Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-29
Stock Law.


ally puts in force not only the provi-
sion restraining stock during night
time, but restraining stock at all
Times, and in ali parts OF The State,
makes ii n State question, And tii,Se
counties which have been prospecting
without IL parallel, unfenced, beyond
anything IN the fenced counties, will
look 10 the approaching session of
the Legislature with deep s"iieitude.
They caniiot return To the Odd pric-
tiue OF fencing their crops, ai.d amy
law competing them 10 do so wouiu
render one-third OF the State as val
in lime OF druuin. And Gen. Baker
wouiu hereafter have to extend his
benevolent enterprise of ieeuing the
hungry TO at least thirty-five OF Iurty
counties, for all time to come. These
counties never will be fenced, anti an
attempt 10 enforce such a law will
depo,,uiate that portion of The State,
except for lawh.os lIerdslnel, vie
will roam over it at will, wiping out
every feeble farmer who may at
tempt to till the soil.
Those portions of the State having
more timber, aud settled by emf
grants from timbered States, have
been educated and trained up To the
idea that ii is right and proper to
fence up corn and wheat fields, which
never trespass Oh their neig Ibors,
and let restless, straying, unruly
stock run at large, and 10 attempt 10
compel any other plan would he re-
straining the liberty-ioving pnpuia-
ton. The exceedingly wise trainers
of our constitution have 30 tied up
the action of oui Legislators that ii Is
almost impossible To do anything Tor
the prosperity of the State, amt If no
way of relief Gun I've discovered in
this matter, u convention 10 amend
the Constitution will have to he call
ed as soon as the provisions Of tnat
instrument can be complied with Tor
that purpose. Unless those counties
which gre already fenced up, leaving
but little range for stock, will SO lar
surrender their choice To let stock
run at large, 81 t il The present gen
eral law may remain in our Code, We
see no way but general anarchy aud
distress in IA large portion of the
State. until au amendment To the
Constitution can be had permitting
local laws for regulating stock and
fences.
1t is not necessary to go farther for
nm illustration of the benefits Of the
law rrsiraing stock, than 10 the nd
Joining counties of Har,iin and Gruu-
DIV. Up to the ti..e of the adoption
OF the stock act in Grundy, the cOun-
ty of Hardin WAS far in advance of
Gruudy in the production of wheat,
corn and stock, and three times the
population. So soon as stock WITS ~
strained in the latter county, II was
immediately brought into cultiva-
ton, the farming population i'll tour
years exceeded that OF Hardin, ana
the wheat ran up To three times that
of Hardin, ana corn and sock in
proportion, aud this without IA rail
road in the county. IL the farming
population of Hardin could have had
their choice, they too would have en-
forced the stock net, and contested
the race of prosperity with Grundy.
But the population Of the towns AMI
cities of Hardin overrI!ed the ngri-
cultural interests, so that their town
cows could go OUT and range over
and destroy the crops of the farmers.
Fortunate. Grundy Is afflicted with
but one tnw u, and thnt too feeble to
be felt i'm such elections.
There were other counties lying in
CLOSE proximity To each other, which
we could adduce rs evidence of pros.
perity under the benificent influence
of restraining law. In some cases
it has had serious effect i'm uubai.
iancing the price of land, IL going up
where fences are not needed to near
Is the additional cost Oi fencing, and
going down ia the other, the cost Uf
f,rming being so much greater where
fences had to be built and kept i'm re-
pair. But the practices and u-ages
of generations ARE hard To overcome,
and although mountaineering argu-
ment be- ad vanced, nothing can erafl
icaie the deep rooted prtjulicfs of
ages. They must be dealt with in nll
charity.
But why should not charity extend
"A little farther? The older and rich
or counties IN the State already have
their farms fenced, and herd law
could not 10 80 convenient to them,
but would he advantageous TO re-.
strain nnruiy stock which trespa-s
regardless Of any fence, and which
are The constant annoyance and dis
turbers of The peace Of neighlor-
hoods. Releasing their long cherish
ed principle Of letting their stock
rove ut pleasure, can they not sur
render some of their opinions when
il will not injnre them financially,
and permit their younger mud poorer
neighbming counties D enjoy imhu-
nity from trespnssing aninInls which
they have not and never can have
the means Of preventing hy the old,
expensive and unsightiy fence. Tht
question Of co-,, disappearing forests,
and economy in farming all demand
the continuance 81 the herd law. Its
repe,l will send bankruptcy and ruin
to tie largest portion Of the grain
growing region nf Iowa. The Stale
or mob law must reign supr..,n" in
the finest grain fields 1T the North
west IN protect iis yearly harvests.