The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-09-02

Texas, as republic, thus took stand ~ !
favor OF humanity in advance OF any stare
in the American Union, most OF which !
still retained that now loathed relic OF bT
barism, imprisonment Tor deOt. me
Chattel exemptions, in this act, with slight
changes, have remained in force ever sinc',
and are yet part OF our code
The constitution of 1915, in lieu oil TINS
land exemption to each citizen, provided
homestead exemption to each head OF
family IN the country not 10 exceed 100 acres,
In town lot or lots not to exceed two
thousand dollars In value: but they might
be, so to speak, ten dollar lots scattered
pr0miscuouslv all over a town. The con-
stitution OF 1869, made under the laws OF
reconstruction. raised the limit TO hVe
thousand dollars In value at the time OF
designation as homestead exclusive OF
improvements thereon.
This latter cause was reenactei IN the |
constitution of 1875 but with this restric'
tive clause added provided that the |
same shall be nsed for the purposes OF .
home, or as u place TO exercise the calling
or business OF the head OF family !
Hence, with this latter qualification, our
constitutional homestead exemption no" !
covers town lot or OTIS in value not to ef
coed five thousand dollars exclusive OF I'M |
proyements, or land in the country not 10 |
exceed two hundred acres. Moreover, the |
| homestead cannot be sold by tho husband |
without the consent of the wife. and, more |
noble still, the husband aud wife together
! (and this " what makes Shylocks gnash
their tyeth) cannot mortgage or III any
way hypOthocate the homestead. They
can live on II, enjoy H. aud sell 1t, in order
to remove or yet another hut they cannot
mortgage IT to the money lender aud thus
squander II, as happens in ninety-nine
-. 81. I.., ..lraI I'D
the ie and children homeless out into
thu world, for, be II known, the essence
of homestead. as always understood, ex-
planned and defended in Texas, Is to shield
the wife and children against the death,
misfortune or imprOvdence oithe husband.
And hereby, in connection with its hand
maid, our law protecting the separate prop
erty.of the,wife, also born under the repub-
lie, Texas has done more for the ainelora-
ton, vital protection and elevation OF wo-
man than all the wOmans rights conven-
tons ever held from the northeast corner
OF Maine to the northwest corner OF Wash
ingion territory.
. Men come to Texas, more particularly
drnmmers aud cent per cent. money loaners
on real estate mortgages, from states that
but little while back imprisoned for debt
and sold the last COW, pillow and home OF the
doctor, aud howl with indignation against
this long.tried, beniiicent and humane con
/ sLtutiOnQI law, blessed bv the angels, M II
, IL were an outrageous infringement on theii
, RICH y. Sometimes domestic demngogues
4 mistaken in their game
!, take up the cry and talk about credit cred
!, il urging that this measure, 40 endenred
', 1T the people, will ruin our credit in New
!, York b stOn aud Philadelphia. The SAINT
2 demngngues will sit C0mplacantly and see
y our public domain swalO we'd up In mOnOp
'. olizing quantities by money from abroad
H., fureshudowing the day when poor heads o
:, fimllies can no longer secure hOmesteads II
: Texas. but will b compelled to starve ol
: earn scanty living ~ seris to these fear
= fully growing land monopolsts.
:, Many candid men, however, seem to la
!. Dor under deluslOn as TO the amount o
% the exemption Practically this Is myth
:, . Let IL he tested. A, owning valu"bl,
:. homestead in Dallas, ID owning u cheap one
;, and o owning none at all; all go TO New
Y ork to buy goods Oh credit and succeed
y But how2 Not on the faith OF their home
;, steads, for every New York dealer will
y Texas, understands az well as We do. tina
=, ', our homesteads whether humble or costly
u are sacred and beyond his reach, They ar,
y served by the keenest OF commercial detect
70 ives, delying into the private affairs au'
a financial status OF every maj
u they have retained attorney
y whose business II Ia to advise them OF our
u laws, aud not one Of them ever gives oredi
" to Texas man on the strength ofhis home
= stead; but always upon sone other salts
factory ground. Therefore wherein IL h'
10 nhse.Ad, whether these men own 81 ",
~ or S2luJJ bomosteads2 Aud .uo sam,
e princple Supplies In our dc
70 mestic dealings one With another. RI
% IL said o. without q homestead -,.v In
y largely on credit, acquire a ho- ,esies3 WI,
~ the proceeds aud thus ~ ,ndie his cred
m tors That wonld proyo one thing yer
4 cearly, that tho shrowd merchant, wit
Al ~, us us,ecuV'. agencies had credited
AZ rln"' ., as We see men commit 9th,
lr D. 4cs against law, morals and deceuc
b. cr conlra. could point 20 II we'll know
,cly2 II Of Dallas, who on falling few yea
a Sluce, gave up homestead. now wor
~ $50 900, paid every dollar. began anew
ls' nothing but Roman Integrity, and nc
,re blessed with abundance, AS he has ey
oN been, IL respected as an hone
man. Laws do not make honest me
~, neither do thoy make honest men villa,t
Ter but, to show tho futility OF objections
hli the homestead law, suppose we had no su
~ rule aud, as of old, all man had "
IL subject to the demand OF his creditC
,au Then suppose this same o. owning
US twenty-five thousand dollar homestead
M Dallas, because ofhis handsome possessiC
ner gets large credit In New York, but Is 81
lot on yiIiainy bent All he has to do is
us sell his goods for cash, then sell his hon
rec stead, put all the money in his pocket n
ay' let his creditor help himself. II OF
DC proves again that he liz a scoundrel, A
ook this men can. aud In fact do. II hi
Was enough, In every other state ~ the Uniol
re- but never Ia Texas-not being thor
oh- tempted.
ices For all these long years-really hal
ON century Texas has benignly said TO stru
la,. CLING fathers aud mothers, old aud YOU
! OF be frugal, secure homes aud shelter for y,
i al children, and they shall DO sacred asylu
to theN against death, disease, wounds,
ana misfortune In whatever shape II may COT
ave Tens ot thousands, both husbands n
lelu wives, aud widows have been sumulal
live To seek aud obtain this haven, who,
OF other states, would have fallen by the "
by side, and now bless the law aud its foul
rass ere Ms they are blessed. Dallas teens "
THIS ever increasing examples, While hbe
DIR endures the homestead will be preserve,
ere, Texas.
h,r STOCK WATER ON rus rLAINs.
ANY This Is u subject OF the greatest iml
ices lance when II Ia considered that In mi
ota- localities OF from ten to my miles In
nan tent OF excellent grass there Is no peri
nent stock water; hut Its solution Is
It's lieyed to b. practicable, easy and per
hay nent The great body OF the plains Il
rich dea,ed with innnmerable bowl-shaped
10Th sins into which all rain water drains 4
At circular ridge, from halt u mile to
el'l- mites In diameter, sufficient Il prop
cul' collected aud huSbanded, to water q
nok- sands OF cattle for long periods Of time.
blue his report 70 the governor on the surve!
ride the three hundred leagues OF school "
lers' on the 3lst OF august, 1882, Major
lles Henry Blown said;
tile, "Some OF these basins, In wet seasons
is tain water tho whole wear, others for
are months, hut IN extremely dry period,
the this one was, they are entirely dry,
lolo' little excavation they can be made per
lnu- nent ponds OF fresh water, and they al
luy. nun,srona aa nroanaciIvelv 10 rendar