The morning news., 1888-06-20
SUGGESTIONS ABOUT THE STOCK
Law.

An Interesting Letter From North
Carolina-A Law Against Dogs Ad-
vOcated
Editor Morning Netcs: On my way here
lstopped at several places and talked with
many parties on the subject of the stock
law, which your very influential paper ad-
VocateS so strongly for Chatham county.
from the conversations l had with we'll
informed men, | became satisfied that the
advantages to be derived from that law are
widely recognized and appreciated. and
that the desire to adopt that law is hecom-
ing stronger and more general Where the
stock law is already in operation the most
gratifying results are apparent, and, strange
as IL may appear, those who opposed 1T at
ilrst are now Its warmest advocates
heard this opinion repeatedly expressed in
many counties, and more particularly in
Richmond county, Georgia. Can Chatham
county stick TO fences much longers Ihope
not. Permit me to state here for informa-
ton that, according to the census of 1880,
the cost Of building and repairing the fences
III the United States in 1879 was $77, ,T63, 473,
and IN Georgia 81 ,834, ,635, which is over 50
bale on all her cotton crop, and over 2S4
per cent. on the estimated money value of
all her farm products. 1t is apparent,
therefore, that the cost of building and re-
pairing fences is a pretty heavy burden
upon the agricultural class, and which
sound political economy requires shall be
lifted from its shoulders Almost all the
states have the necessary legislation for the
adoption of the stock law, and il now re-
mains for the counties to take the needed
steps to adopt it. 1t certainly promises the
most gratifying results to the rich and poor
farmers alike
On the subject of the stock law wrote
to the commissioners of agriculture of
Virginia, South and North Carolina From
all received direct or indirect informa-
ton, but the following letter from Hon.
John Robinson dated Raleigh, n. c., May
"A, speaks for itself, and deserves the most
serious consideration of all who are inter
eSted in agriculture:
"Yo our letter of the 21st has been received.
Under the provisions Of the North Carolina
law. the no fence system may be adopted
by a neighborhood, township, county or
district. The law provides for the holding
of elections. County courts order election
on presentation of petitions signed by one
fifth of the voters of the territory desiring
to vote on the adoption of the measure.
LAS rule, the measure is bitterly fought
by the poorer and more ignorant masses
but when adopted, it not only meets the
approval of all living under the system, but
an attempt to change the plan is met most
defiantly on all sides.
II need not 60 into the details Suffice it
to say, that in this state we have better
stock, more milk and better butter than
when living under the old fence system
This does not take into consideration the
vast saving of our forests, and the saving
of labor required in building fences, which
amounts to millions of dollars. Most any
farmer can tell without guess the cost of
building mile of fence. Get the average
number of miles of fence to each farm, the
number Of farms to the county, and then
you are prepared to show a money loss to
the farmer that will aStound him. The
law induces tho introduction of better
stock. 1t induces better care Of all stock.
1t induces the cultivation of the land now
occupied by fences. And in the counties
where it has been adopted in this state you
will find the best corn, the talleSt oats and
rye, and the best cotton or tobacco, as the
case may be. Our markets are supplied
with stall-fed beef, or pasture feed, and not
with woods fed stock, as was the case
under the old fence system
This is the letter. Those that have eyes
let them see, and those that have ears let
them hear.
The MORNING NEWS published some very
valuable editorials on the subject of the
stock law, and hope it may continue to
keep the subject before the public until the
stock law is adopted in Chatham county
and other counties of the state in which it
is not now in operation.
Chatham county should not delay any
longer to fall in the line of the progressive
counties, and, furthermore, she should take
tholead in advocating the dog law, which, to
the farmers of the south, is of the utmost i'm
portsnce, as sheep in addition to doubling
themselves every two or three years and
producing valuable wool, will fertilize vast
acres of our land and turn dead capital
into active capital.
Will not some of our legislators exert
themselves to help the agricultural class,
which is the foundation of our national
wealth. The legislators that would take
this dog evil in hand and remove it so thai
the farmers may raise sheep in safety, will
be entitled to the everlasting gratitude of
some of the most deserving of their con-
stituents G. MENELAs.
Brookhaven, Miss, June Is, 1888.