Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-07-28
FARMERS WISE TO
HERD LAW" DANGER
CITY DWELLER IN DARK
Fight Against Disguised Fence-measure Turned to City
and Town. Eleventh Hour Petitions for Bill Circu
lated in Pettish Anger by Bac<ers, and
Disclose Strange Things

farmers cattle onto his own property.
II was shown to be a measure that,
rather than being beneficial 10 the
small and struggling farmer, would
rob him OF his greatest source of sus-
tenance. The average rancher OF Colo
rado can raise on his acres only feed
ing crops. His one. or two or three
cows-which James j. Hill declared
the salvation of the country in the
future-are that which stand between
him and his family and hard times
thru periods of stress and planting,
and failure of crops. Deprive him OF
the opportunity to feed those cattle
on the public domain and he is
robbed of his greatest farming asset.
He is forced to build fences about his
own acres, on which he cannot prop
erly feed his own cattle, TO keep them
off the lands untitled. lands that in
Western state only partially settled
are the GodGiven property of the
man who is struggling 10 make him
self home, so long IS they remain
open.
They Turn Deaf Ear.
by the farmers, business men and
stockmen of the state. together with
the fact that the proposed law would
mean that 50.OOO.O 900 acres of unfenced
lands in the state would be closed TO
grazing; that 1t would drive from
the state livestock growers and in
consequence deprive the rancher OF
his market for hay and forage crops:
that It would discourage as long as It
remained a state law the settler from
turning his face towards Colorado;
that depreciation in land values, and
constant rancor and discord between
neighbors would fall to the lot of the
state-these things were realized and
the agriculture farmer, big and little,
turned a deaf ear 10 the siren song
of the measures hackers.
There was lapse of interest-a
hiatus during viii Ii no petitions
were circulated. and the Great Divide
stllled its clamorous noise. And then
July G-there appeared in Denver
newspaper an editorial of warning,
calling attention to the fact that,
leaving all other considerations out
of II, the sinister influences behind
the herd law should build for It oppo-
sition. The editorial challenged the
unselfish purpose OF Volney Hoggatt
he whose record on the state land
board has in 1t no hint of burning de-
sire to thwart the big cattle owner
or big land owner-and his masters,
Bon and Tam. II pointed out the
dangerous possibilities of the bill.
In sabyish Anger Renew Fight.
And that morning the henchmen of
The Post were summoned. They
secured Denver for signers-beGin-
ming with the employees of The Denver
Post. II is easy to get signers in
cities to petitions proposing a law of
any kind, no matter how nefarious.
how ridiculous. how drastic. And in
two days Tho Post and Great Divide.
seeking for selfish interests TO folst
on the state law disastrous to the
states greatest promise of future
wealth, continuing that effort in a
petulant and pettish fit OF anger over
competitors honest criticism, garn-
cred its majority of signatures
which can by no means be termed
supporters-to its petitions After the
farmers, dairymen and livestock men
of the state-those who alone will be
affected directly by the law-had
turned down the dangerous fencing
measure. the city dweller was turned
to as a means of saving it from the
limbo of forgotten things. And by
that same ingenious process-imposi.
tion on the voters of city and town
who. il is hoped by them, will con-
tinue negative lethargy concerning
the truth about the measure-The
Post and The Great Divide plan TO
force the law on the statute books.
Those opposed to the measure de-
clare all they ask of the voters OF
Colorado is an impartial study of the
so-called herd law, a study based only
on a desire to cast their ballots to
the end that the greatest good to the
greatest number be done. That kind
of study will convince. they contend.
those who have given little attention
to the matter, and those who are hon
estly the measures adherents, that the
bill is an iniquitous one. designed and
supported for selfish reasons. Misled
by specious argument, by false state
ment, by confusing clothing of ver-
biage In which the hackers have Of
fered their measure to the public
some are sincere in their belief it is
In reality herd law, beneficial, IL
passed. to the state 1t is to these and
the unthinking and careless the op-
ponents appeal.
AS In other campaigns waged by the
Denver Post, 1t is well that particula,
attention he paid to a consideration OF
what already has been mentioned
The Denver Post for it; Against it
Every Organization Made Up of and