The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-03-26

countries which tolerate its existence;
therefore, make the statement that
the cattle tick is no more a native Of
Florida or the United States than you
| or I, the ancestors of both of US hav-
ing come from Europe; therefore, the
assertion is made that the elimination
OF the cattle tick from Florida will
not interfere with the original plan
OF Providence.
History further records that the
first importations OF cattle into the
United States occurred in the sixteenth
century. The first inportations into
Florida were landed at st. Augustine
and F'ernandina, respectively. These
cattle came from Spain and Portugal,
both tick-infested countries. In this
connection, I call your attention to the
early importations of cattle to the
English, French and Holland settle
nents Of Pennsylvania, New York,
Montreal mad Quebec. These importa-
lions came from their respective moth
er countries and were not tick infested.
The conclusion I desire you to draw
from the above historical records is
the marked subsequent development Of
the cattle industry in the tick-free
area, and the equally well marked IN
developed and Improbable industry
IN the tick-infested area.
Picture for yourself the difference
in animal wealth, market value, the
range cattle OF the western states and
the Florida range tick-infested scrub
COW. Is the tick worth what it costs?
Is not tick eradication a good, cold
blooded business proposition?
Tick Eradication and Law.
The success or failure Of tick eradi-
cation does not depend on an adequate
state law. Tick eradication begins at
home, in a mans heart or, as in some
cases, in his pocket-book. The most
drastic of our laws are not enforced
in communities wherein their enforce
ment is not popular, and so it is with
tick eradication. Sentiment is the
requisite of law enactment, after which
the law becomes the vehicle of
(achievement) Enforcement
"Tick eradication could have been
accomplished in various counties of
Florida, if supported by the sentiment
of the cattlemen; however, in each in
stance where systematic work was in
progress, when a man who had failed
w zip ALAS SoItIO 90 III CoSA 4pCd Wy law
was arraigned before the court, the in
terests of the cattlemen of the state
used their money and influence to de-
feat the charge and thereby the pur-
pose OF the work, with the result that
the federal government Withdrew it's
cooperation. Even now there is a
movement by the cattlemen to sup
port violators of state law, rules and
regulations in the courts of Palm
Beach county.
"The cattlemen's associations of the
state for the past two sessions of the
legislature have fought the passage of
a state wide tick eradication law.
Federal cooperation in tick eradi-
cation work runs out on the Georgia
line, and there is no indication, SO far
as 1 can learn, that the government is
anxious to return to Florida. So far
as the government itself is concerned,
am sure it does not care how long
Florida keeps her ticks, so long as she
keeps them at home.
You who represent the cattle own
ers of Florida today hold the tick Grad
ication situation in the palm of your
hand, and in as much as cattle tick
eradication is essential to the devel-
opment Of this state, I, therefore,
charge you gentlemen, singuiarly and
collectively, with the future of the cat
tie industry Of Florida"