The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1919-08-28
AN ARCADIA PAPER is NOW IN
FAVOR OF DIVIDING THE COUNTY
ADVANCES NEW ARGUMENTS
Says that With the Several Sets of
Officials Laws Would be More
Efficiently Administered

The following is tirSt-page ed
itorial in the Arcadia Enterprise
Of last week: -
The Editor has opposed county
division in the past On what it
considered logical grounds, be-
lieving that one county organic
alton could be more economically
maintained within the territorial
boundaries of DeSotO than four or
five county governments would be
for the same territory and the
same taxpayers. Then we could
see no reason for cutting old De-
Soto into several pieces merely to
furnish a few ambitious towns
with court house and Jail, when
one court house and one Jail
would serve all practical
purposes at less expense to the
public.
But of late years we have been
confronted with a condition more
serious and more vital to the
growth and development of our
favored county than a few dollars
extra tax money. AS the years
go by this condition does not seem
to improve with the general
march of progress. Instead of
improving, it seems to be growing
worse, until our material prosper
Iity is receiving a severe setback
and the good name of our county
| is being forfeited on account of it.
We refer specifically to that in
tOllerable condition of Outlawry
known as FENCE CUTTING that
has existed in this county for
years past and which refuses to
improve with the general advance
ment along other lines.
This paper could point out
number of instances where capital
seeking investment in modern
stock farms and ranches has turn
ed away from DeSotO county on
account of this lawless condition
of affairs. Half a million dollars
would not make good the losses
thus sustained in the past two
years. 1t is the general belief
that fences have been cut, not be-
cause open ranges are scarce, but
for the very purpose of diverting
this class of investment seeking
capital away from this county.
SO far as our knowledge goes
not one offender has ever been
convicted and punished for cut
ting fences in this county.
What are you going to do about
it? What is the remedy?
A no-fence law has been sug-
gested as a solution Of the prob
lem, but to our mind this would
be impractical and unjust, as it
would work a hardship on many
in order to punish few.
1t seems to us that county div
ision would prove the proper SOL
utiOn. Think il over.
I'VE charge no public official
with failure to do his duty.
Fence cutting may go on undis-
turbed because of rotten politics
and it may be because there is too
much territory in this county for
one set of officials to properly
cover. In either event, county
division would help if not entirely
relieve the situation. Give Wau-
chula, Punta Gorda, Moore Haven
and Sebring each a county seat
and we will have five sets of
county officers where we now
have but one. The counties being
small will bring the public offici-
ais closer to the voter. He can
not play one end or one faction of
the county against another and
get off with it. The voters will
get on to his curves. Gangsters
could not then pull the wool over
the eyes of any large element Of
Vntnrs II would mike If q much