The Kansas herald of freedom., 1855-09-29
Original Correspondence.
Far fA1 Hrad # FREEDOM.
The Fencing Interest.


Mr.. ED1ToR:-With your permission
wish to cali the attention of the people
of Kansas to subject which l believe
has not received that attention which its
Importance demands,-especially in
country containing as small an amount of
growing timber as this does,-viz: does
the burden of fencing fall on the right
interest in many communities :? 1t 1t
does not, is not the present the proper
time to apply remedy here.
In discussing this question, | think we
ought to enquire what interest it is that
requires fencing at all. To this question,
of course, there can be but one answer,
viz: the stock raising Then, | would
ask, are not the stock raising and pro-
duce raising. two separate interests, so
far as large majority of the settlers of
this or any other new country is concern
ed, TO which / think all must say yes
That being the case, why not let each in
terest bear its own burdens. 1t seems to
me that the welfare of the community
requires that they should; for why should
neighborhood, village, or town, wish
ing to cultivate the earth extensively,
and TO devote their energies almost or en-
tirely 10 the raising of human sustenance,
be compelled to pay tax, which in this
country?~at the present, would amount to
four times in all cases, and, in many, to
ten times the cost of their land, to the
stock raising interest of this, or perhaps,
some other country. presume all will
concede that the grain, or produce rails
| ing interest,"" is the one much more i'm
portant to build up and sustain this or
any other country. If SO, then why
should the interest of the many be over
run, and in the case of persons of small
means, be nearly crushed out by the
perhaps foreign and more powerful inter-
est of the few or, in other words, would
not the community, as whole, increase
in wealth and consequently in numbers
much faster, could they be permitted
those who desire to odoso,-to devote their
whole means and energies to the cultiva-
ton of the earth, without being compell-
ed to expend them for the benefit of an
other interest which in numerous cases
might not be for their own or even their
coantry's benefit; or, again, why should
man of small means owning farm in
this country and wishing to devote near
ly the whole of it to raising grain and
other human food, and only wishing to
keep just animals enough to carry it on,
and for his own family use. becompelled
to erect and maintain an expensive fence
around more than three-fourths of it for
the sole benefit of some rich man, from,
very likely, another State, who may wish
to make this his free range or pasture for
his hundreds of unruly animals that he
does not wish to be troubled with at
home. To me it does, and | think it
must to many, ON reflection, seem much
more just that each man owning stock
should oe required to take care of the
same, either by fencing, herding or 9TH
erwise, or be responsible for the damage
they may do, ifpermitted to run at large.
And it also seems to ME that the way
this question is decided has very i'm
portant bearing and full development of
the life-producing resources of this Ter
ritory. NJ. d. J.
p. S. Since the foregoing was written
| have been told that our young sister
Nebraska, by her Legislature, made a
law requiring that animals should be re-
strained in her Territory If such is the
rase, shall not we, when the time comes
that we have the power, follow her pro-
gressive example? w. D. j.