The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1875-03-26
& Fence Law.


this State enacting a ~ fence law, hav-
ing b en- assigned me by this body at its
last meeting, would respectfully submit
the following uggestiuns.
Law Justice and common sense. are
he ca Ciral poin's bv which nations
and men should shape their course in
life BY the light Of such, let US examine
this intricate question.
Law is rredirated on the idea Of ben
citing The greatest number to the Diet,
riment of the fewest number. Now who
will he benefited by no fence law? the
majority or minority of those engaged in
rural pursuits. In order that may
show up this question in its true phase.
let it be meTitor Ious, or OtF erw ise, | pro-
pose to present the tatistical record as
shown by KiIlebrew's Resources of this
State
The tax upon farmers for keeping up
their enclosures, is more burdensOme
and Onerous than state, County and
school taxes. In this State there are
I0O27.762 acres enclosed, requiring
6J6SIS4l rods Of fencing at a cot of
623g7T4S Dollars the interest OH which
10 pr cent Will amount to <023.977
But as this amount of fencing will have
to be removed every 10 years we may
add 10 pr cent more making the total an
nual tax 81 247 954, which is received as
a far estimate of the cost including tins
Der, making the rails and putting them
on the fence Butther 8 still an addi-
tiOnal item tn be added; viz the quantity
If land occupied Estimating "a zigzag
fenc ia occupy a width Of four feet, there
is about 100000 acres embraced in
fence rows worth at SO rr acre 100000
" hich if cultivated would produce at
bbls of corn pr acre 100000. at one
do lar pr bushei would he worth s. 500
600 OF If rented at IS or acre Mould be
worth S5GO0OO annually Add this to
the preceding esri ate of the annual
cost and We have the grand rOral of
SI.747 Q54. Now this tax is paid by
l29 $50 farmers, or about SIS 20 each
farm per annum. According to the cens
Gus OF 1870 there were engaged in the
various avncati"ns in this state 3679S7
persons 26102O We're engaged IN agricuI>
ture or about Y pr cent of the whole
Now divide the number of hands by the
number of farms and there ]. fraction
over tw, hands to each farm; cOusp~
qupntly there Is not great disparity up
on the part of the lnborcr, pre- inning
there is a respectable number Of the
owners of farms that labor There
might here arise question in the
mind Of some one, if the tenants priv
lege won d not be abridged by the no
fence systrml Nor at all If tie land
owner can reduce his expenses, he can
/ relatively reduce his rents But as long
as he Gland owners) has the exnrbrrant
expenses Of keeping up farm TO meet,
: l. - y.-TF
he land share. If not foot the expenses
in the regularity of the cnntrsc.- be-
tween the land owner, and tenants, upon
he same parity of reasoning, that the
ppIsu that wear oct. the merchants,
goods paw the merchants tax. It may
appear to tie IL nds of some, that tens
anGS stock would become uumanagabIe
under the woI kings Of the no fence svs.
TEN D,nt the tenants make the fences
around the farm to protect their int-res t
| in common with the land lords. Under
the no fence system the tenants task
/ ", uld be Hghtened in proportion to the
/ reduction q fencing presummg be built
! the pasture fences A. to the tenant :
! stock, the relation existing between La
! hOr, and capital and tine mutual depen~
| dencv one upon the other will al ways
| give the tenants Tree passage to the va>
rious pastures prepared in common for
| land owner, and tenants, | know iU i
! the DISPOSITION of Il great many, to C ing
to lsUg established customs, venerating
| theTn sometimes, more on account Of
their antiquity than true merit
Suppose when John Fitch in the last
and Fulton in this century commenced
Investigating the power of st am, they
had be. IN to fabrirate fears, as to the
efficiency of the machinery, and had
ceased their mental and physical Efforts
Steam, the great motive power that is
now employed in moving the products
from one to the other side of this CONT
nent, and from this to other governments
as bv magic, would be unknown and
unused.
think it Is the part of justice ifthere
are benefits locked W IN the great store
house Of the future for the toiling thod.
sands engaged in rustic pursui 8 to set
about developing them. No better KEY
than common sense could be used tn IN.
lock and avail ourselves Of them There i
no duubr in my mind that our tilabie
lands are rendered sterile by stncR runs
nlnu on them through the winter months,
hacking the land, and devOuTIng the
vegetable matter that should return e.
the deplrted land Ii II a recognized
fact. that there are natural laws that gov
ern the III, steal world, and for the VIC,
Iarion of any Of these there are p-RalUies
provided A qupIteT OF century ag,
tits country was not attended with the
irreuularifirs that now characterize ouI
seasons. If these irregularities arr
brought about on account of tie cOun
try's having been stripped OF its natura
garb. aud the various uffices that were
perfnrmed by the grasses Ingendere,
hv the Inhalation and pxhalatIun OF this
mighty breathing forest, II these Irreeu
Iarities are thus created pr"portionate
ly will they increase to the scarcity o
natural growth in the forest Contiuu'
to di=mautle Is country of Its limb T
few wears longer, and this section, one
the home of prosperity and plenty, !
. stripped OF its foliage the source ut OK
vgrn, - essential to animal lite, Is 1T
without an absorher, then viii irregular
iUirs reign supreme, and desttutinn au'
want, like esrruy ing angel, pass Owe
this country,
In order to avert this tTagicai scene
= propose to take the fence from arOur
the farms. fence, the noor lands tina
compose large area (too large for th
r country g""d) # our country, and dI
j vide IL INTO 3 OF of appr, pirate size
80 ] sow down in saplIng or red Glove
z (thuugh sap!iuE clover grows best il
thin lauc) disseminate some variety o
; grass, TO vs,regare the pasture for syrin-