The Covington leader. (Covington, Tenn.) 18??-current, 1918-09-26
SHEEP vs. DOGS

Under present conditions ii West
: Tennessee it would be foliy for any
imam to invest money in the sheep
raising industry.
There are thousands npon thou
sands Of acres in this section, Just as
there are in neighboring states wholly
unfit for cultivation, that would make
admirable grazing ground for sheep
and goats.
A flock of rs sheep could keep in
splendid condition on 40 acres Of
waste ground. A man physically
unfit 20 cultivate 40 acres of ground
could clear Sl,250 en- this amount Of
waste land, if he owned IS sheep
and devoted his time to their care.
So long, however, as sheep-kiliing
dogs are allowed to roam at will no
land owner viii be foolish enough to
invest dollar in the sheep-raising in
dustry, Every experiment has prov
ZEN a costly failure. Men who have
tried to raise sheep in this section
declare that dogs gather in flocks
like wolves and cover a distance of
20 miles to turn sheep pasture into
q slaughter pen.
There are many valuable dogs in
West Tennessee, but where there IS
one worth a dollar there are a hum
bred that are a menace. If dog is
worth anything, it is worth keeping
on its own premises.
A man has a right to own dog;
the dog has a right to have a man
fer master, if the man is willing.
But so far as the relations Of man
and his dog are c4ldned, their
rights should be confined to the
premises Of the man. No mans dog
should be permitted to interfere with
a neighbor or the possessions of that
neighbor.
1t has been estimated by citizen
Of Memphis that there are in Shelby
county about 5000 dogs and less than
400 sheep This gentleman is in po-
sition to know what he is talking
about. for he is interested in the live
stock business and has made it his
business TO investigate.
Dogs are carniyorous animals; they
must have meat. The amount they
consume each day is needed now as
never before. If you should 60 into
a Memphis restaurant and order a
75-eent steak, you would get about as
much meat as dog would consume
at one meal. It is not likely that
either the man or the dog would have
his appetite fully appeased on the
amount received.
The sheep is not meat eater. 1t I
can Craze and keep fat on pasture
where most other quadrupeds would
starve to death if no other food were
provided. A fact not generally known |.
s that sheep prefer weeds to grass.
they will clear out the weeds and
cave the grass for other livestock.
Many residents Of the cities now
Keep their premises free from weeds
" turning sheep or goat loose
o Craze at will about the premises.
There is a movement on foot in
to interest farmers in the
'aising Of more live stock Unless
ome protection is assured the move
nent will fail, so far as sheep are
1t is purposed to have the matter
,rought before the next legislature.
/ has been suggested that the tax
n dogs be made so high that the
worthless ours will be too expensive 4
or owners to maintain.
This question has been before the
legislatures with more frequency f
han the liquor problem Mention a
og law and the average legislator
grows pale around the
ills. He is "dog shy" He will at
nee begin mumbling about the spo"
nan and his dog.
If the question We're properly pre-
ented it would be found that in many
Instances the dog is one of the things
esponsible for the poor mans pow
rty. If all the poor men on farms
Yould sever relations with the dog
nd flirt a while with sheep they
yould improve the conditions Of
themselves as well as others.
The matter should be placed before
he legislature in such way that re-
uIts will follow
Curtail the liberty Of the dog and
i've the sheep a chance. Memphis
commercial Appeal.