The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-27
Executive Responsibility for Fence

Executive Responsibility for Fence
Cutting.
Galveston News.1
The tlagitious feebleneSs of the gov
eminent of Texas can no longer be
hidden from view. No amount of
sophistry and no quantity of excuse
and apology can remove the naked
fact that the executive of the state
is unequal to the suppression Of law
leSsness. Is there any sufficient reason
why this should be the case? Is there
any sufficient reason why the state
should not, through its executive arm,
give Taxpayers adequate protection
in their rights? Surely none is Visi-
bic at this time. 1t is notorious that
lawlessness to an alarming extent pre-
walls in portions of the state. The rights
or property-real or chattel property
are not respected, are syStematical-
ly and ruthlessly outraged, and the
due protection is not awarded in con-
sideratiOn of taxation. To those who
have followed up the fence-cutting
business from its incipiency to the
present moment this must be appa-
rent. 1t is simple madness to say
that there is no remedy. The state
of Texas has adequate power to pro-
tect all its citizens, if the executive
| embodiment of It's power is so dis
| posed and so resolved. But here is
the rub. Does Vote-Worshiping
| idolatry infect the whole executive
organization of the state with faith
less and fatal cowardice? Stricken
with this infection, is the governor
anxious to conciliate the law
less element while trying to
excuse his inability, his inert
ness, or whatever else the
fact OF fragrant executive inefficiency
may be called, to the outraged and I'M
protected portion of the community ?
The governor of Texas is known as
Democrat. He is reputed to be a firm
believer in state rights, and stead
| fast advocate of home ruie. Then
why does he not make the govern
ment, whose executive power he SUI
premely represents and embodles.
strong to rule so that all citizens of
the state can be protected in their
rights of life, person and property?
| Admit that the fence-cutters have
also had cause for complaint, and
doubtless in many instances they have
had grievances. But appeal to the
| courts for redress or to the legisla-
ture for remedy has been as open to
them as to all other citizens. This
business of fence-cutting has pro-
ceeded too far. 1t is a distemper
that grows by what it feeds on.
1t can not cure itself. No species of
| laWlessneSs was ever reformed by in
diligence and impunity. The organ
lied laWlessness of fence-cutting and
pasture-ravaging is disgracing the
name of the state, lessening the taxa
BILE values of the state, and injuring
every legitimate industry in the state.
And who is to blame for its uncheck-
ed progress? Unless the state is a
myth, barren ideality, mere meta
physical abstraction, nquestionably
the governor as chief magistrate, rep
resenting and embodying the execu-
tive power of the state, is supremacy
responsible. In this character he
symbolizes and stands for the sover-
eighty of the state. 1t is not to be
doubted that timely display of ex-
ecutive vigor in the interest of law
and order could have squelched the
fence-cutting mania in its incipiency.
People generally have little idea of
the destruction in this line that has
been committed. Instances that serve
to illustrate the nature without meas
uring the extent of the mischief come
to light daily. Hear this complaint
from an intelligent ciuizen:
CARLETON, Texas, Dec. Is, 1881
The appeal of Civis to the governor
and legislature, prompts me, also, to
ask room for complaint. Fer peace
and protection appeal to the legisla-
ture. There-there only-is our hope.
My pasture, partly destroyed last Sat-
urday night, was small one-640
acres-but it represented the labor of
twenty years, and was all the proper
ty owned not covered by debts. My
stock was inside; no permanent water
fenced, nor any land except my own.
For these reasons the destruction of
my fence seems wholly unjustifable,
even from the fence-cutters' point of
view. have no valuable services to
the state to plead for the grant Of pro-
lection; but feel that tho pay
right to the use Of the prop
erty taxed. 1 earnestly ask for
peace, for we really are at war, until
1 can sell even for half value, and put
myself under the protection of Coy
ernor Bob Lowry, who, L am per-
| Suaded, will not wait six months be-
fore coming to the relief of his peo-
pie, should they become threatened
with a reign of medieval barbarism.
The condition of the sheep and pas
ture owners here would move the
heart Of a \ 70 or Caligula to re-
dress their Wigs, doomed, as we
are, to spend he winter exposed 10
the pitileSs blasts from the north, IN
der arms for that protection we pay
for, but cannot get, from a vote-wor-
| shipping state government. Call you
this Democratic government? Free
| dom? Then give me monarchy and
give me slavery. LEWIS.
This is not an isolated case. Itmay
well be asked. if citizens and prop
erty-holders thus outraged and left
without protection are under any
moral or equitable obligations to
pay taxes? Is not tax fee
for government protection, and
ii that protection is not forth
coming, has not the citizen an equi-
table right to decline to pay tax.
Such would certainly seem to be the
case, and if the state courts should de-
eide against the unprotected tax
payer, why should he not appeal to a
United States court? 1t is against
the constitution of the United States,
as well as against the constitution of
this state, to take private property for
public, or so-called public, use with
| out compensation. Certainly there is
no compensation for the property
taken, in the name of taxation for
public purposes, from a property
holder who is awarded no protection
in his rights of property. In short,
taxation without protection is simply
tyranny and robbery, and state adj
ministration that cannot protect its
citizens should step down and out.
The fenee-cutting lawlessness can be
stopped if there is the resolute will to
stop it. A governor incapable of
coming to such a resolution and so
rising to the height Of the occasion,
should abdicate his Igreat and respon-
sible Office in form as well as in fact.
A Rurin5 WnStarn ViIIape