The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1877-01-11
The Herd Law.

We called attention, last week, to the notice
If the County Board relative to passing an or
der putting the State Herd Law in force in this
county. This is question that has strong ad-
yocates and opponents, and there will doubtless
he some warm feeling on the subject. But we
believe that the feeling in favor of herd law is
increasing each year. But very few years ago,
tba ouestion was submitted to vote of the peo-
ple. and was defeated by a majority that was al
most unanimous Last Winter. when the qnes-
tion was before the Legislature, petitions in ia
vor of the passage of general law were sent up
from this County, signed almost as numerously,
if not quite so, as the remonstrances against it.
And since the late order of the Board, we have
heard farmers express themselves in its favor,
who were heretofore opposed to it.
This question is one which principally inter-
ests farmers and, reduced to plain language, it
may be said to be proposition as to whether
men shall take care of their own stock, or permit
it to forage upon their neighbors; whether farm
er shall fence small portion Of his land for
the care of his own stock, fence all his land to
protect his property against the stock of all his
neighbors. The plea of many who are opposed
to a herd law is, that it is hardship, prevent
ing them from allowing their cattle the benefit
of range lying open. Practically, it is a confess
ion that they want permission to keep cattle
at the expense of somebody else. 1t is usual
upon such occasions, to make the argument that
herd law would be hardship upon poor men,
who are not able to fence pastures, or to hire
herders to take care of their stock. 1t may be
called hardship. in that respect, but there is
nothing without its hardships to somebody. Be-
ing poor, is of itself a hardship, but it would be
just as reasonable to contend that there shonld
be no laws for the protection of property, as they
prevent poor meu's children, who are not able to
feed them, from supporting themselves by tax
ing what they wish from their neighbour fields
barns and cellars
On former occasion, we showed that the fenc-
es of Doniphan County had cost hundreds OF
thousands of dollars; that the necessary annual
repairs costs thousands more; and that the fenc-
es of the County, in money, would clear off the
mortgage on every farm in the County. If farm
ers prefer their farms enclosed, they could en-
close them with herd law as well as without
while those who do not, would not be compelled
to; and those who wished to grow hedges, could
do 30 without the expense of fence to protect
them for q series of years. 1t will cost much less
to fence 20 or 40 acres for pasture, than to fence
the whole 16O acres to protect the crops.
1t will soon be time to begin repairs on fences
for the next seasons farming Most of the fenc-
es are good enough except as barriers to breachy
cattle. If stock is allowed ia run at large, thou
sands of dollars will have to be spent to repair
the fences in the County; while if the herd law
sput in force, but very little expense will be
necessary. This is big item for hard times.
The freshets, too, that come almost every Sum-
mer, about the time the crops need the most pro-
lection, and sweep the fences from lands along
all the water-courses, would be less of calamity
than they hav heretofore been.
The foregoing is simply synopsis of our
views. Every farmer will look at it from his
own standpoint. Every one should see to it
that his name is either on petition or remon-
STRANGE, before the first Tuesday in February;
for the Board are determined to be governed by
the expressed wishes of a majority of the people.