Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-06-14
To the Standard:
M SHEEP.
HON. E. L. GARDENHIRE.

eral treasury the enormous sum OF WI.
2S5, 1924 imported wool. Tennessee is
about one thirty>third part of the ma.
ton, and no doubt pays her proportion
ofthat amount, which is 1926, $3.50 ; and
in what is miscalled protection Tennes-
see pays at least twice that amount to
wool growers and manufacturers. Thus
she actually pays out two and a half
millions of money each year for the
wool necessary to clothe her people.
She might easily save that to add to
her wealth and increase the comforts
of her people.
From the census of 1880 we find
that exclusive of spring lambs, Ten
nessee had only GIFTS sheep, or not
qnite half sheep to each person in the
State. The product of wool was only
1,91S,295 ponds, or one-and.a-quarter
pounds to each individual. We need
actually about five pounds to the per-
son, and the highest health and com.
fort would perhaps require little
more. Thus it is seen that we had to
buy $685. 46 pounds of wool, and to
intensity the bitterness of the fact, we
bought of those dreadful "paupers of
Europe"
Almost without labor we could have
three sheep to the head, which at the
same rate would produce 13.182,090
pounds Of wool. This would leave US
seven and a halt million pounds Of
wool to sell, instead of buying five and
a half millions OF those mischievous
"paupers." This would yield us
81, 4S1, 620.S0 in our pockets, instead
of being obliged to take out of our
pockets $4,000, 900, and put it into
the pockets Of those pestilent "pau-
pers," or at least large part of it.
This would leave us at the end of each
year, on the article of wool alone,
nearly four millions of dollars richer.
But if we had three sheep to the
head, we should have4, 627, OF sheep.
Each year these would bring half as
many lambs, worth So, 470,9O6. Thus
on wool and mutton we could easily be
81, 451 1884 richer at the end of each
year. Besides, sheep benefit any
country. They eat up and destroy
various weeds and shrubs, and convert
them into wool and good mutton. Why
can't we have this wealth and comfort :?
1t is because "mongrels, puppies,
whelps, and hounds and ours of low
degree" swarm all over the land, and
sweep off the sheep. Is there no rem
edy for this calamitous nuisance? The
people may have remedy if they will.
Let your Legislature pass a law making
it indictable to have a sheep,killing
dog. Let the fact that he has such be
prinla facia evidence that he knows its
vicious traits. Give the grand juries
inquisitorial powers, and make it their
duty to send for witnesses to prove the
fact, when they have we'll grounded
belief that sheep have been killed.
When the owner of the dog is found
guilty, let the same jury find the value
of the sheep and who is the owner,
Let the owner of the dog be fined ten
dollars, and adjudged to pay the costs,
and let the owner of the sheep have
judgment against him for the value Of
the sheep, and exempt nothing from
the execution in such cases. Make il
dangerous to enjoy the luxury of keep
ing mean whelps TO eat up neighbours
sheep. Don't be afraid of the Consti-
tuition. Such law would be purely a
police regulation, which the State can
not surrender, even by Constitution.
Police powers in State are essential
to its existence, and cannot be surren'
dered, if it pretends to existence. Sc
writes Mr.. Cody, perhaps the greatest
constitutional lawyer living.
Pass the law, and then let us hear
the hOwI of the small rate demagogue
in defence of the kennel, more pestilent
than the whelp he defends.