The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-27
FENCES AND STOCK LAWS.

The Ttmra nays Tint IAN attempt wi II Mn
doubleday bn made during the present session
nI the Legislature to secure legislation that
will force small farmers to Gonfne thalr stock
md enable large planters To ilapense with
fences" We don't know where tho 1Inea got
liz Information. but we III know that H. Ia
sngularly unreliable There Ia certainly no
deposition nj present 10 favor any such laals-
lation, aud we shall be very much surprIaad
II tho disposition manrasia itsalf later on
A Wa understand tho matter The idon Ia to
oonde this question tn tho parishes thom-
selves. that whatever regulations they
prescribe may be adipted to tho wants and
interests of tho community. There can be no
objection to this, for Whereas thoro may be
localities populated by small farmers, to
whom stock law might aaom useless "a we'll
ae aiataHtefu though we should think tho
contrary there nre. on tho other hand very
many 81 our richest parishes almoat exeIu-
svcly worked by extensive planters. to whom
a stock law will DO Of incaloulahle benefit. SO
far FROM ondeavorlng or desiring 10 Cypress
anybody. tho members Of tho IevIslature
propose to enact such laws "a will tho most
securely protect every ono In hs rights.
Laws which authorize each parrish to ropll-
late ita local affairs must certainly meet tho
vlnws Of tho people. aud are certainly not
open to tho accusation OF injustice.
The Legislature. however will OF course
proceed upon tho plan Of ita choice without
stopping to consider how far that plan may
propitiate tho Times. What strikes us un-
pleasantly Is that the 7imca should seek to
create the impression that tho small rarmers
constitute class antagonlstu to the largo
planters that tho two classes have hostile
aud Incompatible Interests. and that legisla-
tion which favors ono must necessarily op-
press the other. Tho Timea seoms TO delight
IN these opportunities to suggest causes for
bad feeling and to create false impressions
Nothing could be more absurd than tho prop
oaition that small farmers are liable to be in
jured by stock law. II they ba really farm
ers. they have. indoed. as direct and well-ae-
fined mn interest as the larger planters can
possibly have in acquiring protection. They
suffer quito ~ much In proportion from the
depredations of stock running Mt large and
will be quito Ms scnsbly benefited by tho
arrost of such dspredatlona Men who occupy
little patches OF ground but who keep largo
numbers Of cattle. hogs. etc. which they can
not by any possibility feed, are not farmers
al NIL they aro simply freebootsrs. They
keep stock which lives by trespassIng on tho
property or others. and thcy arc not honest
or useful citizcua.
10 call such people farmers. and 10 at
tempt to mako tho entire elass of Industrious
producers feel that the farming fraternity lis
assailcd when such piracy IL opposed. In u
very vicious though fortunately n very trans
parent form of demagoguery. II is quite as
foolish rs to urgN that immigrants will DO at
tracted to n country whore no rights Of prop
erty arc sacred aud where those who prao-
tiee thrift md industry arc prey0d upon by tho
idlG and tho unprinClplod. immigrants who
are worth inviting. and whose accession will
do Louisiana any good. arc not apt TO be at
tracted by tho spectacle Of laws which permit
ono man to feed his stock upon Tho product Of
nnother's labor. In nj least nine cnths OF
the parishes of Louisiana stock laws arc an
absolute necessity for tho adequate promo
tlon OF agricultural interests. bot tho Legi3-
lature pave tho way for tho establishment OF
such laws whore they are demanded, leaving
it to those localities which do not need them
to decide for themselves