The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1914-05-07

sion of individual views, per
line ... 10
Obituaries. rer line .O5 /
The chicken question" is coming
very much into the iimelight Of late. .
So complex became the question of civil
rights for chickens down in Trigg
county. that it was determined to sub
nit the question to the voters for set
Element. Accordingly an election was
held at which every one in Cadiz the
County Seat, including sutfragettes,
white and col0red. were allowed to vote
upon the question as to whether or not
chickens should be allowed to run at
large. The white vote stood los in
favor of a prohibitory ordinance and %
against it, while the colored people
voted almost solidly for the freedom of
their favorite fowl, there being one
lone colored sister voting for the en-
actment of the ordinance and l29 against
it
Until now the chicken has been con-
sidered of too little moment to devotss
the space of the eGitoria! columns Of
newspapers TO. but so grave has the
question become. that even the Courier
journal has devoted space on more than
one occasion to chicken 5 rights.
Seriously. the question is of more
moment than one might think Many
towns are restricting chickens to en-
closures during the gardening season.
and the plan IS meeting with consider
able approval among the citizens. The
question like all other complex ques-
lions. has two sides, the exclusive
raiser Of fowls holding to the giving
the chickens the right to roam at will
through the neighbcrhood, regardless
of what his neighbors may be attempt
ing to raise. while that same nelghbOr
assumes a directly opposite stand upon
the question.
Lancaster has no governing ordinance
upon her statute books for the restric-
ton of fowls. but upon the urgent de-
mand of her citizens upon the members
of the city council, one could be very
easily placed their. We have an ordi
nance restricting the time that hogs
may he kept in town, an ordinace pro-
hibiting the running at large OF hogs
and other stock, then why not an Or
dinace prohibiting the prOmiscuous wan
behring's of the fowls! Perhaps yoa
do noJ raise a garden. either vegetable
or flower. then you cannot justly APP
preciate the great advantage to be de-
rived from q restrictive ordinace
against fowls. Just you put out a nice
little garden plot. OF a bed of flowers,
devote several hours Of hard work to
the task. hOUrs that you might have
utilized far more comfortably in read
ing and resting after your days labor,
then come home the next afternoon to
find your labor was for naught, that 4
neighbors hen had utilized your garden
or flower bed for wallowing place,
after carefully scratching up and de
v0uring all the seeds you had planted.
Then we will venture TO say, you will
at once become an ardent advocate of a
restrictive ordinace for chickens.
Many Of the people in town sell off
their chickens during the summer sea-
son. and restock in the fall, both be-
cause Of the fact that they do not wish
their fowls TO be an annoyance to either
themselves or their neIgujors, ana be-
cause Of the fact that they can buy
eggs and chickens cheaper than they
can maintain d summer poultry yard.
1t is "A matter Of small expense and
less trouble 10 cJntiue the chickens
during the gardening season, the mere
cost of assigning them small portion
Of the home grounds and enclosing il
with poultry netting, just enough space
tc give them exercise, and the refuse
vegetation from the garden may be
thrown to them which wal be ample
green stuff Tor tneir Use. By this
means much annoyance may be avoided
both to yourself and your neighbors,
and in many instances. neighbornOUo
quarrel can be avoided. Many there
are who have already done SO or will dc
so, and a prohibitive ordinance would
compel others to follow suit.
Chickens to the casual observer are
of small consequence in so far as dam,
aging neighbors is concerned, but when
they descend upon a newly made gar
den spot, a strawberry bed, or a row OF
peas or beans just going into the pod,
the damage they can do is scarcely con-
ceivabe. Why rot restrict the rovings
of the fowl in Lancaster?