The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-01-23
THE STOCK LAM MIDDLE.

Please publish the facts regard
ling the partial stock law. Many
people are under the impression
that the stock law has been annul.
lied. If the papers remain quiet
lon the subject, people will be di-
lyided in opinion. They simply
will not know what to do. | am
afraid much trouble will be the
result. It is important that this
should be made plain.
Respectfully,
w. H. CAMERON.
The Leader has received the
above inquiry in writing besides
others orally Of the same tenor.
We will therefore try to throw all
the light On the subject we can
with the information and space at
our command.
1t will be remembered that at
the May, 1906, meeting of the
Board of Supervisors a petition
praying for partial stock law in
district No. 1 was presented to the
board. The official record shows
that this petition was signed by
IS. P. Oliver and 259 other free
holders or leaseholders of District
No. /. At the same meeting CT
the board, counter petition was
presented, the number of signers
not stated. The advocates of the
stock law claimed that their petit
ton was signed by two-thirds of
the freeholders and leaseholders
of the district, and that this met
the requirements of the law and
authorized the board to grant the
petition and declare the partial
stock law in force on a date to be
named in the future. However,
in spirit of compromise and
fairness to all parties, the board
ordered an election on the ques-
tion, to take place Saturday, June
8, 1906.
This election was held by the
County Election Commissioners
as directed. The official proceed
ings of the board of July 5, 1906,
show that the County Election
Commissioners in their report,
certified that at the election 151
votes were cast in favor of a par
tial stock law and 80 against, Civ
ing majority of 112 in favor of
the proposition. On this show
ing, at the same meeting, the
board passed an order declaring a
partial stock law shall 60 into
effect in District No. /, Lincoln
county, on the first day of Febru-
ary, 1907, and prohibiting hogs,
sheep and goats from running at
large in said district after that
date.
The law provides that the Board
of Supervisors has the authority
to declare stock law in force on
the petition of two-thir1s of the
freehoIders and leaseholders Of a
township or supervisors district,
without the necessity or formality
of an election, and the preamble
to the stock law order passed at
the July meeting of the board last
year, recites that the original
stock law petition embraced and
included more than two-thirds of
the resident freeholders, OF lease
holders for a term of three or
more years of District No. /. /"
The petition, the election and
the order of the board in pur-
suance thereof, seemed to have
been accepted as conclusive of the
whole matter until the session of
the board on Tuesday, Jan. Sth
inst, when the official proceed
ings show the subject was revived
as follows:
Board of Supervisors, Court
of Lincoln County, Mississippi,
James L. Hart VS.. Lincoln eoun-
ty.
This cause coming on to be
heard on the application of the
plaintiff, James L. Hart ct al, for
a review of the proceedings of the
board declaring a partial stock
law in district No. / Of Lincoln
county at the May term, Al. d.
1906, Of the board for leave to file
q bill of exceptions and have the
same signed and made a part of
the record, as though presented
and signed at the sale May term,
a. d. 1906, and the board having
heard and considered the same, is
of tile opinion that ii has no pow
Ter to review said proceedings; !;
wherefore SO much Of the prayer
of said petitioners asking for a
review is denied, but BY consent
of all parties, it is ordered by
the court that the petition be filed
/ and that the bill of exceptions be
Isigned by the Hon. q 2. Jones,
president Of the Board Of Super
lvisors of Lincoln county, as if the