The Globe-republican., 1889-12-11
THE HERD LAW.
An Open QuesiiOn ON Which all are
Invited to Give Their Views.

An Open Question ON Which all are
Invited to Give Their Views.
EDITOR GLOBE-REPUBLICAN: In
your issue of the 10th ultimo, appears a
communication signed Occasional in
which among other things he says
''Many of our best and most substantial
citizens intend to seek homes elsewhere
ere long. Kansas is the land of their
choice. but they find the restrictive stock
law an unsurmountable obstacle in the
path to prosperity, etc." advocating that
fenced farms and free range would hold
them. Now. Mr.. Editor, always was
and will be. opposed to monopolies of
any kind; especially so against one
horse monopoly. Where few men who
scarcely had ground enough to bury
them on where they came from. and
are now clamoring for the whole
earth to run few head of cattle on,
and are bowling for free range, when
in fact they have all the range they need
providing they herd and take care OF
their stock. They cry ''fenced farms and
free range" Why don't they fence
their own farms and herd their cattle:
The reason is they would be in the same
fix as the man who wanted to buy a
pocket book, otter he had bought and paid
for it he had no money to put in it; just
80 with these people. If they sell their
cattle and buy posts and wire and erect
fence they have no stock to put inside.
Yet they would compel the farmers and
other stock men to fence their claims at
an expense of about three hundred and
fifty dollars per quarter section and pay
taxes on the same. So these self consti-
tuted cattle barons who own dozen or
two COWS and calves-which when tied to-
gether by the tails in punches of a half
dozen are worth about twenty-five dol
lars bunch-cOuld let them roam over
creation and break down the fences, eat
up the crops and destroy the feed in
stacks. because they are too lazy to herd
and take care of their stock. If stock is
not worth taking care of it is not worth
keeping. The fact is they want other
people to pay the taxes on the land and
fences and eat up the farmers grass and
crops, and herd them besides. 1t is sur
prising that these magnanimoas citizens
do not die of enlargement of the heart,
when they ask of their equally financial
ly embarrassed neighbors what they
cannot do.
The sooner we get rid of such selfish
and unreasonable class of citizens the
better for the community at large. Free
range would cause more trouble and
more law suits than all the cattle in the
county. For the benefit of these free
will quote from copy before
ME. charge to the jury by Judge
Strang. which not only is good law but
common sense as we'll. The jury were
unable to determine one point. viz:
a person was liable for damag-
es, Ford county then not being herd
law county. The judge gave the follow
ing instruction:
Gentlemen of the Jury: 1 instruct you,
hat this is not herd law county, and If the
stock of one person accidentally trespasses
lpon the lands of another he is not liable for
damages done. But If one, knowing that his
sQff1Q have tro Good q dc md
,rops of another and he does not take care
If them, but permits them to trespass upon
'uch land and crops, he is guilty of negli-
renee and the trespass becomes wanton. He
s liable for the damages so done.
(signed) J. C. sTRANG. Judge.
In the above case the defendant was
nulcted in the sum of $295.OO, costs and
damages. My advice is, let well-enough
lone. There is room for all, only be
reasonable, and do not demand the whole
world for you will not get it. l have
ried it under free range when some of
he settlers would gather up five or six
'undred head of cattle to herd during
he year, getting twenty cents head
Der month for taking care of them, but
instead of herding them turned them
Dose on the settlers, eating every settler |
tut of crop and feed from the Arkansas
liver to the PawHee and from Speareville |
o Cimarron. No wire, nor board fence |
would keep the starving cattle from your |
rops or stacks. l have now tried it IN
Ter the herd law. say let us retain the
lerd law by all means.
JAMES E. ZERBE.
The resubmissionists are collecting |
but sweet cider will be the |
hardest drink they will ever SIP through |
he straws.
Chair Cars to Pueblo.
The ''Santa Fe Route is now running
rec reclining-chair cars between Kansas
lily and Denver on daily trains leaving
Kansas City at 11:2O a. m, and Denver at
20 p. IN. These cars are entirely new.
md have been built EXPIRE ssly for this train.
re fitted with all the modern appliances
or both convenience and safety, and are