The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-17
The 4No Fence campaIrn.

The "NO Fence" Campaign.
The telling work OF the campaign for
the mo fence" election is now to be done.
The registration is ended. and the num-
Der Of electors qualified TO vote at the
election Is known. 1t viii be the effort
Of the workers on the opposing sides 10
try and convince those who have not
made up their minds
The issue. it seems. is so one-slded that
IL ought not to require more than state
ment Of what is meant by the mo fence"
Law to convince every voter who has not
an ak to grind that the mo fence law
IS especially, desirable in Chatham coun-
y. and that ii should be voted for at the
election. In a few words. it is a law 10
require the owners Of cattle 10 fence them
in and to permit the cultivation Of crops
in uninclosed fields.
Under existing conditions, the crops
must be fenced. and cattle are permitted
10 run a large. The consequence IS that
hundreds OF acres OF land that might be
made productive Of cereals, or vegetables,
or fruits, are lying idle and unproductive,
because of the lack of means by those
who would otherwise farm the lands TO
pay Tor and keep the fences in repair
Meanwhile the lands are overrun with
cattle that are almost worthless
The whole herd is probably worth less in
money than would be the value Of the
crops that would be raised the first year
on lands reclaimed under the no fence
law.
Besides depriving large number of per-
sons Of the privilege Of planting and cul-
tivating lands at present idle, the roam
ing cattle fill up and virtually destroy the
expensive and very necessary drains OF
the county, by their continued crossing
and recrosslng. pushing the dirt into the
bitches and canals with their hoors. 1t
need hardly be said that the stopping of
the drains nullifies the very purpose OF
their construction, which includes the i'm
provement Of the health of the city and
the making fit for cultivation of the
lands of the county. The public health
is menaeed by the stopped drains, not only
through the miasma OF stagnant water,
but also through some of the milk served
in the city, because Of the drinking of
the stagnant water by mitch cows that
are permitted to run at large.
The future of Savannah-whether she
shall continue to grow in proportions and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, in no small degree.
upon tho development Of the farming and
trucking lands of the adjoining territory
To bring these lands under cultivation, it
drained, and that the drainage shall be
permanent. The county, recognizing the
Importance of drainage, has done, at
heavy expense, a large amount OF work in
that direction, much Of which has been
destroyed almost as soon as done by the
marauding droves of worthless cattle.
And it is impossible to make the drainage
permanent, or even satisfactory for a
short while, as long az the cattle are per-
mitted to tear down as fast as the county
builds.
The mo fence law is not measure to
impose upon anybody. or to deprive any
body of their rights Onethe other hand,
it prevents impositions, and confers the
privilege OF making living. and maybe
more than living, upon a number of per-
sons who are now denied that privilege
virtually by the owners of the roaming
cattle.
These are a few of the arguments in ia
vor of the adoption of the mo fence" law
in Chatham county. and there are others
equally strong. They should be given at
tention by every voter interested in the
welfare of the city and county. And the
voter. when he has made up his mind to
vote for mo fence" should endeavor to
induce his neighbor to look at the matter
and reach the same conclusion.