The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1916-05-31
HERD LAW FOUGHT
Civic Association to Take Up What is
Declared to Be Menace to
Farmers


livestock and agricultural bureau of
the civic association last night, show a
determined and spirited OPPOSITION to
the so-called herd law for which mi
tiative petitions are being circulated.
A comprehensive report prepared by
committee headed by Frederick W.
Taylor, chairman Of the agricultural
group, formed the basis for an action
which probably will result IN a public
debate of the question at an early
weekly luncheon of the association.
The report, which was adopted, urges
all citizens to discourage signing OF
the petitions.
The report cites that all stockmen
have always used the public commons
and that farmers have fenced their
growing crops to keep the stock out,
which was legalized in the present
fence law.
The first section Of the proposed
law, which declares that the owner,
person in possession or caretaker OF
any domestic animals, shall hereafter
be liable for all injury done by such
domestic animal or animals" is de-
clared TO be the meat Of the whole
bill.
mo such drastic law ever has been
placed upon the statute books of any
state says the report, Herd laws
in other states simply apply to tres
passing animals, and, in most states,
only where they damage cultivated
crops. In some states it is expressly
provided that the law shall not apply
where animals 20 upon unfeneed and
uncultivated Land
I'VE find that this bill was pre-
pared and is being promoted by the
Great Divide, a weekly paper pub
lished by the Denver Post, the an
nounced object being to protect the
small farmer from depredations of
stock running at large The stockmen
Of today are the farmers. Years ago
the cattle herds of the state were few
but large, running as high as 10000
head to the owner. Today the herds Of
the state will average less than 80
head to the owner, and practically all
the cattle are only SUMMER grazed up
on the public commons and are fed on
the farms during the winter"
The report declares that the effect
Of the bill will be to greatly reduce
the number Of cattle, sheep and horses
still further increasing the high
cost of living, and practically running
an industry valued last year at $780,
100000 There are 100000 acres
of unfenced land il the state, and 80
per cent Of the area of the state is
native grass fit only for the grazing
Of livestock.
'rhe principal supporters Of this
bill" the report declares, seem to be
among the few farmers who own no
livestock and who are under the i'm
preston that if this bill becomes a
law they will not have TO go to the
expense Of fencing their farms. The
farmers who own livestock are gen
orally opposed to the measure, and
they are in the great majority"
The following objections to the bill
were cited:
1T places a burden upon stock
farmers disastrous to the agricultural
industry. It has always been the Gus
tom to Craze livestock upon the pub
lie commons. If the law is put into
effect. the grass on these open lands
would be wasted and the farmer on
the contiguous lands would be with
out pasture for his small herd
THE injury clause strikes a stun
ming blow at the very people it pur-
ports to protect. 1t relieves the rail-
roads from obligations to pay for
stock killed by trains and gives
ground for an action against stock
owners for damage to the railroads |
through the derailing of trains by
stray stock.
"The 100000 acres now held in
forest reserve, which can not be fenc-
ed, would be unavailable for grazing.
their only present or possible use.
Herd laws in other western states |
have proven failures. There is no gen
TO-