The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-02-18
FLoRlDA's GREATEST FIGHT

| The greatest fight that Florida has
| ahead OF it for the next five years is
the complete eradication Of the cattle
| tick. The last door through which
cattle from tick fever areas can go
out has been closed. The Louisiana
/ live stock board has shut the gates
leading through New Orleans, effec-
| tive February /. Georgia and Ala
bama have already put up the keep
out, sign. Florida then has.no move
ment for its cattle for slaughter or
otherwise, than that of chasing its
drove about the state, and selling to
men within the state who must also
use what they buy, within the state.
In the face of this condition, the
meeting of the influential, alert body
of men, here, Wednesday. in the in
terest of better livestock for Florida,
is of most special import.
The cattle tick cannot be eradicated
so long as cattle are permitted to
range at large and unherded over the
vast areas of this state. It is foolish
| to round up herd and dip it today
and turn it out for wandering at will
with herds which never have been and
will not. unless forced, be dipped Cat
tie tick eradication and the open
range are antipodal. One wars on the
other. If tick eradication is to sue
coed, range nasturing must go, and
vice versa.
The Tribune believes the time has
/ come when every interest which has
the development of Florida's great
possibilities at heart, must get behind
the cattle tick eradication movement
and assist in making it fact To
this end The Tribune believes that the
movement to do away with open
range and uncontrolled herds in this
state is opportune, is absolutely need
ed, and is the most logical way of get
ting at the thing which, after all,
must be accomplished the lifting of
quarantine bars from Florida cattle.
The Tribune therefore calls on the
press of Florida to lend its efforts,
and on the agricultural and grove in
terests of the state to lend their as
sistance, and on the livestock men
to exert every ounce of their power
full force, to help put a fence between
the cattle which are tick infested and
the herds which are clean, and the ag-
ricultural developments which must
be freed from the cost of fencing
against damage from another mans
property.
The principles of the Florida No
fence League are plainly expressed;
they are eleancut, and they are such
. that no honest man can say they are
against the real interests of the state
or any individuals. AS expressed in
a resolution adopted practically a
year ago the object of the Florida No
fence League is thus given:
1T is the intention of the Florida
No-fence League to press forward for
the enactment of bill by the next
Legislature to prohibit the running
at large of live stock, to become opera
tive January 1, 1923. by referendum
vote Of the people, and containing a
provision that any county or part of
a county, which does not want to be
included within the operation OF the
law. may, by local option vote, ex-
empt itself, making provision at the
time of exemption for the protection
of adjoining or surrounding counties
or parts of counties from depreda-
ton by its open range stock
This clearly sets forth that the
Legislature is to be asked only to
| give the people at large an oppor-
! tunity to vote ives. or mo. on the
proposition: and if they vote '.yes,' .
then any county or part of county
which does not want the no-fence law
to apply because of its own peculiar
conditions, may hold an election and
vote itself out, provided it at the
same time makes provision. to keep
its livestock of the part of the coun-
ty or state adjoining which has voted
itself under the statewide general
law. Tampa Tribune.