The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-05-18
FROM A ONE-HORSE FARMER

Editor Star: want to endorse an
editorial that appeared in the Star
about two weeks ago, on the no-fence
law, forest fires and incidentally le-
ferring to the razor-back hog and
rattlesnakeS. Every two years when
we have to elect men to represent US
in the legislature this no-fence ques-
ton bobs up and disturbs the minds
or our people, and makes some of
them fighting mad. but they don't
fight for they are too well civilized
for that game. The writer has few
cows and razor-back hogs and if a
no-fence law were to be enacted he
might sell them and do without milk
or butter, bacon and lard or buy as
he has oodles of money and these
things are so very cheap at present,
but we have always stood four-square
for our neighbors. many of whom
count their cattle with four figures
with the razor-backs thrown in for
good measure and they would be
practically pauperized by such a law
today.
We are opposed to statewide no
fence law, yet if we lived perhaps in
some counties of this state or in some
communities of any county, we would
want and advocate a local option law,
provided it did not work too great
hardship on our outside neighbors.
When my neighbors become wor-
ried over such law my advice TO
them is not to lose any sleep for when
the time and conditions become oppor-
tune then and not before will we have
a no-fence law, and / advise them
further to find out how every man
who offers to serve the dear people
stands on this question before they
cast their vote.
Now as to forest fires. Every
stockman knows that when fire gets
out seemingly by accident through the
winter and burns over several hum
dred acres of land, when a warm
spell comes. the young. tender and
succulent grass springs up, cattle
gather there in droves and that juicy
grass helps nightly in tiding them
over the subsequent cold spells. The
legislature that passed the law pro-
hibiting forest fires before March, re-
minds me of the old negro woman
who was arraigned in court for abus-
ing her children. While the judge was
severely reprimanding her for her
conduct, she said:
"Hold on, jedge; lemme ak you
sumpin'."
"Well," says the Judge, "what is
it?"
"Has you eber bin de fader of three
low-down, good-for-n -nittin, kinky-
headed niger boys?"
"No," said the Judge.
"Well, den." she said, "you don't
know nuttin tall bout it."
Now we will say something about
the razor-back hog and it may be that
Mr.. John L. Edwards, Mr.. ]. NJ. Mef-
fert and some other big farmers and
perhaps some little ones may not look
through the same ~ es but that is
not going to keep :. on saying that
the 'razor-back hog al = open range
are among the natU- q. blessings of
the poor man In Florida today. We
have our backbone. spareribs. sausage
and chittlings through the winter and
our good homemade bacon and lard
the year around without the cost IF
a penny for nine months in the year
All that's necessary to have these
good things is to raise a few acres OF
peanuts, go out on the range in Sep
tember, bring in such hogs and as
many as we can fatten, and there you
are.
If a young man in Florida today
who has physical ability, good judg-
ment and lots Of grit will get himself
a girl who doesn't cover her pretty
ears with a tuft of hair, buy scrut
pony, get together few scrub CONS
and razor-back hogs, he can defy the
H. c. of L., snap his fingers at the
street loafer and rule an empire.
| A One-Horse Farmer.