The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-01-28
THE HERD LAW QUESTION
An Agnes City Farmers OPinlOn-An
Interesting Letter.

An Agnes City Farmers Opinlon-An
Interesting Letter.
We have, after due deliberation
in our own mind, taken our stand
in favor of a general herd law-not-
withstanding it places us with that
glorious minority, so called. We
have not taken our position from
sny selfish motive, from the fact that
we do not need it in our own case,
as we have our home fenced, and
material sufficient to keep up re-
pairs. But we believe that it would
be both morally and financially
right for US to pass such law. We
claim that it is a moral duty that we
owe to our fellow men who are
coming into our country, and who
have to take the lands without tim
Der, and an inferior class of lands !;
also for us 10 say to them that we
will take care of our stock for a
few years so as to enable them to
grow hedge fences or build stone
fences, as they may chose or can do.
But we are told that this is not an
agricultural country, but that it is a
stock country, and therefore we
should not have any more immigra-
ton; that we have people enough /;
that we ought to think more of a
cow than a man. Now we claim to
like cows, aud to like them well
enough to take care of them. Sup
pose we grant that this is not an ag-
ricultural county, (Which we are not
willing to do, but will for the sake
of the argument), and we will see
how consistent that argument is.
We say to those who are coming to
our country, and to those who con-
emplate coming, that you cannot
make living for yourself aud fam
lily by farming our soil, but you
have got to invest your money in
fencing in land that will not pay
you to farm, and you have got TO
fence or we will herd on you, and
you will be entirely eaten up by our
stock. Now why not say to those
persons, that you had better invest
your means in stock, for that is
what pays in this country, and by
so doing practice what we preach ?
But no, we compel the new conner
to put his means in land and fenc-
ing, and thereby deprive him OF
means to buy stock with. When
men will talk thus, we do not won
der that it is said-"Oh, consistency,
thou art q jewelp And again, we
are told that such law would run
all the stock men out of our coun-
try; and this is about as consistent
as the first argument, for we all
know that those who are engaged
in stOck-raising of any consequence
take care of their stock and herd
them. And what do our agricultu.
raj reports shown Do they moi
show US that the percentage of STOCK
in counties that had the herd Law
was larger than some of the non
herd law counties? But Mr.. "a. p
or Mr.. Somebody Else, knocks thi
argument right in the head by say
ing that the stock is owned by the
minority in those counties. w,
would like to ask if the majority o
the stock of our county is not own
ed by the minority, aud a large por
ton of that does not belong to GU
county aud state, either.
And now for ourselves, we would
say that that there are four kinds O
stock that are common and profita
BILE alike for the farmer of Kansa
to raise, to-wit :-herses, cattle, hog
and sheep. But we say to those VIII
may have their means in sheep, O
hogs, or may wish to invest in then
that you have got to herd or pas
ture them, but my money being in
vested in horses and cattle, wi
let them go where they please; bu
if your sheep or hogs are turne
loose, you have got to pay damage
} New, in this case, do our preseI
} laws give equal protection2 W
would answer, no. And again, "
are told if we pass herd law, some
body will sell out and leave th
State-if they should only live I
} just get over the State line to di
Well, that would be fearful, if som,
body in Kansas should sell out an