The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-07-05
FENCE OR NO FENCE.

FENCE OR NO FENCE.
Mr.. EDITOR: Seeing it announced in
your paper that your columns were open
for discussion on the fence law, 1 propose
to say a few things. I am not in the
habit of;writing newspaper articles, and
do not now propose TO do anything more
than offer a few thoughts upon the pros
posed change. & Is
First, I am surprised to see that any
man,opposes law.r requiring every man
to keepShis stock inside of his own en-
closure. Certainly no man can con-
scientiousiy say that he believes it to be
Just and fair for him to turn out his stock
to roam over the country at large, making
it absolutely necessary for his neighbor
to keep up fencing at great cost to keep
his and other peoples stock from destroy
ing his crop. - q
/ have been so situated, Mr.. Editor,
for great number of years, that I have
had good opportunities to see and know
that more little difficulties get up in
neighborhoods from the trespassing of
stock and abuse of them after trespassing
by getting over old dilapidated fences
than anything else. The way the law
now stands there is probably not one
dozen farms in Anderson County now
enclosed by a lawful fence. I am salts
fed now, and have been for the last
twenty-five years, that the present fence
law is all wrong, and we should at once
adopt the present proposed change.
1t is argued by some that this change
would damage the poor man. How
stands the case? Is it not III the power
of the land owner to keep any mans
stock off of his land. Could he not fence
up the whole of it, and no man dare say
no? or, is the landowner now bound by
law. to furnish those who have no land
pasturage for their stock? Certainly,
every man would say no! Is it not just
that it should be so? But pass this pro-
posed change, and every employer is
then bound by law to furnish pasturage
for stock for his laborers, provided they
help keep up the pasture fence. Now,
does it not benefit the renter, for this
change, by law, furnishes him pasturage
on certain conditions. The present law
does not make any such provision.
So it does seem to me that in any view
of the case that the croper anathos who
own no land would be the most benefit
ted. One thing is very certain, they
have no right to say to the Landowner,
"Sir, 1 will make your landmy pasturage
for my stock" IF the present proposed
change is adopted, the farmers could
spend all the time now lost repairing up
old rotten fences in composing and max,
homemade manures, giving them an
opportunity to spend much more of their
time in preparing their lands, which
would every year bring their farms into
a higher state of cultivation. Make the
change and farmers would be forced to
diversity their crops more; they would
have to SOW the grasses and small grains
on a larger scale, thereby improving their
lands; and they would be forced to i'm
prove their stock of all kinds, which
would certainly pay them. Fence up
the stock and our old fields would i'm
prove much faster, as ! suppose every
man will admit that an old field now.
fenced in will improve much faster than
one when stock is permitted to forage.
This of itself is sufficient reason to
change the fence law. 1t is said it will
not do to turn hogs and sheep in one
pasture. Why this has always been the
case; they have run together all the time.
There are certain seasons of the year
when it is necessary to look after the
lambs. This is now done, and will still
be done, so this objection is not we'll
founded. It is said that high winds or a
storm might blow down the pasture fence,
and turn out the stock; and such thing
might happen, but certainly if it did the
case would be no worse than now under
the old law; and besides, it would not
occur often, and then strong pasture
fence would be more likely to stand the
storm than our old fences. We should
all build good, substantial pasture fences,
and then keep our stock in our own en-
closure. Do this and kill all the worth
less dogs in the County, and we would
have good stock of all kinds, and plenty
of them; and what is better, securely
kept in our own pastures, and not troub-
ling our neighbors. I believe it is just
as necessary for the farming and stock
raising interest to make this change in
the fence law as it was to change our
political situation by electiug Hampton
Governor of our State. I have seen this
accomplished, and now I-want to see the
fence law changed.
Make this change, and in three years
you will see the farming interest greatly
improved You will see our bread and
meat made at home by the raising Of
more grain and the diversity of crops;
less cotton made and better prices for it;
the poor man and the rich man alike
beneftted-all working under the new
change together to a more prosperous
future. Farmer, study well before cast
ing vote against this change. Pastures
can be made on any farm in the County
by preparing for it-sinking wells, which
will not cost much. All this about
noor mon HAVING Tn walk half a mile