The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-10-19
A DOG Law.
How to Save 100000 Yenr TO the Peo-
plc of South Carolina.

How to Save $500, 600 fenr TO the eco
plc OF South Carolina.
Much has been said about class legisla.
tion or legislating the farmers troubles
away, &C., as though 1t was possible to
increase the prosperity Of our agricultural
interest, in this State without corres-
ponding increase in the prosperity Of all
other occupations, for beyond doubt all
our success or failure In all our industries
Is hinged upon the SUCCESS or failure Of
our agricultural interests. Let surplus
dollar etart out from the farm and it
passes from hand to hand through every
branch Of our occupations as truly as tho
affect of a Quinine pill taken into the
mouth affects every limb and part OF our
body by stimulating blood circulation
through our whole system. The time has
passed when the South Carolina farmer
could hew out fortune in few years in
great chunks in crude way with twenty
to twenty. five cent cotton. Then he could
afford 10 let small matters 60 by and grab
the big chunks and got rich in short
while. Such small things as sheep, hogs,
poultry, partridges and cur dogs all could
then 60 by unnoticed. A change must
come. and it has beer left for our yenera-
BILE friend, Hon. j. Washington Watts, to
recent article appealing to the incoming
Legislature to enact dog law-but I
would not call it dog law. This law
should be fashioned after the Connecticut
law. The enscting clause should read
thus: "a law to encourage sheep raising,
protect poultry, partridges and improve
our Dogs"
~ Ell male dogs over six months Of
age to pAy annually q license of 81 each,
all females So each, payable at same age.
(2.) 4 metallic label Of different shape
each year with the letters Of F. or NJ.
stamped on it continually worn by each
dog to constitute his or her license paid
for that year.
e. Any dog found without this label to
be shot or empounded.
a. Any person owning, keeping or
harboring any kind Of unlicensed dog
shall be guilty of misdemeanor with the
penalty Of line or imprisonment, or both,
in the discretion of the Court.
(5.) This license money to lie held by
County Treasurer subject to pay damages
committed by dogs to either sheep, poul.
be proven before Trial Justice, who issue
warrants on County Treasurer for amount
of actual damages proven.
(6) Upon proof of ownership Of dog
committing such damages, tho owner
must pay said damages and cost thereof
into the treasury, or dog must be shot by
Constable.
(7.) After paying all damages commit.
ted by dogs, the remaining dog funds to
20 the County free school funds.
In advocating such law one would
prove himself friend to both the good
dog and his owner in every case, as the
following reasoning proves:
(A) By improving the breeds OF dogs
and protecting the owners, dog property,
as other properly under the law, which
has q recognized value according to rates
of taxes on other property, ranging from
about $1.00 for males to $500 for females.
(B) This law would practically exter-
inmate the worthless mongrels aud i'm.
prove tho better breeds.
(C) A dog that Is not worth one dollar
a year to his owner ought to go and pig
put in his place, This feature alone
would put out Of tho way about Fifty thou
sand dogs, and give room for as many
pigs worth So each, total of $400, 900,
Without any consideration of the vast do
struction Of poultry, partridges and sheep,
the latter reaching perhaps as much as all
the other loss combined.
1nen te1S Is poor man tHW
(D) Such law would rid the country Of
thousands Of mixed bird dogs and ours
that do little else than run over the fields
young during breeding season, which
will, if not checked, soon exterminate
this the finest and most profitable game
In our State.
Thi, is la,o in the interest of sp0rtsulen,
(E) This law would not deprive any
one fro-4 owning as many dogs as he
could take care of-the same privilege he
now has in owning any aud all other ami
mails, aud provide good keeping for dogs
as we'll as placing the dog on equality
with other domestic animals.
iF) We have in this State enough wild
clover, good grasses and weeds going to
waste to grow meat enough and wool
enough to supply all the inhabitants of
the whole State with these necessares of
life.
(G) This wild or Lespidzer clover that
now covers nearly every spot of unoulti-
waited cleared lands In this State is the 6n-
est food for sheep In the land, but we
cannot utilize this fine, rich feed for sheep
for the lack of sufficient law TO protect
this defenceless property.
This is the farmers ld,o.
(dJ IN6Ie 10 uot du iDtoilibeut iuuu oE
woman in the State but who recognizes in
the irresponsible ownership OF rowing,
mongrel dogs, the most intolerable,
loose, costly UNDERSTANDABLE general nui-
sance tolerated by any Civil Government
in our land. Truly the irresponsible
party who owns dog has Especial privi-
ieges under the law" for no one can re-
coYer damages from an irresponsible own
er, neither can the dog be lawfully killed
for committing any damages to property,
except hs be caught in the act ef killing
-eheeps --
O Finally, this is law In the interest
of the whole people, because 1t puts any
owner Of 9 dog on equal footing with the
owner Of any other animal, and ensures
"equal rights under the law to all and
spscial privileges to none."
J. G. STRIBLINa.