Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-04-14

- July before the peOpIc, anu Tie
Board of Supervisors at their meet
ing next June will decide whether
or not to submit it to the people Of
the County for adoption, q discussion
OF the subject is in order. In the
shape of the law as 1t is, making the
restraint q County matter instead of
a general one, we cannot at present
zee the advisability of adopting 1t
here. But the following articles
present views on either side, which
will be well worth reading:
Sioux CITY, March 81, 1870.
Eds. Keyister:-I have read with
intense interest all that has been
written about, and all that the mem.
bers OF the Legislature have had 10
say upon the proposed herd law.
There il no measure Of equal inn
pOrtance to the State at large before
our lawmakers, nor none that will
have greater, If 50 great, an infiu-
ence upon the future prosperity OF
our commonwealth. The time in
this State To have abrogated all laws
compelling the fencing Of farms was
when the first Legislature convened;
and every day from that time to this
has been just 80 much lost time. 1t
is an injustice to the poor man, VIII o,
with his few hundred dollars, en-
deavoring to make his home and
living for himself and family by till
ing few acres OF his Homestead"
to be obliged to devote great por-
ton Of his meagre capital to protect
hiscrOps from his wealthy neighbOrs'
stock. Pass a stringent herd law,
and venture nothing in saying that
the number Of acres broken within a
year from its passage will be treble
that with the law as il exists. Such
4 spur to emigration would il be that
the mere announcement Of it would
lead thousands TO settle upon our
rich prairies, who are now deferred
by want OF means to fence. And
what reason Is there for fencing 50
far as the poor settler Is concerned?
lie has no stock that he cannot soil
or herd. 1t il his neighbDrs' how
ever. And that they may be saved
the care that is rightfuliy theirs, he
must deprive his family OF the neces-
saries Of life that they may rest In
careless indifference. Farmers Of
Iowa! ,cdlch the rate ~ erery man tn
our Lsgistdt,re, and remember those
who would compel you to care for
the property Of your neighbor, and
expend money that Is to-day worth
more TO you than thrice what il will
be few years hence.
Remember those men, and when
they again ask you for your votes,
point to your farms, and tell them, II
no law Is passed TO help you in your
need, that those (ences have not only
barred their cdllle from your crops.
but barred Memseires from your con-
fidence.
Look at all Northern Iowa: think
how many DaiNiOns Of dollars n good
herd law would save to that part Of
the State alone; see how easy 1t
would be for almost any man to go
and make a good farm with a single
team and q few dnlia.s' worth Of
seed; see what with his first few
crops he might do toward buildings
and purchasing even Injuries for his
family; then look on the other side
Of the picture. 1t il too palpable tn
even need an illustration. The
amount thus saved, together with
the impetus IL would give to the
development Of the State, creating
demand for everything known to
commerce, except fencing, thus in
creasing the wealth Of the State, is
almost incalculable.
II has cost the farmers of Illinois
the gigantic sum Of sirty: flee millions
n d0tldrs to fence their farms! The
interest upon this vast sum Is six
and half millions, added to which
il the annual expense Of repairs,
which IL at least ten millions more,
and we have an amount Of money
sufficient to run our State govern.
ment and support every State insti.
tuition and public school we have.
For the sake Of the hundreds OF thou
sands Of poor, struggling farmers,
give us herd law, aud safe US this
fearful tax. V. j. ID.
MADISON COUNTY, April l, 1870.
IHI6s ALSys1bLSs-A ICdu III yOuI tu3J
issue the "Herd Law" just passed
by the Legislature, and in the same
paper an article by X. J. ID. on the
subject, coDgratulating the State on
the suspicious event. Now, with all
Difference to the good intention and
intelligence Of r. J. ID. and the Leg
islature, must take very different
view Of the subject. The intention
Of the law, and Of II. J. d., seems to
be to protect the poor pioneer or set.
tier from the great expense Of fencing
- few acres of homestead" on
which to grow tho necessary supplies
fY his family. 1t il assumed that
the poor man "has no stock that he
canpOt soil or herd;" and Just here Is
the point of argument. He has no
stock 6ecause he Is l'oor-and he is
poor and must remain so because he
has no stock. ! think IL Is q very
safe conclusion that no man can 90
into the new parts OF our State. and
become wealthy by simply raising
grain, under present circumstances.
Stock of all kinds has been, and must