The Delta independent., 1916-11-03

interests are mutual-practically iden-
tical. Any clear explanation of this
proposed law and of the facts under
which it will operate, will convince
farmers and stockmen of the identity
and mutually of their interests ANY
statement tending to create the i'm
preston that their interests are an
tagonistic, can not be sustained by an
analysis of the proposed law and the
facts.
The so-called Herd Law is in fact,
and in its effects, liability law. or a
law fixing damages.
1t provides, first, that the owner or
person in charge of any animal shall
be liable in damages for injury caused
by such animal or animals trespassing
on the property of another. 1t then
proceeds to repeal all existing statutes
requiring fences. On its face this
might appear to be fair In consider
ing it, however, We must determine
who will be affected and consider the
every farmer and person who owns
or keeps one or more horses, COWS,
Sheep hogs or like animals Practic-
ally every farmer, dairyman, garden
er and stockman, must, in fact, keep
Mis- animals under fence, or constantly
herd them
While the law repeals the statues
requiring fences, it at the same time
makes it imperative that every per-
son having a small number of animal
shall have fences, because ordinarily
a farmer can not afford to keep a COW
or a team, or few animals, except
ing under fence.
1t Will be noted that railroads will
not be required to maintain fences,
and when animals get on a railroad
tract and cause injuries of any sort,
the owner is liable for damages.
whether the railroad is fenced or not
When it is considered that railroads
pass through practically all farming
districts and through private property.
it will be seen how serious this pro-
vision becomes.
The law is presumably aimed at
livestock growers, but it. in fact.
strikes at all livestock growers and
farmers in the same way, whether
they have a few or many animals
There are few largo herds left in
tho q ht-f
The average herd in Colorado is less
than fifty head. No doubt a few live
stock growers with large herds have
disregarded the rights of others. This
has created much of the demand for
this law, but from business and pub
lie STANDPOINT, we can not afford to i'm
pose harsh and damaging conditions
upon large number of people for the
purpose of punishment for few.
Most of this livestock is grazed on
unappropriated public lands which are
chiefly valuable for grazing. There
remains in Colorado about fourteen
million acres of such lands Much of
these lands are in rough, mountainous
regions. yet they are tax paying prop
critics indirectly because they sustain
an industry which pays taxes. Stock.
men are required to pay an annual
charge for the use of these lands. Ii
they were not so used they would not
pay taxes and would not be suppnrting
an industry that does pay taxes. Con
sidering that some $4,000. 900 are in
vested in the livestock inductry in Col
orado, not including investments in
farms and stock ranches, it will be
seen how important to all tax PAYERS
this question is.
The average owner of herd OF fifty
head can not afford TO keep them
herded constantly At present he
turns them into the hills in the early
spring with others, and they are not
gathered or rounded up until late fal,
for market or winter feeding. If tC
the present expense, an expense tC
EMPLOY herders is added. it is prob
able that many of them will be com
PEELED to sell their herds or remove
to New Mexico. Arizona, Utah or Wyo
ming. Each of these states has more
grazing land than Colorado has-some
of them twice as much.
These western states, with their
vast public grazing lands. are the
chief support of the live stock indus.
try. If the industry is prevented by
herd laws from using these lands.
which will force them to incur and