Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-01-17


say one hundred and twenty million
acres Of land. This was about the sum
nj the close Of the war between tbs
states. These lands then began to at
tract the attention Of the capitalists
the land hungry and greedy and
scheme after scheme was resorted u
10 get hold OF them. When standing
In the Thirteenth Legislature there
were a few--a splendid band--who
protested against opening the door tnat
was felt to be the first break upon these
lands. These men stood amidst the
ieers and SCOTS OF those who were
clamorous for the golden egg, and
casting a glance to the distant future
and foreseeing that this rich field could
not be longer guarded, as a last resort
they introduced and had passed the
law setting apart one-half Of the en-
tire public domain for educational Bur-
poses. They took the only step left
Them TO secure TO posterity small pit
lance Of that splendid educational fund;
but the door was broken down and il
has gone, until now there - but rem
nant.
| think / see away down the corri-
doris OF time, this splendid territory
teeming with millions. No more pub
/ lie lands; no more cheap homes
\ poverty and squalid want gather
| ing fast and thick around the inhab-
/ itants: when some one Of them will
/ gather up the fragments OF our his
( tory and read to the gazing and mind
/ fanlished multitude how this genera
ton bad in its power and keeping a
/ fund that should have gathered like
/ the snow ball as time rolled on, and
/ how, if we had been true TO ourselves,
4 TO posterity, to them, they could have
| educated all their children, paid all
/ their taxes, reared school houses, built
/ roads and bridges-and then ! see
them turn with deep mutterings, from
/ the wicked folly that crazed our peo-
! pie from 1865 TO 1882.
| know that there Is popular fall
lacy abroad that finds expression in
such language as damn posterity,
let IL take care OF itself" | pity the
heart that can thus speak. No so spoke
our ancestors the fathers. They
saw not to-ddy, but looking with am
eye Of faith and wisdom away in the
distance, they saw Ws, and labored and
tOiled for us.
OUR COMMON HIGHWAYS.
Our laws on this subject are defec-
| tive. There seems To be no reason why
all who own property or reside near
the roads should not contribute to sup
4 port them. The youth, the aged and
the nonresident, having property that
/ is benefited by a highway, should
1 bear "A proper proportion ofiits burdens,
ar well NJ those within certain ages
OUR RAILWAYS.
the legislature shall pass laws to reg
ulate and control these institutions
has been only partially performed.
/ The people demand the ftiliilment OF
! this plain constitutional duty.
1t Is not the work of an hour, nor to
be performed without mature study.
| These railways are orr institutions !;
their value aud utility to the country
I are not to be questioned their man
agement has challenged and baflled
the highest order Of talent, and what
ever Is done, il is 60 be hoped win he
done In the spirit Of Justice and equity
that viii prove adequate to our wants,
without erippling or injuring the rail-
ways.
THE FRONTIER,
That the time is rapidly approaching
when we will have no frontier, in the
sense OF an Indian border constantly
subject to incursions OF hostile savages,
III certain, and yet those familiar with
our borders and the enforcement OF
our laws will readily concede the fact
that the time has not arrived for the
disarmament of our state forces.
EXECUTION OF THE CRIMINAL LAW.
There are three things imperatlveiy
demanded to proper execution of
these laws:
/. We must have good judiciary,
which cannot he had-hut in except
ionm cases-without better salaries.
:. A salary To the prosecuting officer
that will insure talents and fidelity Ia
duty, that will be equal to our young,
vigorous and splendid bar; and
3, A higher sense Of duty on the part
, of juries.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
This is n theme dwelt upon by states
men of all parties, state and Federal; Il
goes forth in state papers of the mos
solemn character; we get ii in prose
and poetry, and no sooner has the
party triumphed by the force of its
logic than II dies; often silent death.
without so much rs n prayer being of
tcred at its ohsequics.
Happily for the American people
the last and most glaring breach o
public decency has been rebuked by M
outraged people, in II manner so sc
we're that we shall not likely, IN the
next few years, hear of Hubbell or
ganization or a cabinet minister ten.
dcrcd Ivy the chief magistrate OF oul
Federal agency for governor of Il state
or of quarantine guards and revenue
officials undertaking TO conduct elec
tions. While these things have beer
severely rebuked IL has not been done
by a people untaithful To the spirit o
our institutions, for all government,
here are the peoples, no less that o
the states than the Federal, aud wheth
or improper interference with tn,
. freedom of elections comes from
those In authority in the state or Fed.
| eral government, il is the right and
bounden duty of the people to rebulSC
1.-THE more severely the higher the
source from whence II comes.
In assuming the duties of this very
responsible Office, do, to-day, al
though elected rs partisan, deelar,
that the oath of office disarms the poll
tician and leaves me free 10 deal Miti
all alike, and whatever asperities MAY
hax 4 H..