The true northerner., 1880-05-14
CATTLE AT LARGE IN THE TOWNSHIP
OF ANTWERP.

OF ANTWERP.
There is such diversity OF opinion as to the
status OF the law in our township, that a review
OF the whole matter seems necessary. One
part OF the township claim their right to the
public highway as a pasture, while the other
part hold that the law is still in force, the last
action of the Board of Supervisors 10 the con-
trary notwithstanding.
Antwerp is the first township in the comfy
that has applied 10 the Board to pass the nee
essary resolution for the application OF the
State law. This resolution was paased at the
{ last October session on the petition OF one
hundred free holders and eighteen persons not
free holders. The aggregate OF taxes paid 10y
this one hundred Was S2035.22. This petition
represented nearly the whole of the north half
OF the township and many prominent names in
each of the villages. In Mattawan, for instance,
such names appear as q. Il. Goodrich, DR..
Brown, DR.. Briggs and J. S. Buck. In Lawton,
q. W. Lawton, G. ID. Lawton, +. b. Adams,
John lhling, Il. j. Dosenberg, Levi Stern and
A. b. Jones. No petition was circulated in
the southeast part OF the township. Upo n
drawn IN accordance with the law, was passed.
At the late session of the Board G.. ID. Lawton,
the Supervisor for the township OF Antwerp,
presented q petition signed by 15S persons
praying that the former action OF the Board IN
relation to cattle running at large, be rescinded.
OF these 1853 names, s3 do not appear upon the
roll as tax payers and the IS who pay taxes pay
an aggregate of $76S.S9, or an average of S1025
EACH while the repr ssentatives OF the former
petition pay an average OF 920.35, or an aggre-
gate, as before stated, OF S2035.22.
None OF the persons above mentioned from
he villages. with the exception OF b. j. Desen-
burg, signed the counter petition And now a
word as to the force OF the resembling action OF
the last Board OF Supervisors.
The bill passed by the Legislature restra in
ing domestic ANNALS was not TO become opera
tive until sanctioned by the Board OF Supervs-
ors by the passage OF the necessary resoiutio n
and might apply 20 the whole or part OF a
county. so that when such a resolution was
once passed 1t became state law, operative
over such parts OF the county as the resolution
covered The law, since the passage OF the
resolution referred 20. has been 10 force in the
township OF Antwerp. and all efforts to rescind
or evade is simply "bay!ng at the moon As
well attempt TO rescind the fourteenth amend
mendment' or raise the Governors salary,
The counties east Of Us have nearly all passed
the resolution making the law effective. Sup
posing we turn il around and admit that the
Board of Supervisors have the power to rescnd
the passage OF the resolution. Some man who
aspires to be supervisor will make promises
and cater to the wishes OF few TO make votes,
get his election and proceed at once to rescind.
All who have taken down their road fences for
their own convenience must replace them again
could be no permanency to the law in either
CASE. 1t would never become settled. Our
township, for instance, would vibrate between
unlimited range and restriction, as either party
might become strongest. The Legislature never
contemplated such a contingency, and they
either wilfully misrepresent or are woefully
ignorant who attempt to make such farce out
Of the law.
Let those who have faith in the power OF
the Board OF Supervisors to resci nd State law
advise their supporters that the law is rep ealed
and that where there is no fence there is free
pasturage. Those who are wiling to submit
will be overrun, as usual Bat there are loca-
tions where the law as it stands will be en-
forced.
Antwerp, May 10. y. c. GLlDDEN.