The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1875-12-16

had broken into my enclosed heldS Ihls
is common sense, and common law is
merely common sense 'sboiled down.
the ultimatum of the courts.
The farmer complains Of the burdens
heaped upon him. In many respects
these complaints are we'll founded; but
here is a case where the burden is enor-
nous, and where the remedy is in his
own hands.
Let us examine into the cost of fenc-
ing the farms in Minnesota.
First, to ascertain the cost, we must
find how many rods of fence there are.
Bv obtaining the proper data, we can
bers, there is total area of three mil
lion acres of cultivated land in Mime
sofa.
There are sixty-one thousand five hun
drcd farms. This gives the average size
of Minnesota farm to tie forty-eight and
| seventy eight hundredth acres. Throw
this area in as compact form as practl-
cable, and you find it requires about $50
rods of fence to each farm in Minnesota,
and it amounts to twentyOne million,
eight hundred and thirty..wo thousand,
five hundred dollars 1921, ,5O0D
You observe [ estimate the fence to cost
one dollar per rod, which is as little as
| good durable fence can be built for, as
it averages through the State.
| But allowing for those townships
where the herd law prevails, we will
throw off their account ST. 1882 800, and
there still remains burden OF twenty
five millions of dollars for the farmers Of
Minnesota to stand up under. You M y
build twenty million rods of as good
four board, post and board fence out of
as good material as you can obtain for a
dollar rod, and where is it in ten
years?
Counting in repairs, which are always
in order after the first year, the annual
depreciation on this investment is not
less than ten per cent, resulting IL a
dead loss Of the whole twenty millions
of dollars in ten years. or an annual
cost OF two million dollars; and the bur-
den is Increasing in exact ratio to our
agricultural development.
In this exhibit have not included the
miles OF expensive fences to be found in
st. Paul, Minneapolis and other large
cities, costing from twenty five to one
hundred dollars per rod, and which in
the aggregate reaches into millions OF
dollars; and yet the farmer pays Tor
all"
Let us see how this thing works. The
men who go out on our broad prairies
are not, as a rule, what might be called
monied men. The great mass Of them
have one or two yoke OF oxen, few
cows and young stock. a breaking pillow,
and what few household goods can be
slowed away in the covered wagon. Thai
is about all Some Of them have a little
money; but. not much. Many of them
pay out their last dollar before reaching
their destination. They work hard, ant
fare still harder. Alter an amount o.
J toll and privation on the part of the pool
, settler. that the man who eats ''Archi
balds" or ''P,llsbury's best" neve,
dreamed of, his quarter-section is al
broken and sowed to wheat. But it i.
, unienced. He can't sell The whole rancl
for money enough to buy the materia
for fencing it securely against the depre
d,tions OF marauding cattle. In tn,
pious language of the poet, he has t.
'sWatch, and fight. Shd pray" Ever
that often iails-damage ensues. and thel
there is more fighting than praying. Hi
whole moral nature is aroused-possi
bly, perverted; and he swears he will d.
his best to protect that crop, regardles
OF consequences. He feels he is RICH
: in maintaining his rights. Lawyer
grow fat, and true religion suffers.
Or. on the other hand, suppose he ha
the requisite 500 to build his two mile
OF fence with; even then he is not safe
I he has merely paid that much more 10
!, the luxury OF a lawsuit.
: Al this point | am interrupted by
. message from Willmar, that the towl
5 cattle have broken into the park, and ar
5 destroying the trees. That park i
r fenced with Il better post-and-board ienc
than one farmer in hundred can boas
OF. 1t can't be duplicated for one dol
: lar rod, and like a protection tariff -
e lals to protect" | can't follow this sub
: ject any further till that fence is repair
ed; and may the spirit that entered int
. the swine take possession OF those Will
{ mar town cattle. SO that like their illus
e trious prototypes they all rush vio!entl
down steep place into the sea, ant
perish. Yours truly.
!, LEONARD b. HODGES