The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-08
SHEEP KILLING DOG
CAUSES GREAT LOSS
Ways of Preventing Raw
ages Suggested By De-
partment of Agriculture

Washington, April Especial -Inves-
tigation by the United States department
Of agriculture among sheep owners in Is
states east of the Rocky Mountains shows
that out of total of 6,S36,492 sheep in
the 502 counties reporting. I6S3 were
killed by dogs in one year Q919 and were
paid for by the counties. At the same
rate Of loss in other farm states the total
annual destruction of sheep by dogs
would be 107, $50.
but these figures are based only upon
the number actually paid for, and it is
more than probable that the true losses
far exceed this" says Farmers Bulletin
e35. on The Sheep Killing Dog" 1t is
known mat many sheep are killed which
are never reported to the county Off
cial.
.'In 1918 crop reports in So farm states
submitted estimates which showed that
the NUMBER of sheep in those states could
be increased $50 per cent without dis
placing other live stock. Such an in
crease would place approximately $4,000,
600 more sheep in these states than there
are now. OF AL answers received to the
question as to whether sheep raising is
profitable in the farm states, SS7 an
swered yes OF s94 answers as to the
causes preventing increase in the num-
bers of sheep, 35l said. Dogs
Uniform state laws are advocated by
the bulletin as being the most effective
method OF dealing with the sheep killing
dog.
The anti-cur measure is live issue in
Mississippi. Determined efforts made in
the legislature just adjourned to pass a
bill providing for prohibition of the
states rapidly declining sheep industry
met with failure. The house adopted a
drastic anti-dog bill, but the senate
turned it down.
1t is a political tradition in Mississippi
that no law maker who votes for an anti
dog bill ever has. returned to the legis-
lature, and fear of political disaster
played the largest part in. beating this
bill in the upper house.
Representative w. l. Spears Of Holly
Springs fathered the measure which the
house passed, says a jackson special to
the Baltimore Manufacturers Record.
1t provided for 81 tax on dogs, pro-
hibited ;heir roaming at large, fixed
compensation for damages upon their
owners and made 1t possible for danger
GUS animals to be summarily shot. Mr..
Spears not only worked indefatigably in
the house for the measure, but made
speeches in the senate during its consid-
Grafton and conducted campaign of ed
ucation through the newspapers.
The press of Jackson and of the state
generally was a unit for the measure.
The south Mississippi papers. which are
doing all in their power for the develop
ment of the cut-over pine lands of that
region, were especially active in it's be-
half In fact, there was little opposition
to the measure, and little debate in the
senate when it was defeated. 1t was
killed without Senator Vests noted trib-
ute TO the dog being brought in, or with
out any reference being made to the love
OF dog for its master-just voted down
because Of the well known prejudice of
the countryman against anything tina.
interferes with what he considers Ahis
right" to keep as many dogs as he
wants to-
Toward the latter days of the session
= modified bill. providing that no dog
should be allowed to roam, allowing COM
pensatlon Tor damage done by dogs and
permitting their execution when tres
passing passed the house, but despite its
loothleSsness, it met small considera tion
In the senate. The smaller body's atti-
ture in this and other progressive matters
was unprogressive, and certainly not APP
preciative of the grave food problems the
nation is facing at present.
Facts we're presented by Representative
spears and other proponents Of the meas
ure to show that the sheep industry.
once one OF the most important in the
state. was declining SO rapidly that it
threatened to be passed out entirely in u
Kew years. despite the great profits in
wool and mutton, and the crying need
Tor the two products as help to win the
war. The vast cut-over pineland areas in
south Mississippi have been pronounced
ideal Tor raising sheep, and some OF the
largest sheep growers in the IJnitad
states have considered moving there,
put they won't move, they say, until thew
dogs.
In north Mississippi. Representative
spears SAID, many fine sheep have been
imported recently, and growers were
sausIied with the results except that
none knew when flock might be wiped
OUT In night by q band Of proving
Noss ~ was fight against prejudice
and politics. and as often happens. nrog-
fess lost the battle. = -
Ine legislature will not meet until two
years hence, but when it does r,a.t ~
Aeht will be renewed. Stocxmen 80;
cultural extension workers fhe y,ras. Z IL
hig landowners are intenseIv intarest.d
m the passage of the measure ard s,,s.
- intensely disappointed that The 1ar;s
lature 80 signally failed to do tts dutv ! J
= time when every resource a. tbs 20 =
IL needed to back the governmert II 49,
war against Germany.