The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1876-01-29

Now we will go back to his article Of
Jan. 4th, in which he says according to
the opponents of the herd law if / am
not able to build lawful fence have
no rights my stock raising neighbor is
bound to respect" and says II have
bought my land of the U. S. and it has
been by them warranted to me against
all persons, and yet my neighbor will
pasture his stock on my grass" Mr.. B.
says he and his neighbors put their stock
together and had them herded. As /
am of an inquisitive turn will ask him
did you herd your cattle on your own
land or did you let them eat some other
persons grass? And will also ask you
whether in the past year, you let your
stock eat other peoples grass? Mr.. B.
talks q great deal about equal and exact
justice and says, "Mr. q. utterly ignores
that point" l will tell him that justice
is what 1 am contending for, and he
ought to know that people differ (and
that honestly about what is equal and
exact justice. Mr.. B. says he bought
his land of the U. s. and it is warranted
to him against all persons-which
don't dispute. But the government of
the U. s. does not warrant to him or any
other person the crops that grow on the
land unless they take care of them by
fencing or otherwise according to law.
He knew and so did every other herd
law man who purchased land in Allen
county, that they had to fence it to Sc
cure their crops. Those opposed to that
law bought theirs with the understand
ing that they could let their stock run
at large. Which was fair contract and
all parties knew just what they were
doing. If there is any injustice in oppo-
sing the herd law l can't see it. They
have got just what they bought Of
the U. s. and they had half Of the con-
tract to make.
And now those in favor of herd law
wish to reverse the matter and say to
their neighbor who bought his land
knowing he could let his stock run at
large, I will have this thing reversed and
you shall build the fence notwithstand-
ing purchased the land knowing it was
my duty to fence my crops if l preserved
them. If you don't do what think is
right you are not just. Mr.. B. says, II
am fully convinced that opposition to
the herd law is only another name for
tyranny and oppression" Yes, tyranny
and oppression! Just because other peO-
pie differ with him in opinion or oppose
measure that he thinks is to his inter-
est-it matters not whether it is to the
best interests of the people in the county
it is unjust if it does not correspond
with his views of justice. l will say to
Mr.. B. that as free American citizen,
claim the right to my opinion and con-
cede the same to him and all other per-
right and all Others ought
to be willing and generous enough to
whether it might be in accord
ance with our views and best interests
or not. shall not hesitate to speak my
freely according to the die
tates of my conscience whenever / feel
like it. l think conscience is the only
criterion we have to teach us what is
right and just. And it matters not to
me if my opinions are in opposition to
every body, or whose interest it might
conflict with; l will speak them and
back them with my signature and let
the public have them for just what they
are worth. And if there is tyranny
about it they will know who the tyrant is.
This is not contest between the rich
and the poor as the advocates of the herd
law seem to think, as there is for and
against it. the ba,j1er, the stock dealer,
and all classe. 16f farmers and stock
raisers, from hetpoor man that has one
COW, up to the parties irJhat- has scores
of cx,.Se. MIR. fn'ed1 as ralli'iiviwar on
the cattle dealeister days ! lave to say
about them isser book, t s.Elwalong with
or without thiffeSy, ha5t iiaw, and if they
come among us we are not any more
obliged to sell our corn and cattle to
them than we are obliged to marry a
colored girl just because they happen to
live in the same neighborhood.
d CnaN