The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-05-29
COMPULSORY DIPPING

Conner, Fla, May 26. i
Editor Star: Please allow me
space in your valuable paper to
speak in behalf of the stock men of
Marion county concerning the COM
pulsory dip law which l feel safe in
saying was forced on the stock men
by the disinterested voters of Marion
county. When / say disinteretsed
voters, / mean the voters who voted
for the compulsory dip law who did
not own a cow or never owned a COW,
or wouldn't have one if it was given
t. them to keep.
1t is true some stock men voted In
favor of the dip law. There is no use
IL my taking up any time in telling
them of their mistakes they made in
not using good horse sense when they
had an opportunity to vote against
the compulsory dip law. When they
dip their cattle fourteen times in one
year and lose several head from dip
ping, make no crops, if a farmer, as
most stock raisers are, they will re-
pent for what they have done.
can't see how any man that owns
stock, or hasn't stock, with good sense
IN his upper story. could vote for a
law compelling the people to do some
thing that is almost impossible to do,
to comply with the law and not have
heavy fine imposed upon them. A.
understand it, the law provides for
fine of $1,000 if a stock raiser fails
to dip one single cow, and when Enan
with a small bunch of cattle has to
pay that fine, he will 60 to the wall.
If there ever was a law unconst1-
tutional, this is one. The question is:
who imposed this law upon the stock
men of Marion county? 1t was the
ion county who own no cattle at all.
Another question: who talked it up
to the voters? Was it the stock men?
No; it was the tenderfoot who was
looking for a soft job, who has drawn
big pocketknife on work and de-
termined to live of the sweat Of other
peoples browns-and troubles.
will give the disinterested man an
example and show him where he voted
when he had no right to. Suppose
/ in the next election there was COM
pulsory law put before the voters Of
Marion county compelling every bus
mess man that has an Office or mer-
chant to clean up his Office or store
from top to bottom, every fourteen
days, for seven months, and If he
failed to dust one book or clean one
window or one counter of goods, he
would be fined $1,000 for each offense?
"O," they would say, cit is unjust,
we won't vote for it. "and wouldn't.
But suppose we disinterested stock
men and farmers should be silly
enough to vote for it and force the
law on you?
"O," you would say, "it's nothing
to you disinterested people what we
should do with our Office or store.
That's true; we haven't and have
more respect for ourselves and fellow
citizens than to vote for such an un-
just law.
90" you will say, 1--WE voted for the
dip law because we eat the beef, and
they get the tick fever"
Well, suppose we voted for the
compulsory law compelling you to be
clean with everything because we
could and because we do bushes:
with. you, and don't want to catcf
any disease.
Mr.. Stockman, do you own youl
cattle? Not thinking, you will sa1
yes, in one sense we do and In another
we do not Why. i say. we don't owI
our cattle. If we own our cattle VIII!
is it the tenderfoot, stiff-collar voter
compel US to dip our cattle under al
unconstitutional law? We stock mel
didn't force this law upon ourselves
No, the biggest and wisest part o
them voted against it.
Now, here is what call just Law
!; a law that am sure most stock me-
would favor. Begin dipping cattl
the first of April, and no unreason
able fines. Fine each man who fail
to dip cow SIS or $50. He woul
work just as hard to get them up an
look upon it as a just law.
Respectfully yours,
r T. Mcdonald