The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-14
PROTECTING SHEEP.
Some Further Suggestions from Cor
respondent who has Studied His Sub.

You were pleased 10 insert, with com
meudation, in your paper, published no
long since, a piece written by me respect
ing the protection Of sheep from tn,
depreciation OF dogs. Believing that it Il
matter OF great interest to the people o.
the State, and believing that the Law
passed in 1875, authorizing the taxing o.
dogs to raise fund to compensate ownert
Of sheep for sheep destroyed or injured
by dogs, is not well understood by many
Of the good people of the State, am
prompted to add something to what
have heretofore said on the subject, and
request It's publication.
Ilearn that it is supposed by many that
there must be favorable vote OF the peo-
pie before the Court Of the County can
exercise the power OF taxing dogs for the
purpose above stated. This In my opinion
Is erroneous. The first section OF the act
gives the unconditional power to the
Court to tax dogs for the purpose afore-
said. (see Acts Of 1875, page 1S4.)
The subsequent section OF the act up to
the 10Th describes the manner OF laying,
collecting, accounting for and discussing
the tax, and the killing OF dogs, unless
the tax be paid. Then follows the 10th
section, giving the power to the Court, OF
It's own motion, either before or after lay
ing the tax, to submit to the qualified
voters Of the county whether tax shall
be laid or not. This may be done, 1t Is
conceived, solely for the purpose OF en-.
tightening the mind Of the Court as to its
future action; but II the vote is against
the power to tax, no tax shall be laid, un-
less 1t is afterwards ascertained that pub.
lie sentiment has changed upon the sub.
iect; but II no vote has been ordered by
the Court, OF its own motion, upon the
application and petition in writing OF one
hundred resident free holders OF the coun-
ty the Court shall submit to the qualified
voters whether dogs shall be taxed in said
county, and II the majority OF the voters
be in favor OF the tax, the Court shall levy
II from year 10 year; but II a majority be
against the tax, the Court shall not levy it,
unless at some future time the question
be again submitted and the majority shall
be in favor OF the tax.
l think that it is plain that, from the.
reading OF the entire act, that no action
under the 10th section is required to en-
able the court to act under the first Sec
ton. The power 10 tax Is absolutely
given by II, and may be exercised at any
time by the court, unless the former il re-
stricted or licensed by action under the
sixteenth section. The court OF Marion,
and perhaps OF other counties, under
stand, has given the construction that T
contend for, and have asuccessful system
for taxing dogs to compensate owners OF
sheep killed by dogs, which has given
great satisfaction to the people Of that
county; that a tax Of fifty cents in that
county for the last year has raised suffi-
cient sum to pay for all the sheep destroy
ed by dogs and leaves balance OF some
5000. The people OF Lewis county are
said to be almost unanimous for laying the
tax on dogs in that county, and the court
at its last term took the necessary prelim-
nary steps by directing the assessors to
make list OF the dogs and report them
TO the levy term for taxation. And am
happy 10 say that the court OF this coun-
ty (Harrison) has unanimously adopted
the same course.
There seems to be great uninimity Of
feeling here upon the'suhject. 1t having
been understood, sometime prior to the
meeting Of the court, that action upon the
subject would be taken at this term, q
large number Of petitions were sent to the
court, rt,arguing in nthestrongest terms the lay
ing OF the tax, and people hocked in from
all quarters OF the county and manifested
their anxious desire that the tax should be
laid, and that sheep might be protected
from the depredations Of the dogs. Our
farmers not only seem almost unanimous
for enforcing the law in this county, but
desire that II should be made mandatory
and enforced throughout the State. They
are OF the opinion that enforcing it in a
few counties will not be an effectual pro-
lection even in those counties, that the
dogs frequently roam from one section to
another, and have but little respect To
county lines.
Ishould be glad to say something more
as to the necessity OF enforcing the dog
law and encouraging the raising OF sheep
in our State, but see that my communi-
cation has already extended to considera-
BILE length, and will therefore defer 1t for
the present.
The public is already under great obi.
cations to you for your intelligent and
forcible advocacy Of this necessary meas
ure, for promoting the prosperity OF the
State, and that obligation. will be greatly
increased il you will urge upon the courts
OF the several counties, who have not al
ready taken action on the subject, to act
at once, as the assessors are about 10 COM
mence their assessments for the present
year, and unless they are directed to list
the dogs, the taxation Of them will be de-
layed for year. GRAzIER.