The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-02-08

| ~ CtAAAAAOb
be sold for less than 81. 80 or 80 per
acre, as above shown. 1t is sold on
| tw enty years time at ) per cent in
terest. If we get 81 per acre and in
vest il at 4 per cent, we receive no
more yearly, than if we sell for 81
and receive per cent. Yet L am in
favor of a file TO sell at 81 on long
| time at "A low rate of interest; and am
in favor of leasing whatever cannot
be sold, at reasonable price with
reasonable interest on good time.
WHY withdraw this land from sale ?
It is said, it is temporary only, and
until better law can be passed. L
say let us pass the better law, and re-
peal the existing one us part of 1t.
| The differences on this question lead
me To believe or at least fear that no
new law will be passed for the sale.
| Some want to lease only, and they
Will vote against any bill for
| its sale. Some want to sell
on 10 years, some on 20, some on 30
and others on 40 years; some want
payments made at discretion of the
purchaser, some ut the end of the
term; some want the deferred pay
ments to bear 4, some 3 and some 3
valued at 81, some at 81, some at 50;
some want the land withdrawn so
that private owners may be able to
sell, and some so that they can have
the use of the land without either buy
ing or leasing; some want to sell to
actual settlers only, and others to any
who may be willing to buy. want a
better bill on this subject before we
repeal the one we have. From 1874
to 1879 we had law to sell to actual
settlers only. Under it only l1,OOO
acres were sold per year for five years
| In 1879 the substance of the present
| law was passed, and about S5OO,OOO
worth of this land has been annually
sold, increasing thereby the permanent
school fund about 100000 in four
years, and increasing the interest of
school securities about $4,000 per
! annum. At that rate of sale it would
require eighty years to sell this land,
and yet some gentlemen seem to fear
that we will sell it all during the COM
ing week, and that we will find our
selves in the lamentable condition of
having about 100000 bearing per
cent interest, producing an annual in
tereSt of about $3,50O.OOO, before we
have time to object or raise point of
order. If this were to happen we
would be able to educate every
| child in the state between eight
! and twenty-one years without
any taxation. l would invite such a
result rather than repulse it. But,
Mr.. President. ! think the law can be
improved by making some provision
for competition (not six months, but
twenty or thirty days. and raising
the price, lowering the interest and
lengtheRlng the credit, but otherwise
the law is good. want the ohjectOrs
tO propose something better. | want
the children of this age and genera
tion To have snme Of the benefit of
our giant landed endowment for COM
mon education. | want to educate
our generation as well as that of fifty
years hence. | am opposed to with
| drawing the land from market, to
benefit private land owners, and stock
men and sheep men, when the chill
dren of the state are To be thereby de-
priVed of Il good education, or the
people are To be heavily taxed To make
up fund which should come from
the sale of these lands. ! hope the
bill will not pass.
/ MI. hlDDS lOu0C, NOiii-
posed of four times our number, have
by Il large majority passed this bill
taking the lands out of the market,
and am for an immediate ratillca-
! tion of their acts, for time is the eS-
sepce of this legislation. The senator
from Parker is very violent in his OPP
| position to this policy. but those of the
| people who are diSintereSted and In-
| a. lnx nrA Ni m
this legislature to deliver them from
the hands of spectators.
The statute in force is deficient in
many particulars. and whatever it
may be in theory it is practically a law
| in the interest of spectators. and the
| best proof of this conclusion is that
the records OF the land office show
that ten thousand acres have been
bought by spectators to every 100
acres bought by actual settlers. Texas
has dealt with and run after Specul;l-
| tors to take their best land with as
much aYidity and zeal as ever burSted
gambler ran after a pawnbroker to
pawn his last coat or piece OF lewelry.
1t is well known that spectators
never deal on small margins, but only
| buy when they see profit of fifty or
/ OllC PCA NOAOS POOA AAeeAA A'
| if not the legitimate, at least the ma
tural prey of the speculator; poverty
| stricken state like some of our unfOr-
tunate southern states, is the natural
prey of Wall street and all other
Spectators, but Texas with her pros
perity and rapidly increasing wealth
Is up to this time only willing and
not u necessary victim. We are real
In nf
and it is short sighted poll
cy to surrender to them. n
dealer in secondhand clothes never
sold his goods more cheaply than the
legislatures of Texas have sold these
more anxious to sell the landlords
half of the crop than we had been to
get rid of these school lands. The
most independent state in the south
has been VictimiZed worst by specu.
lators, and some of this body continue
to advocate this policy, in spite of the
fact that the people are sick of it.
We are Joint co-heirs of this land
with the children of coming genera
tions, and. like a spendthrift elder
brother, we wish to Suuander the
whole estate.
|
(GOoch) manifeSts most remarkable
selfishneSS when he says that if we
can get rid of these lands on any
basis and educate our children, let
4 future generations care for them
selves. In other words, he wants tC
confiscate rs lar as possible the
contingent remainder of the minor
heirs. In pursuing such policy we
are abusing the trust of our fore
fathers, and stealing from the unborn
blood of our blood, and flesh of ouI
flesh. The present law really has nc
safeguards, and the activity in sales
has been because the army of land
grabbers have been taking the best
lands, and will soon cease, and then
what will your grazing land be worth
The best proof of the assertion that
the present law is in the interest OF
syndicates and spectators isthat they
are here in droves trying to prevent
its repeal. don't intend To consume
too much of the time of this body in
discussing its many defects, but vii
say that our land commissioner may
be us honest rs Paul, as wise as Solo
mon, and as stubborn as mule, and
yet he can't, under this loose land law
head off the spectators, no matter
how great his efforts.
The law limits the purchase by one
man to seven sections, but he get:
seven more in the name of his entire
family, his cousins and his aunts anC
every stray tramp that he can lasso a:
| | ho r,0ccoc fhrOnnh tho country ITn