The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1889-06-15


Grenada, Miss.
NV DEAR SIR:-Your favor of Goth
inst, was duly received by me, but ! de
layed answering until now that might
look into the matter so as to fairly state
answers to your lnterogations. lnreply-
inc beg to answer your
First, "Has the Stock Law t,neftted
YOUR County ?' (Panola. J
Answer, Yes. Even the few who ope
posed to admit the fact.
Second, is the present less expensive
tLan the old system?"
Answer, Yes from 60 to 70 per CENT
Third, "Whst proportion of those who
opposed the enactment Of the law would
Answer. IS per cent whites, so per
cent colored, is believed to be fair
Fourth. "What proportion Of those
who supported the Law would now op>
pa Answer, Not one citizen Of any kind,
have l heard of, who has supported and
obeyed the Law, will now oppose it. On
M The other hand, many say the county is
rnined without the law. Even the few,
who still say they are not benefited, are
becoming as good citizens -reconciled
Fifth, show did the passage OF the
al Law effect labor p
~ Ansp er. There was some confusion.
Possibly so to 100 families of unsettled
colored people left for other parts. Not
withstanding, this admission, our cotton
shipment increased over previous years,
and no one claims that the labor was
missed, save, that their names soere absent,
merely, and we do not now miss them at
@ all.
M Sixth, "What is the present attitude
MI of labor to the Law ?"
En- Answer Where land owners have
prepared pasturage for their tenants, the
labor is entirely content. Where color
ed labor are renting, and control lands
they are the warmest supporters OF the
Law. Where the labor has no pasturage
prepared by land owners, they are dis
posed to complain of the land owners
and not the Law.
You ask that add such points as ex,
perience may have developed in the
4 practical workings. I have talked with
as many of the colored people as ! have
met since received your letter, and IN
the main, 1 find that they are willing to
admit that all who have arranged to
"a take care of such stock as are owned by
them, the stock is better and crops and
lands better protected with much Jess
8 now productive labor. They see that
3 fencing to keep stock up has to be done
IA bv and at the expence of the owner Of
m the stock, while under the "Id system
| the laborer had to do considerable
amount of fencing and repairing annual
8 " to protect crops, that now they dt
| not have to do.
After talking to some OF our mos
3 successful farmers-iavoring and no
favoring the present system-l find THIS
"a facts worthy of note, to be admitted b.
|# ALL That land which has not beef
trampled by stock, is much lighter tt
W plow. is looser and more mellow ant
easier to cultivate and more productive
II is noticed, that, land where the OLE
field grasses and out in the woods wher
the lands were beginning to wash, nov
that these are no longer tramped, ant
the grasses and leaves are not devonre'
by the cattle the washing in larg
y measure has by the accrmulating leave
and grasses ceased and with htti
labor and light expense much land ca
he reclaimed, and added to the tillabI
lands of the county. The fact, that, tn
hill wood lands have in many place
ceased to wash is regarded as one OF tn
most important benefits. There have pee
and is now IN cultivation many good tel
tile small parts of .and, that would haV
cost more to fence under the old systel
than the land would proAtably produc
~ consequently were lying idle, and man
(. instances washing iuto gullies. No or
81 denies but that stock under the old sy
I'm TEN devoured much of the natur
herbage which under the new and
observance of the stocklaw returns to IL
washing soil, and thereby very materia
ly benefits and adds to the producti'
property of the lands. Much of the ul
y profitable cattle has disappeared and tt
Quality of cattle is improved, where the
( have been cared for. The price of ia
COW with young calf ranges from $l5
to $25 90, which is about the price
such when stock law does not exis
Extra good country butter can
bought when wanted at ten to twen
cents per pound.
It is said that more hogs, better al
healthier, are being raised for less CO..
than was annually destroyed by no
running at large under the old syste'
So far as we have been able to asce
tain there has not been single dana
suit over destroyed produce under t
present system-and not single figi
which sometimes occur where Stock l.:
does not eXis..
Out of eighteen indictments by I
last Grand Jury in Second Court d
trict of Panola County only two We
for the violations of the Stock Law.
1t is confdentialy believed, that
all our land owners will only arrar
pasturage for the stock of tenants, it "
prove to be the panacea for many
among the colorcd labor. Prscti
VI farmers will appreciate ,he valua
advantage in controlling the waters
hillside bitches. When the fences ht
been abandoned and removed,