The leader., 1904-08-20
THE STOCK LAW MEETING.

1
Court House in Brookhaven yes
terday in response to the call for
a meeting to discuss the question
of a county stock law. That it
was a very engrossing subject was
evidenced both by the large mum
Der present and the keen interest
taken in every stage of the pro-
ceedings.
Mr.. A. M. Summers, one of
the successful farmers of beat 3,
was called to the chair, and Mr..
M. Mccullough, Brookhaven's
popular young attorney, who was
reared on farm in Lincoln coun-
| ty and works we'll in harness"
almost any where, was requested
to act as secretary. By request,
Mr.. Mccullough explained the
legal status of the subject, and
what must be done to secure action
by the Board of Supervisors.
The meeting came near getting
into hopeless parliamentary tan
gle at the very outset, over the
question as to the range the dis
cussion was to take. Those who
had called the meeting wanted the
discussion limited to the consider
alton of partial stock law, all
they advocate at the present time;
while those opposed to any change
in the existing order of things,
insisted on discussing the subject
in all of its phases, manifestly
hoping thereby to gain in the ar
gument and make unpopular any
change whatever. 1t was clearly
kevident from the marks of ap-
proyal shown to their known
friends and the numerous half
suppressed expressions heard
throughout the well-packed court
room, that the opponents of a
stock Jaw or partial stock law
were overwhelmingly in the ma
| jority, and many of them seemed
unwilling at first to listen patient
lIy to any discussion whatever of
| the question, Notwithstanding
the conciliatory spirit and words
of Chairman Summers, and the
meeting one time threatened to
break up in confusion.
The editor of The Leader who
had gone to the meeting to hear
the discussion and report the pro-
ceedings, at this iuncture asked
permission of the chairman and
| the meeting to be heard a few
minutes, and made a short, con-
ciliatory talk in the interest of
harmony and good feeling. He
was followed by the chairman, M.
Mccullough. w. G. Summers and
one or two others along the same
line, when good order was re-
stored and the meeting took re-
cess until 1870 p. M, at which
time it was agreed,that those who
favored a partial stock law and
those opposed, would have some
of theil representatives to discuss
the subject alternately.
The crowd was not so large at
the afternoon meeting, but still
the Court room was pretty well
filled, and with little ceremony,
the discussion was opened by l..
kJ. White in favor of a partial
stock law. He was followed by
James Hart on the opposite side.
Following these speakers, talks
were made on the affirmative side
by Edgar Green. Obed Rollins and
chairman Summers, in the order
named, and on the negative by j.
Is. Burns, N. B. johnson and b.
| E. Summers.
A spirit of conservatism, toler-
alton and neighborly feeling char
acterized all of the talks at the af-
ternoon meeting, and the speak
lers all showed that excellent quail
ity which enables men to differ
very widely in opinion and still
be friends.
i Several of the speeches on botE
sides were good from their re
spectiVe view points.
The meeting adjourned without
voting to take any action on thu
question one way or the other.
The educational effect of the meet
/ ing will undoubtedly be beneficial
to those who attended, and We
learn that similar meeting il
contemplated for the future. Sen
timent in favor Of stock law
like that on other important re
forms, economic, moral or politi
cal, must come by agitation AM
education getting people to thlnl
and study the question.
At one stage of the afternool
session the editor of The Leade
got the chairman to poll the BIZ
audience by a rising vote to Sc
|how many were actual hog owner
and would be affected PERSONAL.
by the enforcement of a hog law
land it was demonstrated that thi
scribe was almost the only man il
the audience who did not ow'
one or more razor backs. O
course an audience like that coul
not be otherwise than intereste
} in the subject under discussion.