Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-02-21
THE STATE CAPITAL.
Hon. ]. p. Ayres Dignifled and Manly
Reply to the Gazette's Crit
icism Of His
Bill TO Prevent the Ownership Of Land
in Large Bodies.
Senator Gibbs Views on the Peniten-
tiary Lease.
A Little Pleasantly in the House.
LETTER FROM HON. j. J.. AyREs.
t,c,p,N Is.l....... vqOu

AUSTIN, February 10, 1888.
: y. u. Paddock, Esq, Fort Worth:
Dear Sir: Ny attention Is called to
n notice In the GAZETTE OF n bill which
! presented In the house, entitled "nn
act To prevent the ownership of land
In large bodies, to provide for cscheats
and for compensation The right of
the GAZETTE To criticisc and to con-
denim whatever II believes to be wrong
In the actions of men I'm public service,
is fully conceded, and evokes no com
plant from me. But, ~ | understand
you are the author of the notice In
question, the friendly relations that
have subsistcd between US, arising
from an acquaintance formed
during the two sessions Of the
seventeenth legislature, induce me TO
write to you In reply.
You assume the bill tn he unconsti-
tutional pronounce the idea advanced
silly, aud ascribe IL to the influence of
popular clamor. All this and more |
pass in good humor, cstccniing il ms
an illustration Of the license of the
press. Whether the bill IL consttu-
tional or otherwise, rs you assume IL Is
not Is not now my purpose To discuss.
Suffice 1t, however, that the bill was
the result of mature reflection and Is
believed by the author to DO wholly un-
Objectionable ON this ground. II pro-
yides for full compensation 10 the
owner for any land which may be
taken by the state If tho state has u
use for the land, the clause of the con
stitution you refer to authorizes tho
state To take the land upon making the
owner due compensation therefor.
Now the question is, has the stat. II
use for n portion of the immense tracts
Of land now being fenced by individu-
ala, firms aud corporations against tho
balance of the world? II may be said
that there Is plenty of land for homes
for all who wish To acquire them, and
II ia true that those who arc just now
able and DESTROYS 10 acquire homes
may do 40 ut small cost, but IL IL
equally true that within few years
tho public lands will al be taken up
and will In large measure have fall
len into the hands of owners disposed
TO hold them In large bodies. have
always understood IL to be the policy
of this state not only to sell her lands
but To settle them as well, and my bill
Is In exact line and unison with this
policy, Texas not only renouncos the
doctrine OF primoycniturc but goes
step further and expresses "a purpose
and desire that actual settlers should
buy and occupy her lands as homes,
the Impression being that "the land of
the free" IL insepnrabl, from 1.-THE
home of the brave.p The hurry and
hustle and confusion incident
TO the settlement Of this
new country has caused this
cardinal idea and fundamental princi-
Pile to fall at times into obscurity /; but
sir, | see no reason TO believe the state
has ever abandoned her original, and
oft enunciated, purpose and desire.
To the contrary the popular clamor to
which you refer itself shows and adj
herance to this policy and n determine
alton TO enforce ityes, To enforce II.
You say, agrarianism ~ 1t Is oasy
to respond In hackneyed terms,
coined by feudal lords. who laughed mt
upon which to labor and earn their |
brcnd. Happily, such terms have no
application In this country. Texans
are ut peace, and love their state. Who
cnn question her duty, or the peni-
tude of her authority and power to
promote their greatest good?
Yours truly,
:. T.. AYERS.
JUST A LITTLE FUN.
Speaker Gibson and Representative
Graves of Grayson having distiu-
guished themselves by the display of
their musical talent on the night of
the 10th Mr., Rushing of Kaufman
moved that Mr.. Nash of Dallas take
the chair. Mr.. Rushing offered
resolution that the aforesaid gentle
men be rendered the use of the hall
on Monday night for the purpose Of a
musical entertainment and that u sui)l-
eicnt sum be appropriated to purchase
for each of them u guitar and banjo,
The resolution was unanimously ndop-
ted. II was moved and seconded that
n committee of three be appointed to
notify Speaker Gibson aud Mr.. Graves
of the action of the body. The chair
appointed Messrs. Rushing, Pendlc-
ton and Etherodge, and the meeting
adjourned
SENATOR dlBBs on THE pENITEN-
TIARY LfASB.
Mr.. Gibbs gave AZ his reason for OPP
posing the lease, that IL allowed the
lcssees To transport convicts from place
TO place on railroad and other similar
work, and that under this system the
convict could not be properly cared or
duly inspected.
He tavors plantation work FOR sur
plus until all can be put In the walls,
or tha; they be contracted out on sta
tionary work where they can be kept
In greater security and more humane
~ treated,
CASH BALLS.