The log cabin Democrat., 1916-11-15
IS BRIGHT
 FOR STOCK RAISING NrAIrnsp mn.
GENERAL LAW IS URGED
To Restrain Stock Throughout the C0unty-AssOciatiOn to Enforce
 Tick Eradication.

A remarkable change in sentiment as to stock law in Faulkner county since 1911, when the late Capt. w. w.
 Martin as representative was prac- tically forced to consent to the repeal of four-wire fence law by the same
 legislature through which he had se- cured its passage, is being shown by the farmers in this county. Not only
 has much more stringent no-fence
 law than the one proposed by Capt.
 Martin been adopted by eight of the
 largest townships in the county, but
 1t was defeated by very narrow mar
 gin in four other townships, and now sentiment is being rapidly develop ed throughout Faulkner to secure the
 passage by the next legislature of a
 general stock law covering all the
 townships of the county It is very
 probable that petitions to this effect
 will be presented to the newly elect
 ed representative, Dr. H. B. Hardy of
 Mathews township.
 Just here a misunderstanding in the
 minds of some as to the effect the
 vote on the stock law in l2 townships
 on November should be explained.
 1t has been stated that inasmuch as
 a majority of the votes cast in the entire 12 townships was for the stock
 law, all of them would be included in the no-fence district. This, however, IS incorrect. The proposition was voted upon in two separate and dis
 tlnct districts, which, however, ad- joined one another The first peti- tlons came from California, Walker, Union, Clifton, Hardin, East Fork, Cadron and Benedict townships and asked that an election be held on the question of forming a stock district of those eight townships and no others. Later other petitions were presented to the county court request ing an election on the same proposi- tion in four other townships, Math- ews, Harve, Newton and Enola. Sep- arate court orders were made on each set of petitions, and the action of the voters in one district is not binding upon those in the other The prop osition was carried in the larger dis trict and defeated in the smaller. al though the combined vote for stock law in both districts was greater than the combined vote against it in both.
 Under Act No. 157 of the general assembly of 1915 provision is made for putting into effect the law as adopted in the large district in this county. As soon as the official re- turns showing the vote is filed with the county clerk by the election com missioners the clerk is required to en- ter the result upon the county court records and to give public notice of the fact by publication in a weekly newspaper and also by posting three notices in each township. Six months after the adoption of the provisions of the act-whether six months after the date of the election or after the publication of the notice by the county clerk, is not made clear, but in any event some time in May, 1917-it is made unlawful for any owner or keeper of the animals included in the vote had on the question (horses, mules, asses, cattle, goats, swine and sheep) to permit such animals to run at large outside of the enclosures of the owner or keeper. If any such stock are found running at large it is made lawful for any person to take it up and the owner or keeper is liable for reasonable charge for talk ing up, keeping and feeding the stock and also for any damages which the stock may have caused. In case of as to the amount of costs and damages, either party may apply to any justice of the peace where the taker-up resides for the of three appraisers to as- sess the amount due.
 No further election can be had to enlarge the present stock law district or create new ones until the general election of 1918, unless special cleo tion for state or county officers should be called in the meantime. The law provides that this proposition may be voted upon at any general or special election for state or county officers, but does not provide for a special election on the stock law question alone.
 As stated above the vote on the fencing law is an indication of chang ed sentiment in this county, but there are numerous other indications. For two or three years there has been a