1905.] QUESTIONS. 61 



In regard to that, I would like to say just one word. I have 

 had some experience, and it seems to me that one of the first 

 things we need is a little more strict legislation on the dog 

 question. Back in the town where I live the selectmen have 

 come to this conclusion, and have for about twenty-five years 

 back, that they will simply pay for the sheep that are killed, 

 and not those that have been bitten and injured, while the law 

 says that a farmer shall be paid his damage. Now you can 

 easily see where that has led to. Perhaps in a flock of fifty 

 sheep there may not be but half a dozen killed, but it may be 

 that the flock has been chased and worried and scared by dogs, 

 and injured, so that it is a long time before it gets back to its 

 normal statiis. May be they have been chased and they are 

 scattered for miles, and perhaps you are obliged to spend one, 

 two, three, four, five, and six days in a week in looking after 

 them, and perhaps with a man or two, and perhaps never find 

 them all then. That is the way things have been going on. 

 It is wrong, and it is time it was stopped. The consequence 

 has been that farmers in Connecticut have not cared to go into 

 the sheep business. I do not blame them. And it has resulted 

 from what I believe is an entirely mistaken policy upon the 

 part of our selectmen. It seems to me that they ought to pay 

 all the damages. I thoroughly believe in that, although I 

 should have to help pay it myself. And there are a good many 

 other things connected with it in regard to which it seems to 

 me we ought to have a little more strict legislation and thereby 

 encourage the reestablishment of this important industry in the 

 State of Connecticut. 



And then another thing I want to speak of. We have got 

 to have a change in regard to this dog question. It is very 

 often the case, as we pass along the roads, to see two or three 

 dogs lying around a house, and in a good many cases the peo- 

 ple who own the dogs are not able to pay for any damages that 

 they do. What are we going to do about it? Why, the town 

 has to pay it. There are lots of those dogs that do not pay a 



