Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-04-11
SENATOR GIBBS
interviewed on Current Political V"es'
tions Of the Day.
Ireland,s Administration Satisfactory !"
tho People.
The Children's Grass and tie Policy OF
the Land Board.
s,oe,a, 10 the Gazette.

on state politics, hopped on to MN ioi
am interview. Of course he was inter
viewed, for he never goes back on
newspaper man. The Dallas reporters
have educated him differently. Theu
his interviews are interesting, ms they
are pretty good indexes as To growing
public sentiment:
ACCOMPLISHMENTS, what do you
think about the probable opposition
this fali To- the state ticket? -,
Senator Gibts-Well, sir, IL VIII be
less than AT the last election, ior the
people have little cause oil complaint
The penitentiary lease system mas peen
abolished; II stop has been put 10 the
sale of land to others THAN actual set
tiers. n GOOD school system has been
devi, cd and taxes are low. II IL very
difficult to dissatisfy the people when
there il no weak place in the admins
trntion Of the state government for the
opposition TO attack Hon. Wash.
ZONES The suartest of the opposition
leaders, knows this and Is rs silent as
the tomb. They have nothing
upon which To base n can vass.
hardly think there will be either u
Republicau ar independent state ticket
in the field II there is, 10 won't reduce
our majority much, for the really In
dependent voter is with III this time.
RepOrter-What do you think of
Governor Ircland's chances?
Senator-Wtll, sir, the people are
thinking more about the land question
than amy other and Governor Ireland,
when II member of the legislature,
luckily voted against these large subsl.
dies, and his position then is the one
now endorsed by the people of all par
ties. He has been consistent actual
settler man, and the people now heart
lily endorse this policy and regret that
the state ever departed from it. For
this and other reasons he Is much
stronger in the party than he was two
years ago, and he will draw largely
from the opposition. The majority Of
the party regard him AS n
poor politician, but rs Il
sound, conservative and conscien-
tious governor, entitled to renomina-
ton. His strength is not persoual, Us
lie has never tried 10 build up an adj
ministration party, but IL is the result
of general satisfaction with his
official acts and the condition of the
state. Some of his strongest friends
now are members of the legislature
who opposed him on his penitentiary
views, Tor the fact that he had made a
success of the legislative policy, shows
that he felt more interest iH the wei.
fare of the state than in he veriiica-
ton of his individual views. There
was no ADMINISTRATION party and at the
same time no strictly anti.administrn-
ton party i'll the legislature. While
the members We're pretty nearly all of
one political faith, yet on questions of
state policy they fought like Kilkenny
cats, and the men who stood Dy the
governor on one question took issue
with him on another. This of itself
showed healthy political condition.
never knew the executive TO uttempt
TO Influence legislative action excent
by formal message, and for this
reason they all respected him.
Reporler-Will the grass question he
made AN issue in the state convention?
SENATOR don't have any idea that
II viii, for two-thirds OF the people are
satisfied with the voluntary lease sys
TEN aud opposed to coerciai measures
unless projection of state lessees in In,
exclusive use of the leased lnnds be
considered coercive. | believe the
grass question VIII settle itself upon
business principles by the time the
convention meets. III not, then tn,
price, etc, but will adhere to the gen
eral policy in force AT present. IN,
stockmen first leased the railroad land,
TO control the school lands: they viii
now have TO reverse their action ant
rent the school lands to get the beneti
OF the other free. There will never IA,
any law To force the stockmeu 10 IN,
ior railroad aud indlviduSl lands; bn
IL VIII be made To their interest to nm,
lair rental value for sohoc
ianu- and have general
iouhn them willing to do thi
don't believe that those stockme
who are willing to do what is fair hay
reason to be discouraged.
i see that the GAzErrE takes In
position that 1t must be either fro
grass or herd law. | disagree wit
your journaiin this view OF the cas-
ior There isa vast difference betwee
GIVING the stockmen an epportunit
To lei SO and forcing them To lease stnl
ana hli other lands by reason of n her
law. nave aiways favored the va
uh.ary iease system, but am oppose
ION genera nerd law. The one wi
succeed by reason of the law of snnnI
aud deman I, and the other would i
the use of the power OF the stnte In a,
rich the land owner ut the expense
the stock owner.
Reporter-W What do you think of Il
action of the land board? =
Senaior-l opposed making state {
ncers members of the land board.
they really have no time for the ;,e
nrmunce OF these ex-otlicio. Siuti,
anu the members OH In
noasd -ere also opposed Ia
! KNOW their actions were the result
lure motives and the exercise of deii
crate Judgment, but only ras,llis ~
snow whether 1t was best to raise 4
minimum TO eight cents per acre. \
can expect 10 lease all our sob,
lands az once, nor can we expect 10 =
the mi lease value unless protectiop
their exclusive uss is provided for
law As the demand increases M
legislative details arc perfected. IA
VIII enhance IN rental value. 4
state ought 10 perfect aud adhere
enc land policy long enough TO give
ihlr trial. They have changed I
policy too often, and Ia this way /,
settled an important industry. 4
tnht some papers have even cha,p
meinbers Of the land board with bel
personally inipical 10 the stock int.
ss,s, wy THIS can't be SO, for they u
~ oiu iexans and these kind Of m
h0rns." believe The people want
preserve the school land FOR actual =
Tiers, and ut the same time derry,
reasonable revenue from ihe,
ehd that the present n
ICY Will prove permane,
!. ts !, the state conventI
benator-Oh sea. for T.xas "a N a.,