Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-07-12
The Fence Law.

Tho probability is that an opportunity will
son be given the voters OF the several
taynships in cach county in the State, to
dcare for or against the proposed change
inthe fence law. 1t would be we'll for each
wbch it merits. 1t is not political
question at all and politics should not be
dravn into it. At tho same time, it is Il
question which concerns all classes in
society, from the humblcst laborer to the
highvst official.
Before deciding as to tho right or wrong,
advantages or disadvantages, contemplated
by tho law, it should first be understood
whatthe proposed law contcmpIatcs effectiog
Clearly, nothing more is proposed to be
done by tho new fence law than is done by
the law now in force. At present, every
planter is required, by law, to enclose his
crops aud thus secure them from the dcpra.
dations of his nciehbors' stock The pro-
posed aw-thc law respecting the adoption
of which the voters of the several town
ships will be called in short timo to vote
-contcmpates protecting tho crops of the
planters Of the county by requiring the
stock to bc enclosed. 1t is truo that the
law, as it now stands. docs not compel any
ono to fenco his fields, but necessity docs
The law now in existence regards all un-
fenced lands as common pasture grounds.
In order that the planter may be able to
receive damages in tho event his crops are
destroyed by his ncighbors' stock, his crops
must be secured by what is called "a lawful
fence"
The proposed law does not contemplate
forcing any man to keep stock; but it con-
templates forcing every stock owner to pre-
vent his stock from dcpra6ating upon his
neighbors' crops 1t is clear that the pro-
posed law takes awoy from no citizen any
right which he now has or can hayo. All
it aims at in this rcsrect, is to protect the
rights Of all at tho least possible expense to
the individual.
To say that no Disadvantages would follow
q change In tho fenco law Of tho State,
would bo unreasonable. No man can
change the location of his front gate, or Of
his stables, or of aDy Of tho fences or build
ings on his plantation, without experiencing
some disadvantage. Notwithstanding this
fact, every farmer makes many and great
changes on his farm. Before he made the
changes, lie was fully aware of the disnd-
vantages which ho would experience. Why
make the change? Simply, because the
advantages were moro in number and
grenter 10 magnitude than tho disadvantages.
lilo was willing to suffer small loss that
he might acquire great gain.
This is the question which is presented
to the mind by tho proposed change in the
fence law. Which can be fenced tho easier,
the drops or tho stock? Tho law grants
every land owner the right to enclose every
aore of land he owns. The law, so long as
this country remains civilized land, never
can prevent hin, from doing this. Tho ouly
exception to this general rule is in oaso
public roads pass through a mans farm.
The roads he can not stop. They belong to
tho public, and are kept open for tho public
good.
There is no mood that time and space be
consumed In Attempting to prove that it will
cost the country far less to fcDco tho stock
than it does to fence tho crop. No ono
who knows anything about the facts in the
case, will call this statement in question.
Less than one tenth Of the ands that arc
cultivated, and, consequently fenced, will
be more than sufficient to pasture all the
stock in the State. Ono hundred rails will
20 farther 10 fonoing tho stock, than will a
thousand rails in fonoing tho crops. This
would be clear saving of nino hundred
rails in thousand. Let it bo remembered
in this connection, that, 10 themselves, rail
making and fence building arc proftlcsa
labor, There is nothing In them that is