The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1878-03-24
fComnunicAtei.l
Farmer. Must Hence

Not fence with willows or sage brush
or raw hide; but must make a "lawful
fence" which means fence that
average cattle cannot pass. Fence or
cease farming, is practically the ruling
of the Court in the case of Chase vs..
Woodruff & Enno r, decided oil Monday
last. Farmers. the lands you have
bought and upon which you have paid
taxes and placed valuable improvements
arc no longer yours to enjoy. Your
grass and your crops are dedicated for
the future to the wants Of the cattle
men, who pay no taxes upon their
ranges; the lands are as utterly value
less to you as SO many acres of water.
To build lawful fence around grain
fields is wholly impracticable. The
cost Of the material would be much
greater than the profits OF farming
could pay, indeed. the State is barren
OF fencing material. The Assessor $
returns show that we have in cultiyu-
ton and in meadows, lGG. 900 acres,
while the entire timber lands in the
State arc valued at $50, 900. The num-
Der Of hOmestends of loo acres zach.
would, by an equal distribution of tim
Der, be entitled to- about $50 each for
fuel, fencing and building purposes.
The fact cannot DC cvadcd or avoided,
agriculture must cease forever in this
State as an industry; it ceases now. uu-
less this decision shall be reversed.
Long before the aid of favorable legis-
lation can be evoked. the farmers will
have left or he engaged i'll other pur-
suits, aud will be too feeble in numbers
and too poor in purse to meet the
strong array of cattle men with their
numbers and power much aug manted.
But will cattle men really be mean
enough TO take advantage of il, asks
prominent business man. They will
no doubt follow the laws of trade, and
be quite rs willing to accept the goods
the gods hath sent them as the Incrch.
aut would be To accept free trnuspOr-
taiiou for his goods. And why should
he not? 1t is his legal right; it has
long been withheld ana III consequence
Of the injustice OF withholding the
right, his profits have been much dim.
inished. lie will undoubtedly say to
the farmer: you have no one to blame
but yourself; you have wrought yOur
own ruin by unwisely buying property
yOu could not hold. The law is so
plain that the Court dismissed the
case without comment. We are very
sorry to believe that such is the law.
The strength and pride of every IL
tion is in its agriculturists; men who
live upon and own the land they cul.
tivate. In our opinion it is the heav.
lest misfortune that has ever befallen
tho State. although agriculture repre-.
seuts but small interest, no State can
be truly prosperous without it. 1t is
doubtful II the taxable property will be
much diminished, in place Of the farms
that will be sacrificed after a year OF
two for taxes, the personal property
tax will DO much increased. We hear
that Mnrphy's four men have received
orders already to move his cattle from
Spring Valley to some point in this
county much nearer tho railroad. pro.
badly LnmOiIlc, while undoubtedly
Muller * Lux and other large cattle
owners from California will moro that
replace by cattle all wo shall lose in
ranches. ....t.. Ha.r