The Forrest City times., 1895-02-22
The Fence Law.

l lnasmueh as some among us have taken in hand to set forth the great ad- yantages of what is termed the fence | law, It seems in order for me Glaving some understanding of these things) tO express my views upon the same subject, most excellent editor. and give my reasons why am opposed to It.
 First. l am opposed to it, because it would be d source of endless strife. lit lgatlon and annoyance. to the major 1 ny Inside, and especially to those both inside and out. along and near the 1 boundary fence. On both sides they would be compelled to suffer great out rage and loss, owing to the impossi- Dlllty of Keeping the gates closed and the fence Tn repairs. Such an arrange ment would array neighbor against nelghbor all along the whole line of the Ihclosure. and also throughout the district. Let us have peace.
 In the second place. it would drive all the best labor from the district. as II would almost deprive them of the privilege of owning stock. without which they cannot live. They cannot depend upon three cent cotton to buy all the necessities of life The lanes. skirts of woods and gleanings of the heids after crops are gathered furnish pasture for their little stock. and oth- CTS also. about ten months in the year Deprive them of this and they would have to feed twelve months in the year. which they cannot do.
 A large per cent of the labor now among Us. left Mississippi on this ac- count. and say they will leave here in case it becomes d law \ man may control labor while on his place. but when circumstances force them to leave, it is matter over which he has no control If we could depend on cotton fora livlihood, the fence law would be alright. but we can no lou- ger do this. When cotton was ten cents per pound. we could raise it to buy farm and home supplies Then 1 was in favor of this law. but now times have changed and SD have 1. The farm must make the living. we cannot buy il with three cent cotton. and in order to do this we must raise more corn, more peas. more grass. more sorghum. more poultry, more hogs. more milk and butter, and whatsoever
  plies, and to do this, we must fence. in order to utilize the lands and crops to the best advantage. No farm should have more than one-h If it's area i'll cotton. the balance should be devoted to raising the necessities above men toned.
 To every TOW of corn planted, there should be row of peas which would Ietract nothing from. but add to the corn production, and much to the fer tility of the rundown soil for the en- suing year. In this way. rundown lands can be renewed. Not only this. but the peas thus raised will fatten a sufficient amount of hogs to furnish meat for any plantation. where any thing like half its area is in corn. Now take half the proposed area (25 Sections) and plant in corn and peas. calculate the peas will make twenty pounds of meat to the acre, which is an under estimate, and meat at four cents per pound. This would be twelve thousand eight hundred dollars. At least twenty five per cent of the ell- tire cost of fencing every section in the proposed district, with a good eight wire fence, and then divide each sec. ton into quarters. q would like to have d contract to fence the fifty sec tions of the proposed district for one half of Brother Blanton's estimated investment of ninety thousand dollars Besides the loss that would be sustain ed in the meat production, the glean- lngs of the fields furnish several months valuable pasture for horses, mules and cattle, all of which would be total loss in case the fence law should be enforced.
 Again the rotation of crops adds greatly to production. Corn yields much better after cotton, and cotton much better after corn. Then in order to utilize the lands and crops to the best advantage to the average farmer under the existing condition of affairs 1 thpu nnust he fancAd Then if Me arf