Typed and spelled as written:
Kay Cunningham
The Marlin Democrat
Fifteenth Year Number 8
Marlin, Texas, Thursday, April 21, 1904
FAVORS THE STOCK LAW
~~~~~
Learning that Judge L. W. Goodrich was interested in the question of a. general
stock law for the eastern half of Falls county, a reporter for the DEMOCRAT
sought his opinions in detail. Replying to questions the Judge answered as
follows:
"Some suggestions have been made by many people that we need in this suction of
the county a stock law - that is to say - a law which requires that every person
possessing or owning stock of any kind, should be required by law to keep them
inside of an enclosure owned or controlled by him. Some years ago a most
respected gentleman and an able lawyer was elected by the people of this county
to the state senate; while acting as such he introduced In the senate, as I now
remember, a law regulating estrays, by the terms of which any animal running at
large beyond the owner's possessions should be deemed an estray and liable to be
seized and impounded by the owner or possessor of the land where such estrays
are found. The law also provided for the location of convenient pounds for the
confinement and detention of such animals.
"This law was suggested by the crime of fence cutting prevalent at that time.
This law was self executing and placed in the powers of those upon whom such
depredations were made to take in charge and to impound such stock as he found
running at large and depredating upon his premises or on the public roads in his
vicinity.
"The
conditions existing now make the necessity of such law imperative. The tenant
who plants a crop to supply the necessities of his family is at the mercy of the
man who plants no crop - who has a few old horses or cows and who turns them out
in the street or road to make a living for themselves by robbing his neighbors,
by breaking his fences and destroying the results of his industry.
"Following this line of thought I think it highly proper and necessary that the
people of this district, say that part of Falls county being east of the Brazos,
should unite in a petition to the commissioners court to order an election for
the enforcement of a stock law within said district".
~~~~~
Copyright Permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her
volunteers for printing by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas.