The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-15

wanted to"
This witness testiies that trans
fers were made, perhapsl the very
next day, simply by erasing the name
on the application and inserting an
other, thereby committing forgery, as
well as robbing the state.
| take the position, Mr.. Speaker,
that the acts of every agent or attor-
ney acting for applicants in making
purchases of these school lands, who
was not authorized to act by a legally
executed power of attorney, or
under authority of some court
having power to invest him with au-
thority as guardian or legal repreSen-
tative, is illegal and void.
| take the further position that in
the sale of these lands notes are the
basis of contracts between the state
and the purchaser and no contract is
legal and binding on the state with
out them.
Whether these positions are true or
not, we have indubitable evidence to
prove,
/. That surveyors have acted in
ceived pay from both the state and
the Individual in defrauding the state.
2. That parties have acquired lille
gally and fraudulently, more than the
amount of land that any one person
could acquire under the provisions of
the law limiting the number not to
exceed seven sections.
3. That the names of minors, mar
ried women, nOn-reSidents and per-
sons incapable of contracting, have
been used indiscriminately by
land sharks and spectators in
defrauding the state of the school
| lands.
4. That borrowed, fictitious and
accommodation names have been used
in robbing the school children of the
state of their once princely heritage
3. That RELIES have been made in
the name of the same person, after
forfeiture.
8. That the real name of the person
intending to be the actual purchaser
was not used in at least Seventy-tivt
per cent of sales.
I. That applications were not made
in good faith, but were filed on tt
secure bonuses, which ranged from
five cents to one dollar per acre.
8. That transfers were made in in
Vulnerable instances before first pay
ments, and that the manner in making
the transfers was not only illegal bu
criminal.
8. That 100000 acres of thes,
school lands have been sold since tn
session of this legislature, and tina
nearly a half million of dollars ha
been paid into the treasury by pun
chaSers of these lands during tn
same time.
And right here the question natuT
ally arises, why this eagerness d? why
this rush? Why this great anxiet
to pay up the purchase money o.
these lands?
l will tell you why. When thes
lands, about six weeks ago, wer
/, withdrawn from market, eXcep
where inchOate titles were
vested, the apprehension geneT
ally prevailed that additional
legislation would be had, that Nigh
prove detrimental and prejudicial t.
some of their pretended titles.
l trust that they may not he mis-
taken in their apprehensions, and tina
this bill may pass by an unanimOu
|, vote. 1t does not propose to distru
legally vested titles or rights; it doe
not propose to cast cloud over an
title legally acquired; its only objeC
is to reach and make null and vol
those pretended contracts that. hav
been made in violation of law.
In conclusion, | will state, that tn
highest and best authority, given b
} any witness who testified before tn
| 10 hnf n oh
said that they could get as much Ian
as they wanted in the names of thei
uncles, aunts and cousins.
, | will leave it to the gentleman
from Wheeler county to explain tn
modus operandi by which nearly a
. school lands in one-half of his count
were filed on by one man, and ais
how it happened that all of the appli
J cations of this man were approve
; and marked recorded in the hanC
! writing of this man.
} After some discussion participate
in by Mr. Scott against and Mr.. Hi
; in favor of the bill, the rules wer
; further suspended and the bill finall
passed. Ayes "a, noes 4-Messr
, Abbott, Swan, Scott and Rogers.
/ Mr.. Scott took the position that tn
bill was in conflict with the article G
the constitution which provide
against bills of attainder, and re
troactive and ex post facto laws.
A message from the senate an
| nounced the passage of senate bill
No. 6S, 17S and 206.
: Speaker Gibson referred them t
proper committees.
BY Mr.. Moore, of Washington: Pt
tition from Washington county pre-
: testing against lease of the peniteI
J tiaries. Referred.
THE RAILROAD BILL.
: The house resumed consideration {
the railroad bill, house bill No. %;
the pending question being tn
amendment of Mr.. Stranger to strik
2 out the proviso in section IL of tn
bill, which proviso is: provided, a
2 railroad stations in this state, wheI
/, two or more railroads, under differeI
: and distinct organizations, intersec
either road may fix its charges to an
| from said station without reference t
their schedule of charges on the ba
7 ance of their road"
Mr.. Robertson, of Williamson, sai(
Mr.. Speaker-We have now ha
1 under consideration, for several day
a bill entitled IAN act to provide fC
5 the appointment of board of con
l missioners for railroads, to prescrit
their powers and duties, and to fl
l their salaries and the manner of pa,
= ing the same; to establish reasonab
a maximum rates for the transport;
ton of passengers and freights O
S railroads in this state; to prevent III
: Just determinations and eXtortions
1 the rates charged for transportatio
e of passengers and freights in tn
: state, and to provide a mode of pr
: cedure in relation thereto"
Strange to say, Mr.. Speaker, in tt
t body of the bill bearing this elaboro
d and satisfying title we fin
v provision so diametrical
J, opposed to the declared purposes (
d the bill, as the following provis
l added to section II of the bill, an
e which proviso is now being consi
e cred by this house: provided, hoy
+ ever, at railroad stations in this stat
e where two or more railroads, und
d different and distinct organization
S interSect, either road may fix i
:, charges to and from said station
/ without reference to their schedu
charges on the balance of their road
n This added to section IL after Il
: same provides that all freight charg
/ shall be equal and uniform. Th
e house passed a resolution, sir, mo
= than a month ago, authorizing Il
e committee on internal improvement
to summon witnesses and take sue
e testimony as would enable that cor
mittee to report to the house bi