Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1881-04-14
For the Advertiser.
Keep it Before the PeopIe.--stock
Fence Law.

MEssRs. EDITORS: We have read
with much interest, and appreciation,
as legal argument, an article on the
Stock fence law, published in the
North Carolina Ne,cs G Observer, and
copied by the Southerm Ct.lsirator,
published at Athens, Ga. We think
the argument conclusive on all points
Of law involved in the enactment Of
the law requiring stock to be fenced.
The author and article being from
neighboring State, I'VE hope will be
read, pondered, ard adopted, by our
people.
We have read many able and con
vincing articles from local citizens
this will give the views and opinions
of our neighbors; and we ask its pub
lication in your valuable paper. We
cannot understand why our Repre-
sentatives hesitate to act upon mat
ter of such vital Importance to the
pecuniary interests of the people. 1t
is an immense tax, a great labor, to
build and repair fences to keep out
of the cultivated 6elda the few hogs
and cattle turned upon the old fields
to subsist. 1t costs more annually
than the taxes we pay the State and
County; this has been demonstrated
often to our people by our ablest wri-
tiers.
The enactment of the Stock fence
law for Edgefeld County is neces
sity. TIE present Representatives
should pass the law to take effect
April lst, A. D. 1852. This would
agivesample time to sell surplus stock
and build pasture fences. We are
sausneu would advance the inter-
est OF our entire population-the rich
and the poor Of both races. We e1
amined tie Books Of the Auditor Of
Edgefeld County and find the num-
Der of acres of land in cultivation to
be l6S,s30; the number of acres in
woodland, 2l7,22S; the number of
acres in old fields, 3l1 ,456; which
embraces the County as assessed by
that officer. The largest body of land,
3l1:454 acres, is old field. If the
Stock fence law was the law Of the
land, this large area of old field, now
valueless to the owner, (only benef-
cial for State and County taxes would
be added to the tillable land. This
would greatly reduce rents and In
crease the value of labor; wages would
advance, because Of the enlarged area
for cultivation, which would increase
the demand. The stock being fenced
and no danger existing as to the de-
struction of the grain crops, the land
would be largely sowed down in oats
and wheat; because the farm9r could
not procure labor to cultivate the soil
in corn and cotton. The grain crop
would make us independent Of the
West for bread and meat, and We
would soon become an independent
people. Labor would be in greater
demand, the laborer would get higher
wages, the renter would rent land
cheaper, and have less work to do.
The land owner would be benefited
by the increase Of the grain crop, and
the reduction of expense in feeding
stock. # the honorable Representa-
tives have any doubt ef the legal
rigbs to pass the Law. lei each of them
read the article for himself. Wethink
they should pass the Stock fence law,
oa the convening of the Legislature
in December next.
Respectfully.
L. CHAEIron, JAS. ] ,ATwRleuT,
Il. H. spANN, ]. W. SrANN, "A. S.
BouKx1eHr, P. 2. BouKS1auT, NJ.
NJ. HoLsoN, NJ. n. HoLsTElN, N. j.
HoLsoN, a. D. BATES, N. A. BATES,
PleKEEs CuLLuM.
April s. 1881.