The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-09-28
THE SCHOOL LAND QUESTION.
An Important Circular from Com.
missioner Walsh.
GENERAL LAND OFFICE,

GENERAL LAND OFFICE,
AUSTIN, TEXAS, Sept. 20, 1882.
Texas, as republic and state, has dedi-
Gated to public education over sixty thou
sand square miles of her diversified terri
tory. II Is difficult, without some COM
parison, to realize the vast extext Of this
donation. In 4 solid body II would cover
the entire states OF New York, Connect.
cut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, or
most entirely around the globe. Scat
tered as IL is, from the Sabine to the Rio
Grande, and from the Gulf to the Indian
Territory, IL embraces all varieties of soil,
climate and production. In the east lie
over q half q million acres OF pine, the
value Of which, properly husbanded, can
scarcely be over-estimated In the west,
the coal, copper and silver already dis
covered, present a wide field for the i'm
agination, and authorize legitimate hopes
for grand developments in the near fu-
ture. Along the coast, west Of the piner-
les, and east OF the Nueces, and scattered
through the interior, are found rich agri-
cultural lands, while west OF the Nueces
and following the line of Mexico and
New Mexico 10 the extreme northern Inn
Its of the state are found vast areas of
pasture lands, the most Of which have for
ages ripened and returned their rich pro-
ducts to the soil. for the want of stock TO
convert them into food.
With such vast resources within our
reach. we are confronted to-day with the
question,
WHAT SHALL WE DO WITH IT!
The time has past for the "glitterfng
generalitles' of the hastings, and rhetori-
cal boasts of our magnificent provision
for tree education" Hungeris not to be
appeased by glowing descriptions of tu-
1 en- a. xxyfn aAt ha
advanced by proudly pointing to this vast
reserve. The rapid development of our
state by the enforcement OF just and lib
| eral laws, and the consequent construc-
ton of railroads and influx of population,
admonishes us, In terms not TO be mis-
taken, that we must meet the issue. and
adopt definite and Intelligent system
for the control of these lands. The pres
emit law, framed before such a demand for
Texas land was dreamed of. has proven
inadequate, and been useful only in show
! ing what must be avoided in the future
and what care Is needed to prevent these
lands becoming curse to the entire state.
Reports daily reaching this office teach
| that spectators have taken advantage of
the technicalities of the law to defeat It's it,
tent, and by the acquisition OF large bodies
| of this land, and their Enclosure In pas
lures. are strangling the progress of set-
| Element and agriculture in our newer
counties. That the defects of this law
may more readily appear, 1 will briefly
name them, as nearly as possible In con-
| secutIve order.
First. The effort to make one general
| law applicable to our entire school lands.
A moments thought will demonstrate
that regulations for the sale of the pasture
lands of the west arc not applicable to the
| pineries of the east, the mineral lands of
the west and the arabic lands Of the south
and interior.
Second. The mode of appraising these
lands Is failure. Over twenty-five
thousand sections have been valued,
and reports fled In this office, and less
than one hundred have been priced above
| the minimum named in the law. When
we ascertain that hundreds of these sec
tons have been sold, before any pay meLt
to the state, for premiums ranging from
SO ia $500 per section we realize the i'm
portance of this defect.
Third. The notice from this Office that
the lands OF q county are for sale Is sent
the surveyor In sealed envelope, and the
power Is thus placed in his hands of
friends and controlling all the choice sec
tons in his county. That combinations
exist in many counties, either with or
without the consent OF the surveyor, |
have abundant proof, and these combina-
lions have in some instances held these
lands for twelve months, awaiting pur-
chaser, before one dollar reached the
treasury.
Fourth. The surveyor is required to
act AS agent for the state in these sales,
and no provision made for adequate COM
pensation, and no bond exacted of him
Tor this duty.
Fifth. The limitation In amount to be
purchased by one person, firm or corpo-
ration, Is worse than useless, for the pur-
are taught to violate the spirit OF the law.
Ii Limitation Is retained in the future, 1t
should be so guarded that the intent of
the law can be enforced, and forfeiture of
land and payments made swiftly follow
any subterfuge looking to its avoidance.
Sixth. The time allowed between the
application to purchase and the first pay
ment of one-twentieth, viz ninety days,
is too long. Through the combinations,
above referred to, hundreds OF the best
sections are withheld from market at an
annual cost of four dollars per section
Zone dollar per nile, each ninety days.,
while the bona fide purchaser must pay
interest for the same time, amounting to
not less than S4S per section.
Seventh. The rate of interest is too
high, unless payment OF the principal be
prohibited until maturity OF the obliga-
tons. Cheap money enables the capital
list to borrow at lower rates than eight
per cent, and as q result he pays the
principal into the treasury. This then
becomes worse than dead capital, for it
pays no interest, and its absence is felt
in the channels Of trade. On the other
hand, the man of limited means who
seeks only to secure homestead is de-
barred from this relief, and must strug-
gle on with an incubus OF interest which
capital will not pay.
Eighth. The sale of the pine lands at
In rfsh
regard to the quantity or quality of tim
Der will insure only the sale of the best
1T the price fixed, and leave the remain
der Tor future reduction. 1t would be
equally consistent to say that all horses
should be sold at fifty dollars per head,
without regard to size, age or quality.
Ninth. No provision Is made for Sc
curing to the school fund any share In the
vast mineral resources, which will, be-
yond reasonable doubt, be soon devel-
oped. 1t must be remembered that in
the mountainous regions of Pecos, Pre-
sIdio and FL Paso counties we have
thousands of acres OF school land which,
IL not valuable for minerals, possess but
little, If any, intrinsic value. The further
fact must be considered that in a section
so sparsely timbered as these counties,
coal possesses an added value, and one
section with y substratum of coal is worth
n hundred without. That such sections
exist, ut least In FL Paso county. has been
demonstrated, and parties are now oecu-
plying the lands in hopes of securing some
preferred right to purchase In event OF
the legislature emitting to protect such
interests.
Tenth. The present "red tape" and
ground about" provisions Quadruple
the clerical force needed ut the seat of
government, and entails a consequent
useless expense on taxpayers.
Eleventh. The duties devolved upon
the land commissioner are In excess OF
the capacity of any one man, unless he
neglecis to greater or less extent, that
supervision of his office which is neces-
sary, no matter how efficient may be his
clerical force.
The above embrace the leading objec-
tions, though many of minor Importance
are not enumerated as they are matters OF
detail.
That 1t is much easier TO criticise exist
ing laws than to suggest better, is an adj
mitted fact, and freely confess that this
matter presents problems which 1 have
not solved to my own satisfaction. With
this admission it will be understood that
the suQgestiOns hereinaf ter m ade are more