Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-07-19
Patent NIcdiciMes-Sto Law.


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There arc but few Of our readers who have not
n clear conception Of what The term, patent me
dioines, includes. All nostrums, which euro
every i'll to which human flesh is heir and pre-
vent the inroads Of now and unknown diseases,
are termed patent medicines, and are advertised
and sold TO tho credulous. They claim TO bc
euro alls and prove generally to DO cure hings.
The advocates of fencing stock como very near
making the stock law patent medicine in rcla.
tion TO its numerous virtues, both in saving cx-
penses 10 tho farmers Of the State and in creating
profit to them. It's virtues arc both negative
and positive, curative and preventive, local and
general Its advocates claim that the farmers,
under its benign operations, will save in few
years, without any additional labor, enough
money now expended in fencing, TO mako them
independently wealthy. Their stock will be i'm
proved in quality and value, and will live on nn
unknown quantity of nothing. Their crops will
be fully protected from the dcprcda,ions of bob
tailed bulls, ram goats and peach orchard shoats,
and tho farmer will sleep in peaceful plenty, q
few years rendering it necessary to erect other
and broader barns to contain his increasing
products. Oh! what millennium the stock law
will prove TO the farmer. There will be no
need OF hearing cuss words about crops destroyed
ny stock, for every mans COW and ycarlng will
bask under its owncrs vine nnl fig tree, with
mono to modest or make them afraid. There will
DO no more trouble about taxes, for the farmer
will make from tho land covered by the crooks
OF his fence more than enough to pay his taxes
ana hcncc he will pay them and bless the Le-
gislaturo which gave him a strip of his own
land to cultivate. There will no longer be
.any anxiety about our great, great, great great,
grandchildren to The twentieth generation frcez.
ing to death for want Of wood, for we under til o
stock law will provide against such contn.
gency. In fact, the advocates of the law see in
it nothing but good TO the whole rcoplc, while
1eW II any are found to speak word Of caution
as to the vital change its adoption will work in
tho agricultural interests Of the county, and the
Importance Of weighing tho matter we'll before
venturing upon the change. We arc Interested
IN whatever will best promote The interests of
the farmers, and were VIC fully satisfied this law
would 80 operate, then we would advocate it
we do not know which is bost, the present or
proposed system of fencing and hcnoo until con-
Vinoed VIC prefer TO venture upon no change
This ls always wise course in matters of great
Importance to whole community.
1t is doubly doubtful whether it is wise for
township or even county to adopt the law.
Think first of the expense Of fencing whole
township, and then in addition each citizen Of
that township fencing pastures for his stock,
thlnk next of tho largo number of gatcs TO be
kept up and to be kept closed, the former of
which Is expensive and the latter difficult.
Ihlnk farther of Tho large number of water eaps
at creeks &c', TO be kept in order. Tho town
snip hos this to do, and if n gate is left omen
and stock enters and destroys a crop who is
responsible? Not the owner Of the stock. unless
nc openca or left open the gate. Tho township
must Keep lawful fence and The large number
OF gates At public roads closed, or its citizens
can have no remedy against the deprcdatious of
the stock of adjoining land owners who can
estimate the amount Of litigation and i'll feeling
this may cngcndcr?
AS State measure or as measure 10 In
adopted by number of adjoining counties, the
question would be freed Of many Of its difficulties
ana Objectionable features. ILwould then stand
on It's merits as change beneficial or Injurious
70 the farming interests Of tho county. AS n
local, or township measure, it should not be
adopted except after grave consideration and
pressing reasons.
IL IS useless TO deny but that much can be said
on both sides of tho question Tho adyocaies
Tor the change in Anderson and other interior
counties have heen worry active, whilo very few
nave said aught in opposition. Tho arguments
In favor Of tho change arc ofton specious on
spun out to frazzle, and many of thom are
naked assertions Of the individual. 1t Is anus
Ing tohcar as q reason against the present law
tho Increased production from tho land covered
by the crooks Of the fenco, or in this county the
saving Of timber when the whole county is
comparatively an unbrokcn forest, and thcro arc
few farmers but arc paying to havo timbor cul
of their land.
That tho cost Of fencing is greater than The
value Of oil our stock will hardly bc swallowed
by a rejecting mind. II mon desire 70 kcor
other peoples stock from pasturing on their
land let thcm fcnco In thcir whole tract. The,
I now-haye and have always had the right;to d,
this. II othors in a good pasturage section
like Oconco County, are willing to have the
lands unincloscd, and permit Tho public to onjo,
its pasturago, why not permit IL? Every ctize,
,can fenco stock of Of his land We hopo th
Gr9ngers Of the county will thoroughly discus
these questions and that tho people will DO SUR
they are right before thoy take step In thi
important matter We havo said theoretioall,
we incline To the lawand tlIaUto us Individual,
ait would provo beneficial, but We desire to oyois
change unless after thorough discussion praotinn
Il farmers of good Judgniont approve tho change