The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1921-04-16
MEETING OF THE OPEN
RANGE ASSOCIATION

The Marion County Open Range
held an enthusiastic
Saturday, April 9Th, at 2 p.
m, at the courthouse. Good reports
were brought in from all parts of the
county.
The body manifested a desire to
show its appreciation of the constant
and earnest stand taken by Editor
Benjamin of the Ocala Star in be-
half of the people, so the publicity
committee was instructed. to write
resolutions to that effect, to-wit:
Whereas, The Ocala Star has been
fearless and outspoken in its advocacy
of the interests of the people in the
matter of the recent agitation to
fence the cattle ranges; and,
Whereas, This resolution is I'M
sought by and the intention to write
it unknown to Editor Benjamin;
Resolved, First That we COM
mend him for being plumb sot' in his
championship of large proportion
of the citizens of Florida in this mat
ter.
Second. That we thank him for
his advice in paragraph in the April
9Th issue of the Ocala Star, in
which paragraph he at once advised
the open range men to Organize to
uphold the law and at the same time
called attention to the fact that some
newspapers in the state eagerly
seize upon every outrage committed
by few to denounce the many
Third. That we deplore the fact
that there is ever any such depreda-
ton as fence cutting. or the like, and
as an association denounce any such,
and as individual citizens do and
have always condemned any such
crimes.
Fourth. Those who have suffered
from such depredations, we point to
the courts of justice and urge that
they can find redress there, and avow
that as law-abiding citizens we shall
cooperate that they may find re.
dress in the courts of the land.
Fifth. That we point out that the
remedy is in the courts rather thai
in passing a range CLOSING law as 6
retaliatory measure against the
whole body of farmers of the state, a.
has been suggested in certain article.
published in certain few newspa
pers.
Sixth. We point to the fact tha
we ourselves have fences, many of u
have blooded stock besides range cat
: tie, all are we'll wishers to ever,
, every move for the advancement O
agricultural and livestock industries
so it is preposterous to charge US a
body or class with being either par
takers or connivers or sympathizer
, with such depredations.
Seventh. We grant that Their
are, as reported, isolated cases o
such depredations, which we con
denim. We dispute the insinuation re
= Gently made by no-fence propagan
i dists that these depredations are gen
: eral, and declare that they are almos
unknown in Marion county, and W
: deny in toto the accusation recentl
made in the published account of tn
2 deplorable cutting of the gentle
mans fence in Leon county, the &C
cusation mentioned being that 'thi
: is the spirit of the open range w
: deny this with every fiber of our man
r hood and charge that it is a mali
E cious Misrepresentation made to stu
e the great body of farmers of Florida
r lawabiding and justice loving pee
S pie, in order to prejudice agains
them those who may not be in pos
ton to know, creating a sentimer
4 against them unfounded and unjust.
l Eighth. We rejoice that the nc
r fence propaganda has failed to ARA
n the owners of blooded stock agains
e the open range nor the open rang
= advocates against the owners of i'm
n proved stock and fenced range.
: making of friends two hostile an
:. opposing camps. Again we rejoic
that the no-fence propaganda ha
a failed to array town against countr
: in this movement"