The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1904-03-25
FIERCE" OR mo FERCE?"
This Question IS the Paramount
Issue" in Our Local Campaign.
ID the Editor ID the d. Banner

Ii is to be hoped that no voter oil
Marion county will be duped into
voting for legislator with mo fence
prOclivities, that this question is ouly
snare To catch the votes OF those
who are too indolent TO keep up their
own property aud wish il done al
public expense, is seen on its very
face. 1t is, therefore, we'll to give the
matter a moments consideration.
That the mo fence" system is yet
delusion is seen the moment We go
below The surface.
That it would be solely benefit TO
the favored few is admitted by all.
That the small farmer must go out of
the stock business; must buy his
meat and lard at the grocers, we
admit
We admit it because We know that
he is not able to psy from six to ten
dollars per acre for pasture land.
If he could buy it he must put q
fence around it that will withstand
the onslaughts of restless, crowded
stock.
He is sometimes not allie to buy it
if he has the money As greater part
of the open land Is owned by specu-
latorS who will wait several years yet
in hopes of better prices.
Veal know that there are tens of
thousands of scres owned by the
federal ana state governments or by
non-residents which, under the "no
fence" system, would be available to
no one for pasture purposes. The
grass that had before yearly main.
tanned thousands Of cattle would
grow, whittier and die IS the seasons
changed, while cattle that had been
used 10 roam AT Will over the open
country would now be sold for what
the owners could get, or he kept half
fed and half starved in over crowded
pastures.
But the mesnest and lsmest phase
Of this question has been sprung on
the people of the county within the
last month, namely, the local
option" mo fence" veritable BOOM
eraug. a policy that would permit
one district to fence itself in and
turn lis stock among the people of
the next and thus enjoy psstur-
age property belonging 10 others.
The man who would not do this
is compelled TO fence twice or sell his
stock. He must buy pasture land and
would prefer To have it At home for
convenience. This would make the
land increase in price, causing him to
pay double the worth. He must
fence his pasture securely and be-
sides this must build and keep in
order his share of the community
fence.
Let Us see how n community or
district fence j. maintained. Are the
people ready for socialism? 1t is y
very pretty picture, indeed, To imsg-
ine thst on ser date alI the people
ot - community, whether they voted
for OF sgAiuSJ the no fence would be
on hand with tools aud material to
construct forty or more miles of
fence, horse nigh, razor back" tight
ANA bull strong.
let amy community. before they
plunge into task of such dimeu-
sions. first try this same plan To
fence their grave yard or school lot
property aud .rou their success IN
this they draw proper conclusions.
DO not suppose for a moment that
the man who opposes the measure
can he compelled TO participate in the
fence building; rather make sure he
does not destroy il after It il built.
Any mans mule or razor bsck msy
escape from his Enclosure aud destroy
his value Of choice Vegetables before
discovered.
Fires sui falling timber VIII destroy
parts of the fence, probably 50 re-
mote from settlements mat the first
news our Jerra?ia friends viii have
of the mi>hsp Will be the hogs in
their potato patch and the COWS in