Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1874-12-17
DOGS VERSES SHEEP.
MEssRs EpIToRs:--


/ ~ .Anst'naking ia n
] who sinee1f. ?. desire the prosperity OF oui
county and State will thark you Iar yoa
!. agitation OF the subject OF taxing dSss
The dog is justly fayoriie animal will
man, and many heroics iD his praise hav
been sald and sung. But on the Whole
summing up the advantages and disa lEan
/ tagas which he produces to tran kind
and especially to sheep gTowers-ther
can De no doubt tAa: the balance is enoI-
\ nao,lsly against him.
I there il not State IN the Union better
!, adapted. by nature and surroundings. foi
The production Of wool, than Virginia
NsehaYe no statistics of this prediction
since the separation of the State; bat the
! last Notwithstanding West Virginia, Civ
us,but a.5lo. eco. lbs not exceeding thu
! production Of single counties IN othe
! States, .ea
The pepulationso Of present State of Viz
,, ginia in 1870 was l.225,1S' assuming Oh,
! dog to eath Is in3ahitants-and /. thinl
actual statistics would show even. large
than this-we hive 1857 dogs! In cities
| and towns it can not cost less than 80 cts
per week or $2G per annum to keep. dog
in the country 1t does not cost us much en
$40 per annum is certainly low estimate
Fan average OF $l8 for the whole State
making the total cost of corpmissarry
supplies for our dog arny $l..7o.l6s :.
! nearly enough ie pay thr interest on our
State debt, quite enough to purchase
| 100000 sheep. "a re- g-s ags d
Aside trom the expense Of Keeping dogs
they kill and injure at least $4,000 tc
e75,900, worth Of sheep annually. And
the fear of them deters thousands from
keeping sheep who otherwise would DO 50
and add millions to the WEALTH the State
Who is benefited by this enormous
| outlay aad wholesale destruction? No
body. 20 - Az t..JCaM
SAeep~are an element of prosperity AMI
wealth--Dogs are an ele.sent of poverty
and destruction. 80. i7i@% F,+
have known maay poor men alai'
rich by the eulure 0: sheep. land many
comparatively rich men made nuch pooTe
by keeping dogs g.ss:.
A heavy tax upon dogs. ;.nd sieav;e
| one upon Mrs. Dog. would not only >hav'
!, 3 tendency to Improve the breed Of sheep
but would also raise the standard OF dog
! the lnselves and cause the DETERMINATION 0
thousands of worthless ours, when writ
/ the word + am inclined to add an es.---
| that now iniest the land.
Had T. not already exceeded the limit o
! your patience might add statistics o
ulany other States that have found prof
| ard prosperity in taxing dogs for til
| ben.at of sheep. n
! Our Legislature cen not do q wiser "a
..aan to carry out the suggestion of Coy
Ks,aper 81 this subjecs, in bis reren
| mesa. t.e. e. II
Finally. are 1oss of as much benefit t.
tie. State in.aggl sgste as they cost? Is.
this cestisI have en5'esyoreei 10 she.
and ii any pc. -..on ct: chow that they al
worth any wha. . near ;lieir eost, | gill b.
obliged iof his trouble. $500.
| 1t is re srsu.asi.t,.o cay t',ae ts:c foo'
would .. he ssi,+ pc va. ted and Fiat THU
costs netting to Aeep, a dsl every mouth
fa eaten hy a dog ~ouid be gladly dc
! vorred by hog and asuesa gift = Lni.,"r.
eliildret'. Who does not kAow.' ,nsnJ
houses ia this county aud state with thei
children h.il7 starved snd less than hal
I; cloth ed. with haiti a dozen dogs catching
every raouthfu, witli.is reach-1iui the
cost Of these cnrs Into Sheep aud til'
children would be fed and clothed.
| Dee. II, 1874. Rex.
Injunction ,Iisse.ys5 Tae sslz4gffn