The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-12-13

4 E~ASIlINGTON. II. C.-Advanc'ng well be
yond the halfway mark In freeing the
south from the cattle fever tick, rcmov-
Wv ing the federal quarantine from cattle
shipment IN 0,T5I square miles Of nine
Southern states, driving n broad wedge OF
tick.free territory through the tick lines
to the Gulf OF Mexico-the fight against the de-
structive parasite must count 1917 a. us greatest
year so far.
December I, when $500 s1unrr mllcs-the
largest amount OF territory ever freed ut one time
will be added to the liberated areas, will be
the greatest day In the campaign since It was
started actively In 1906. and It will be celebrated
az such in the states and counties in which It
VIII slgnalize unlenIably long strides toward real.
izotion OF the South's merlted position as Il cat
tl~c-rai~lng country.
The governor Of Mississippi, whose people have
made their state the first touching The Gulf to he
entirely rid of the cattle tick, has designated De-
cenber / as n day of rejoicing In the common
wealth. A celebration at Jackson, the capital,
and others at county seats have been arranged.
AT these ceremonials congratulations on the
achievement will be received from the United
States department Of agriculture and from gov
errors OF other states. Celebrations of the same
character are 10 he held IN the various counties
free from quarantine In eight other states-Ala-
bama. Arkansas. Florida, Georgia. Louisiana,
North Carolina, oklahoma and Texas.
Falter!ng, slow. and uncertain Mt first, the nd
vance against the cattle tick in II years has
gained such impetus that II now literally IL
sweeping forward. There Is now no doubt Of final
success and there are great hopes that the goal OF
"a tick free South In 1921" which also will mean
American territory entirely freed from the para.
site. will be realized.
Ticks Long Have infested Cattle in South.
Cattle In the Southeastern Atlantic and Gulf
states have been infested with the tick since cat.
tie first were introduced into those regions. II Is
thought probable the ticks were introduced into
the country by cattle from Spanish herds. The
a. az 81. sT,t- L. a G.4,I, A.. t-I At
tory OF the agricultural life Of that section. In
Il are intertwined the great events of u century
or more That have attended the transformation
Of the South from n wilderness into 4 wide and
prosperous agricultural domain.
Ticks carry n fatal disease between cattle.
Calves survive the effect Of It, but very few older
cattle live long when attacked for the first time.
But for the fact that the calf that lives after the
attack becomes partially immune, there would
now hc no cattle In the tlck-lnfestcd Dortion ~
the South. Southern cattle always have caused
disease among Northern cattle Whenever they,
carrying ticks, have left their home territory and
been driven into or through adjoining territory.
\ notorious example OF such driving occurred
after the Civil war when Texas and i.llan Ter.
rlt0ry cattle were driven into Colorado and Kan
sas, leaving death In their trails for 'Ac native
cattle. This caused the cowboy wars" IN which
II was sought 10 turn the cattle hnck ~ force Of
arms, aGl nlsu caused tie enactment az stringent
state laws.
During these years Of settlement tn cattle tick
had extended northWurl until its distribution was
about colnoldcnt with that of cotton From this
vantage ground II was scattered by driveway and
by rail into Northern markets and caused annual
outbreaks OF Texas fever, ms The disease was then
called, throughout the North. Legislation In yarl.
Gus states sought 10 check the discusr Mt that
time, but. owing To ignorance OF the mauucr Of its
spread, was powcrlcss,
ouarantlnsd Territory First Defined in 1889.
Finally, with the formation Of the Iurenu OF
animal industry OF the United States department
Of agriculture In 1884, the federal authorities, un.
der authority of congress, began the fight against
the tick, The bureau first sent out agents 20
define the line between Infected and noninfected
territory, and In the annual reports ~ 1884 and
1885 several maps were published showing it,
location. The first order defining and mapping
the guaranteed infected territory was published
In 1889. The driving or transporting OF cattle
from the infected 70 the free territory was forbid,
den, except for n short season in winter and OK.
cept for immediate slaughter when transported
by rail or boat and discharged into quarantine
pens at certain recognized Strengthening ccnters
This constituted n quarantine which has existed
with timely notifications ever since.
The beginning OF tick eradication is traced to q
meeting OF the commissioners OF agriculture 81
the cotton-growing states held In Raleigh, N. @.
In 1899, when the North Carolina commissioned
directed that the states aim 10 improve the cat
tie industry by tick eradication be presented
. From this beginning until 1906, IL counties II
D North Carolina had been released from quaran
tine. The association OF the commissioners o.
agriculture and various allied organizations. IN
huenced by the eradication work Of North Caro-
lima and the results obtained by federal. stat
and other investigators. together with the growini
naaaaaITv NJ afnallarafiuQ tho aTpctg NJ the hnl