The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-01-16
TUE HERALD AND THE FENCE-CUT-
TING TROInIIS.


In an article assigning the positions OF
the leading daiiies of the state on the
fence-cutting troubles, the Cisco Round.U p
says that II does no; know where TIA Q HER
AID has stood, but supposes ION both sides
Of the fence" Ii the Roundup intends to
De humorous il is entitled 10 It's lau Eh;
II Il intends to no sarcastic, II has betrayed
an inexcusable ignorance iiitsd desire is firm
ness. But nevertheless the Round. Up has
accidentally stated With singular accuracy
the position Of the HERALD on the subject
in hand, as shown by lis record long since.
Tho HERALD, as is its wont, refused to be
coerced into the belief or the announce
ment that al the wisdom and
virtue OF the case resided on "one
side OF the fence" and all
the folly and villainy on the other SIDE
1t refused to be prec ipitated into the es.
pousal of the one cause and the denuncia.
ton OF the other, without knowing the
facts bearing upon the issue, assuming that
there were grievances to bs redressed
quel has proved the correctness OF the cast.
Weeks ago, in the incipiency Of the
trout les, We urged that the local
authorities should bring to Justice
all trarsgressors In the limo OF
fince.cuttiug and impose the penalty pro.
vided by the statute. Had this been done
pro npt and effectively the tenn pest in a
teapot would never have grown into a state.
sized storm. On the other hand we insist.
cd that the fencing up of largo tracts
land not owned by the parties was trans.
gresslon equally TO be puns1ed. Aud we
further insisted that convenient roads
should be had by resident and travellers
throughout the countles where the evils
complained OF existed.
These were suggestions in
precise accord with the message of the gov
ernor to the legislature now in session.
Furthermore, they are views entertained
and expressed BY the S,ockman's conven.
ton recently assembled in Austin. 1t is
true that the recon IN enda,ions of the gov
ernor and the views OF the said convention
are extreme n the matter OF penalty, but
extreme cases require extreme remedies.
We even yet question the wis
dom OF the course that makes
fence cutting felony, over
other acts tina. are quite as heinous. The
proposition to make that specific offence q
penitentary crime does not meet with our
unqualified appreciation anymore now than
1, did as first, though In common with TIL
ers we have urged the i'm position of such o
penalty As the best and quickest means, for
the present, for stopping the troubles.
There should be really and wisely an a.
tentative OF Fl ne or imprisonment" The
excess of punishment provision often and
nearly always defeats the intended end. LIST
the fence-crtter be punished severely, hut
the legislature had best give more attention
to the devising of means OF discovering and
arresting him. The class of persons who
can be guilty OF such deeds, Is OF that
character that an accom-
plice would fear to conspire with, and hence
the offering OF high rewards for his appre-
hension, ono-half TO go to the in'ormer.
may prove more effective than thouss lands
Of dollars expended for troops In search OF
him.
In the meanwhile, as we have pressed be-
fore, let no wrongful provocstion be
given TO one to cut fences.
To this end let IL be
equally penal for the csttle man to inclose
lands, school. pu bile or private, or any not
bis own, and to the exclusion OF other ci,i-
zens and taxpayers. This Is jus', IL 10
equitable. Aud thus will both sides OF
the fence" be protected and cared for. II
this is for what the Cisco Round. u . is dis |
posed TO be sarcastic at the HERALp, then /
let |, make the most OF IL. The governors |
recon lamentations, the stockmen's conven-
ION. and events, have sustained our course
% the full. Now let the Round-Uo 20 to
faon