The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-12
noes CAN NOW BE TAXED.
GAMBLER HAS SIGNED
THE DOG TAX BILL.

No,v only Remains With Grand Ju-
-ies to Say That the Law Shall he
EDforced in Their Respective
counttes-Its Enforcement VIII
Greatly benefit the Sheep Raising
1,dustry-Chatbam's Grand Jury
ReinE Now in Session, Might Take
the Initiative-DOg Hides May Soon
pecome a Commodity Upon the Sa-
vannah Market.
Gov. Gambler has appended his sigma
,,ra 10 the dog law passed by the Legis-
,.r1rs last week, and it now only remains
~, The grand juries of the counties where
sheep raising is conducted, to put the law
into effect.
Nv the terms of the law it does not be-
oo,na effective in any county until the
grand Jury has passed upon the matter
and decided that the law shall be enforced
IN that county. The law provides for a
tax of 81 upon each male dog, and S1.50
,non each female dog. The counties must
Dro,fde badges or other evidence of the
t,cf that the tax has been paid. Any
dog found running at large after the time
sneeifed for the law to go into effect, can
he killed by any constable or other person
deputized for this purpose.
The announcement of the passage of the
dog law was received with satisfaction by
t5e wool dealers and others interested in
the sheep industry in Savannah. This
civ receives about 100000 pounds of wool
annually. and it is believed that with
af+ ., lam 11xrf he,
irv counties, that the wool receipts will be
doubled within a few years.
every county i'll the First congression-
al district, including Chatham, produces
more or less wool" said well-known deal
or Yesterday "In fact, the First district
is probably the banner wool producing
district of the state, though the South
west Georgia counties may contest this
stafemeut. Bryan, Effingham and Screven
counries all have large numbers of sheep,
the business is very largely engaged in
in Mcintosh county and in Tattnal, Bull
loch and Emanuel it is one of the chief
sources of income TO the people. With
the proper enforcement of the dog law
there is no reason why sheep raising
should not become one of the principal
sources of income to the people of the
range, and the sheep require almost no
attention except at shearing time. Owing
10 the mild winters the sheep remain on
the range all the year round. In states
further north, like Ohio, where sheep
raising is extensively engaged in, the
sheep have to be housed and fed during
the winter months. With the advantages
which we posses in the way of ample range
and mild winters, there is no reason why
Georgia should not become the banner
sheep-rasing state of the country. There
is no more profitable business that the
farmer can engage in for the simple rea-
son that it is all profit, the only expense
being the shearing of the sheep and pre-
pairing the wool for market"
About the best indication that the peo-
pie in the Wiregrass expect the law to be
enforced is an inquiry received by a hide
dealer yesterday from a customer in the
interior inquiring for prices for dog hides.
The inquiry was not of the humorous or
der, but a plain business communication.
The inquirer did not refer to the dog law,
but he evidently had it in mind. There
are doubtless a large number of worthless
dogs in his neighborhood on which their
owners have no desire to pay taxes. With
a fair price for dog skins there is no tell
ing the slaughter that would take place
among the lucklesS CANNES of the Wire
grass. Dogskin is used for a number of
purposes by the furriers and tanners and
there would seem to be no reason why
the Savannah hide dealers should not find
market for the Georgia output
The grand jury of the Superior Court
being now in session it might take under
consideration whether the dog law should
not be enforced in this county 1t is true
that there are not many sheep in the coun-
IT, but there is a great deal of idle land
winch might very profitabAy be employed
for this purpose should the dogs be gotten
nd OF. The sheep raisers would have the
advantage of a ready market for all the
mutton which they might produce which
IN Itself would be no small source of profit
Whether decision by the grand jury TO
enforce The law would include the city is
question which would have TO be deter
mined by the attorneys. The city already
imposes an annual tax of 81 upon every
uog and the 1,500 and odd dog owners in
he city would doubtless object to being
uou0le taxed on their pets without any
Vompensatlng benefit to themselves. At
tne same time it might not be a bad idea
'ot chatham county to set the example to
o'heT counties of enforcing the law.