Denver labor bulletin., 1916-09-02
Herd Law Promoters Given
Jolt BY Farmers and Unions

A daily paper came to The Bulletins
desk the other day and editorially, anent
the so-called "herd law" the measure
which has stirred up as much agitation
perhaps as any ever initiated, asked:
"why should this question be fought
out in the cities and townsi 1t is
matter concerning the farmers and them
alone. But it seems both sides to the
controversy are carrying the battle into
the cities as much as possible"
Which is perhaps a logical way of
viewing the matter, if direct effects
alone are considered. Our contemporary
editor, however, evidently has forgotten
the fact that anything which carries a
promise OF disaster and destruction to
the agricultural interests OF Colorado,
carries that same promise to every
branch OF business, to every individual
who depends on his labor or his business
for maintenance, in more or less degree.
This so-ca1led herd law, which will be
designated on the ballot by the some
what wordy title, "A bill for an act in
Relation to the running of stock at
large" at the election November Z, is
the vital concern of every voter in the
state. The charge OF its opponents that
its promoters and hackers depend on the
votes of the unthinking and uninformed
city dweller to carry the measure to the
statute books seems well founded And
because of the obvious dangerous pos
sibilities its provisions contain, these
voters should give careful study to the
bill. and make it a point to cast vote
against it.
True. the measure should have origi-
mated in the country, where in certain
districts n real herd law is needed, and
wanted badly. And the very fact that
its promoters obtained considerably more
than half of the signatures needed to
initiate the measure in Denver, with paid
circulators sent out in a two-day cam
paign, should be sufficient to cast sus-
picion on their motives. For there is
not the slightest doubt that the major
itv of those signers affixed their names
to petitions in the mistaken belief that
they were giving their support to a real
herd law, one that would benefit the
struggling settlers and small farmer.
And the duty now devolves on the city
voter to. with his ballot, prevent disas-
ter to those whom he believed he was
aiding when he signed the petitions.
The hackers of the bill still continue,
thru newspaper propaganda, to term
their measure a herd law. tho it is oh
vious they could not, by any circum-
stance. place it on the ballot as such.
II still Is claimed that the bill is pat
termed after the herd laws of Kansas.
Nebraska. Oklahoma and other states
But it needs little study of the bill
to prove it not herd law, and resem-
bling in absolutely no respect the herd
law of any other state.
So it is only natural that credence is
given TO the charge of the bills oppo-
nents-who number the Farmers Grange,
the Farmers Union. the State Dairy as
sociation. the Colorado Stockgrowers as
sociation and business and civic organi-
zations in many cities and towns-that
lurking back of the measure is n desire
to benefit the railroads of the state. So
far as can be discovered they are the
only institutions or persons who will
benefit. unless, perhaps, SPECTATORS who
own large areas of Eastern Colorado
lands. which the small stock grower as
well as the large are now utilizing for
grazing and which he must purchase or
rent or lease and fence if this bill be
comes a law. and the influences back of
tn bill can be included. For there is
not provision. close study eonvinces
one that will be OF real benefit to the
farmers in any part of Colorado
Ii cannot be questioned that this
measure will repeal every law that now
requires the railroads to build and main
tain fences along their rights-of-way, and
to pay for the death or injury of live
stock by their trains, The eighth Sec
ton of the measure not only provides
for the repeal of the present fencing
and trespass laws, but states particular
" that those sections which cover the
railroads liability and which require
their building and maintaining fences,
shall be repealed.
And tn cost of building thse fences
and maintaining them amounts to thou