The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-21
THE STATESMAN.
THE CORMORANT AND THE COM
MUNE.

Texas, and are surprised that the
spirit of the commune manifests it's
self so soon in new state. They do
not understand the relations which |
bring about its existence in the new
est portions of new state, when it |
is unknown in the older sections OF |
the same state. There have been two
communistic periods in Texas. In
early days almost everything in
Texas was common. The land
was held by the state as a common
fund. and individuals might acquire
special rights to portions of these lands
by various sorts of public concessions.
Land was given by the Mexican gov
eminent, by the republic and then by
the state to actual settlers. Out OF a
great fund bounties were profuse;
Texas wanted settlers and land was
given literally to all who would come
and engage in building up its strength
There are within the limits of the
states 17O,O99, 200 acres of land; at one
time all this was public domain; now
it is all given away, or sold,
or reserved for public education. In
1850 there were only 2,592 people in
the state, bare handful of human
beings scattered over a vast area OF
territory. That was thirtythree years
ago, the beginning of a period in
generations, now numbered with the
past. At that time the white settle
ments were confined to Eastern and
Southern Texas, to the eastward OF
Tyler and Palestine and southwark
from Waco and Austin, while even
much of this region was then very
sparsely settled, as much of it still is.
San Antonio was an old trading
point, far from the settlements,
Austin was almost at the mercy OF
predatory Indian bands, who freely
swept down into the country between
here and San Antonio, and between
Austin and waco, and took life and
property almost at will. Brave men
often followed the Indians and droYe
them into the far west, amid their
wild haunts, but these brave defenders
of an advancing civilization, would,
of necessity return to their homes, to
be followed back by the sneaking red
thieves and assassins, to again
engage in their. customary
depredations. There was a
world of territory, and one citizen
depended upon another for protection;
they carried their lives within their
hands, and were ready to give up all
homes and families and society-for
each other. There was communism
then; but it was glorious commun-
ism, one produced by patriotism and
love, and sustained by the most SUI
preme generosity. What one citizen
had was at the disposal of others;
houses were open at all times to the
Stranger, and no man knew what
it was to be without home; it was a
great Brotherhood of people, knowing
no jealousies, no Conflicting interests
among these people there was nc
pickering, no strife; even legislation
was for all, not for the few. The
prairies and the woods afforded album
dance of game, common to all, and
cattle and hogs, ranging at large, at
forded meat for every one, without dis
tinction. A stock raiser thought
nothing of inviting his farmer
neighbor to take of his beeves
when they were needed, and
: the farmer opened his crib to the
stock miser, for the latter to take ant
grow fat upon his corn bread. The
stranger, looking at Texas, alw avs
found bed and board and servants al
his disposal for nothing, and it was 6
special pleasure by the entertainer tc
retain the stranger within his gates az
long as possible. There was com
mune then, but it was a
communism as opposite t
that of to-day as black is unlike white
That was communism, springing Out
of love and generosity; this is com
munism, the production of hatred anC
jealousy, of basest injustice between
\ men. This commune, for 1t doe
exist, is the outgrowth of free grass
under the changed conditions of oul
land system. All these lands thai
once belonged to Texas became thu
property of individuals, of companies
and of the public free schools and
other educational institutions o.
Texas. The state parted with it:
title to these lands, and vestipg titl'
in others it was morally and legally
bound to protect the land owners il
every right belonging to their acquisi
tions. The remnant of the old Texas
commune, these representatives of ;
generation now almost gone, followed
Texas through all its trials, and the,
now proudly share in all its glories
They are foremost in indicating tn,
majesty of law, and hence tn,
rights to property; they are al
far removed from sympathy with tn,
existing commune as can be. The,
oQoOo4uOu q SOAhuAAO WulCll UullL vi
Texas; and now they oppose com
mune which would tear down Texas
they are the enemies of free grass, tn,
enemies of fence-cutters, the enemies
of this unholy commune, the enemie
of public cormorants. Existing
COMMUNISTS and cormorants have
gone hand in hand in bringing
Texas to its present pitiable condition
when it is pointed at abroad as tn
the home of lawlessness and Grim
and of desperadoism. This commun
is born of greed; the cormorants hav
assumed to absorb all of the new poi
ton OF Texas, and to hold it for un
holy purposes. The cormorants hav
acquired vast bodies of land. and feel
ing their power they treat as naugh
public and private rights and us
the lands of the individual an,
of the state for selfish ends
Generosity knows no place in thei
being; they have fed upon all tina
comes in the way, and have attacke,
and driven away all who approach
them and who dared even look upol
their unrighteous repasts. They hav
declared that all they beheld belonge,
to them, and they enforced rule tina