Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-09-16
Fences.

In lately passing through the town
Ships of Buckingham and Geneseo, Of
this county, and the southern part OF
Blackhawk county, we were astonish-
ed to observe the tracts OF country
under cultivation, without fences. For
the most part the farmers of those dis
tricts hire the hcrding of their cat
tie on open prairies beyond their i'm
mediate neighborhoods, or, when they
are in the vicinity of streams, on the
bottom lands. In portions of Crystal
and Spring Greek townships, in this
county, the same custom is being tried.
As far as we have been able to learn.
those trying this method Of pasturage
are we'll pleased with it. This plan
seems to us, from theoretical stand
point, to be one of great importance.
We do not refer, so much, to the plan
Of farming with no fences, as to the
necessity, which that plan would inn
nose, OF each farmer taking care OF his
own stock. 1t is surely as much as
any one man ought to be compelled to
do. to care for his own stock. To
compel man to care for the unruly,
breachy stock of his ncighbor, at great
expense to himself, and with no remit
neration for his expenses and services
would hardly be considered just. Yet
the existence of the law, whereby
every man is permitted to use the pub
lie highway for his private pasture, has
this clement Of injustice and upright
cousness in it. When the cattle OF a
whole ncighborhood are running to
gc,her, thcy all learn and copy tho
tricks of the most unruly of the herd
as boys, at school, are apt to copy AM
practice the worst traits of their Tel
lows.
1t was thought, in the early settle
ment of the west, to be matter 0
Justice to the first settlers, as well as +;
matter of great conv niencc, that the.
he allowed to permit their cattle t.
pasture off the public lands. The Gov
ernent was very lenient and permit
ted almost any liberties to be takel
with the public lands, even to DIES
polling it of all it's timber 1t seem
that the early settlers must have hat
then. moral sensibilitcs somcwha
bluntcd, when they could SO steal thei
rasturage from their ncighbors as the
dill iiom the Government. OF conrs
they did not regard it in that extrem
licht, but we think it can be regarde
no otherwise. When these early SCI
tiers convened to enact laws for then
selves, they attempted to legalize TIL
system of quasi-robbery
In Connecticut, the only State
which we know OF the question of pr
waite pasturage upon the pubic road
being carried to the higher courts, til
Supreme Court las decided that pr
wake individuals have no more right t
use the public roads for pasture tina
they have the private, cultivated mea'
ows OF their ncighbors. THIS is
accordance with the soundest prime
pies Of the law Of Eminent Domain
The individual owning the land ov,
which the roads are laid, only donat
or sell to the public the right to us
the land as road for travel and f
no other purpose The owner Of Il
land retains all ownership in the herl
age, trees, rocks, minerals &c. W
do not doubt that the Supreme Cou
Of this State, with a proper case b
fore it, would view the question in Il
same light.
Farmers, don't forget that the Coul
" FMr commences on the 18th 81 TIL