The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 20, July 1916 - April, 1917 Page: 1

THE
SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
VOL. XX JULY, 1916 No. 1
The publication committee and the editors disclaim responsibility for views expressed by
contributors to THE QUARTERLY
HISTORY OF THE CATTLE INDUSTRY IN THE SOUTH-
WEST
CLARA M. LOVE
IV. THE STRUGGLE OF THI-E RANGE INDUSTRY FOR EXISTENCE
The range industry has long been waging a, rather successful
conflict with a strange assortment of enemies, who, fortunately
for the range industry, have not all been on the firing line at
the same time. Eastern stockmen, western settlers, cattle thieves,
the sheep industry, and the greed of the ranchmen themselves
have filled the ranks of the enemies of the ranges.
The first struggle was between the longhorns and shorthorns.
Mr. McCoy tells us that the cattle growers of Illinois looked with
suspicion on the evil-eyed, quick-tempered, long-haired animals
of Texas. There was a reasonable basis for this, because of the
contagion of Spanish fever, but Eastern cattle carried pleuro-
pneumonia, which was feared by western growers. Many laws
were enacted by various states and territories regulating quaran-
tine of cattle. A brief summary seems sufficient for practical
purposes. At one time, in 1886, the governor of Montana quar-
antined all cattle from Texas at the State line for ninety days.
It was difficult to enforce the ordinance justly and it was re-
voked. In 1886 Dakota authorities refused to admit cattle from
Texas unless they were driven all the way. Most western states
and territories had live stock sanitary boards which effectively
enforced regulations looking to the protection from disease, but