Ascension
is one of the parishes which un-
fortunately has SO far Jagged behind
IN passing compulsory dipping law.
Owners of fine stock in the surround
ing parishes, in other parts of Louisi-
ana, and indeed in neighboring states
were unwilling to run the risk-eyen
If it was small in Ascension-of SUBJ
Jecting their stock to tick-infeetion, a
danger always existent in a parish
where dipping is not required and
when the state is not tick-free.
Mayor Behrman, who has shown his
interest in the Donaldsonville fair by
visiting it every year, took occasion
to call attention to the obiect-lesson
which the absence of stock afforded.
Under the act passed at the last ses-
sion of the legislature we shall
eventually have compulsory dipping
all over the state; but Ascension, like
New Orleans and many other en-
llghtened parishes, ought to anticipate
the compulsion now that it has been
brought home so wildly that the alb
|sence of dipping law is almost fatal
to the success of parish fair.
Louisiana is raising some of the
finest stock in the country in parishes
where dipping is either voluntarily
done or the farmers have been reauir-
ed by law to adopt it to immunize
their cattle to the tick. But it will
multiply many times this annual OUT
put Of choice cattle as soon as the
state has been made entirely free of
the tick. 1t has been demonstrated--
at the Parker farm in West Feliciana
for instanee-that the highest class
stock of all kinds can be raised in Lou
isiana, and when northern and west
ern farmers are convinced that they
can come here with reasonable war
|ranty Oh freedom from disease Iii
|stock-raising, we may confidently look
to a tremendous development OF the
industry.
The great packers Of the west are
turning their eyes in this direction as
offering the most promising territory
for the production of the increased
meat supplies which the country will
need. They are doing their share to-
ward the encouragement of stock
raising by providing accessible mar
kets. They are planning to make New
Orleans of largely increased import
ance in connection with the export Of
meat products. Louisiana farmers
ought to meet them more than half
way by a united effort to make Louis
lana tick-free in the least possible
time.
One of the reasons that have been
given for the reluctance of some COM
munities to adopt dipping laws is that
it would have the effect Of increasing
their taxation by forcing all stock up
on the assessment rolls. Now that the
Board of Affairs has given proof Of it's
determination to see that not head
of stock anywhere in Louisiana es-
capes registration, this reason no
longer holds good.