Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-02-20

MIR. PRESIDENT. Inns suDJecs has frequently
been before the General Assembly since have
been member Of that body, but it is gratifying
to me to be able to say, that have never known
it discussed under circumstances so likely to
result in some positive advantage to the sheep
growing interest, as the present. Heretofore,
" hen bills of this kind have been under con-
sderatiOn, although there has been general
agreement as to the end TO be attained, there
have been SO many differences OF opinion as to
the proper means, that nOthing has been done;
and while ingenious minds in the Legislature
have been engaged in hair-splitting about the
constitutional right to tax dogs, one Of the most
important departments of husbandry has been
# to be destroyed. To'day, however, there
is an encouraging degree of unanimity upon this
subject, giving promise of the actual passage Of
an efficient law
I shall vote most heartily for the bill now be-
fore the Senate, because Ibelieve it will accom-
plish sem ething for the protection of sheep
against dogs l care not to inquire whether
ali its provisions are Just what l should prefer.
/ am more anxious to do something than to in
sist upon having exactly my own way as to the
manner in which it shall be done. l am Op-
posed TO the amendment of the Senator at my
left, because it would iIopair the efficiency of
the BILL nor have any constitutional difficult
ties about taxing dogs. The constitutional DIFF
iiculties about taxing dogs. The constitution
was not made for dogs, bu; for men, and can
hardly have been intended, think, TO prohibit
all possible kinds ofussful legislation, although
the discussions upon this floor might sometimes
lead one to think that such was the case.
AT the last session of the General Assembly,
some of US, after having vsinly endeavored to
secure the enactment of law like the one now
proposed, succeeded in carrying through bill
requiring township assessors to collect statis-
tics in regard to the injuries to sheep from dogs.
From the returns made to the Auditors office,
10 accordance with this law, we learn that about
lOO, 600 sheep were killed or wounded by dogs
during the past year, and that the PecuniaIy
loss to urpeople in that way, was nearly $780,
600. live suppose this to have been the aver
age annual loss since 1850, the whole loss for
nine years will be Sl,350, GOO "a sum much
greater than the deficit in the treasury which
hes produced SO much eXcitemsnt The far
meFs of nv own Senatorial District lost nearly
$4,000 from dogs duriug the year 1850
TIVE naturally and very properly feel some inN
crest in the matter.
But the loss to the wealth of the State from
the actual destruction of sheep, is small in com.
parison with that which results from the dis
dustry. The highest good of every common
! wealth requires that enterprise and capital
shouId be enlisted in as great variety of oceu-
Dations as the soil and china will permit
| That is an unfortunate community which relies
f,r revenues and subsistence upon only one
| industrial pursuit. Shouldthe times or the sea
ysr. ,,ro--e r1z4fz-oroli5 tIat pn-snif1 end an
income from that source be cut off, financial
embarrassment and pOGertY must ensue. Now
one of the Departments Of industry in which
the people of Ohio can engage to the best ad-
vantage is sheep-growing. Under favorable
circumstances no country in the world could
excel us in this respect And yet we fud,
that the number Of sheep in the State has dim
inished since 1854, from 100000 to 5000, 600,
ia consequence of the raEages OF dogs. A
branch ofhusbandry which should be constant
" increasing in importance, has been con
stantly diminishing. Farmers in portions OF
the Slate, most favorable to this business are
| withdrawing their capital from it, on account
of the insecurity of their property.
A gentleman of wealth and intelligence,
with whom many Senators here are acquainted
| united with his neighbors in a joint-st0ck com
panv, and purchased 5000 acres Of land in the
southern part of this State. Finding the tract
of land which they had bought to be wei
adapted to sheep~growing, they resolved tc
engage largely in that business. Upon inqui-
~, however they found the region SO infested
with dogs that they did not dare to invest theil
capital 10 the proposed business. Thus, by dis
/ eouraoement ofmost profitable employment mil
lions of dollars arc lost to the wealth ofthe State
! What a shame is this! What mOrtifyng fac
for an Ohio legislator to reflect upon! What
a source Of regret to every man who is inter
ested in the common welfarel All the dogi
in Ohio are not worth one good focl
of sheep. Most of them are an in tolerabe nu
isancs to the neighborhoods in which they ar
found.
And ystwe are tod, that we must continue
TO be the victims of these miserable and worth
less animals-that they are protected Dy th'
Constitution-that we must stand BY and se'
/ them make havoc of our beautiful hocks with
which we would whiten all the hills and val
llevs of our noble State Will the General As
semblv permit ore of the most important de
partments of industry to be paralyzed and fl
naIlv DESTROYED for such a wretched causeI-
The state of things now existing IN Ohio, re
1 minds one of what travellers tell us Of the con
dition of Palestine under Turkish misrule-
where dogs and iackals and Arabs and thieye
so abound that no man dares 20 risk much ii
the care off1ocks and the labOrs of the field
where the general insecurity of property ha
turned what was once the finest country in tn
world. into a desert If we would not sinl
into state Of Turkish barbarism Jet Us protec
the husbandmsn and the shepherd.
About 90, 600 900 pounds ofwool are consum
ed every year in this country, OF which onlI
about 40, ,0OO000 pounds are furnished at home
The remaining 50,OOO,0O0 pounds are purehas
ed in England, in Australia, andin South Amer
lea. It is disgrace to ourcountry that, whel
we have whole continet which might be GOV
cred with sheep, We allow these useful animal;
TO be torn in pieces by dogs, and then go t
the other side Of the globe to buy, for our manu-
factories, an article not any better than what W
might produce ourselves.
-Thsre ia another reason why the wool~growe
should be protected BY law. at present mud
inc that he hiss no assistance in that quarter, b
tafes the case into his own hands and attempt
to nrotset himself He begins with an attael
unon the dors in his neighborhood and ends
with Collision with their owners. Thus feuds
broils and lasting ill-will arise in neighborhood
and fhe peace Of the community is destroyed
Nov the State ought to take the responsibility,
of protecting the sheep grower, and not leav
him to he the svenger OF his own wrongs.
We have no right to leave the good order {
society 20 be disturbed through oar neglect
Fverv man who is engaged in an hOpest busi
ness has q right to demand of the Stale that
sssII so protect him and his property, that b
- nnrsue his chosen calling in security
tn Government which fails TO accomplish thi
obisc3. fails to accomplish the great Purpes
for which government exists,
LET us then pass this law. Let it never D
said of this legislature, as it has been said
former ones, that we have been ready to Prote'
every interest in the State, except its most in
noTfant and valuable interest-the agriculture
TIN NoN.INTERooURsE FoLLY-The HaI
| ford Courant of the 18th says:
Tho Southern Trade on Asylum stree
amounts to about s2,OOO,OOO per annum, an