Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-08-17

monopolies are contrary to the genius !
of free government and shall not be |
allowed. The future prosperity and
greatness of Texas, the DEVELOPMENT Of |
Its agricultural, mineral aud diversified
resources, all demand that the land be
Kept In the possession of the largest
number Of small land owners. Ii Is
said that Texas Is emphatically an Az.
ricultural country. / think II can be
said with equal emphasis that II Is
also n stock-raising country; both are
important factors In making out the
future greatness and prosperity OF the
state, both should receive the fostering
care OF the government, but future ae-
questions OF land for pasture purposes
should certainly be limited
What do you think Of the herd law
as u remedy?h
"As IA general law l am opposed To
II. III would not bear equally on all.
IL would be conducive TO the interests
and enhance the values of the prop
| erty OF the large pasture-owner and
landed proprietor, but It would GER
tainly be detrimental to the small cat
tie owner and the landless. Not
exceeding 20 per cent. of the
population of Texas Excluding town
aud city lots) are landed owners AT
least SO per cent. are landless, and at
least SO per cent. of the landless have
u COW OF few mich cows to furnish
milk and butter for their families,
many of whom are unfortunate ten
ants, already subject to the rigid ex-
actnes. of the landlord and tenant law.
Pass the herd law, and all must con.
form to II or pay the consequence of
disobedience. II would operate
cruelty aud oppressively on the poor
and unfortunate, but magAiticently for
the rich anu powerful, and more es-
pecially the landed proprietors. The
fostering care o. the government is
due to all, and more esp, cially TO the
weak and poor; without IL their very
necessities will often drive them &c
deeds of desperation and criminslity
The state of Texas Is not prepared fol
"a herd law. and its enactment at this
time would certainly be premature
+ 1t would be class legislation in 1t.
: worst form u
AS member Of the land fraud bOart
Mr.. Patton was brought in direct con
: tact with the evils of the land system
of the state, and he has been foremos
:. In the ranks of those who seek to re
! form it. In the special session hetool
an active part in the effort to re,nov
. the causes of fence-cutling, and frnii.
: contended that in the assessment o
. penalties, the illegal fence-builde
!, should be placed on par with tn
!. fence-cutter, grading the crime of eacl
as II felony. Otherwise, h
q claimed, the law provided stripe
for the poor man and fines for rich,
| al lN.,.I ,e 81 10, q
= fence furnished the inducement fC
:, others to cut it, they should at least l.
:, placed on an equal footing in the eye
; of the law His amendment.to this e
. feet was defeated In the house by onl
: one vote, and afterwards it was almos
! unanimously conceded that Eit shoul
y have been passed.
= SOME CHARACTERISTICS.
Mr.. Patton Is man of great pru
y dence and discernment. He new,
: acts ha tily or upon the impulse of
:, moment Every action Is the resu
. of deliberate thought. In the schoo
u room he was model disciplinarial
: Not one of the vast army of SUDDEN
y whom he has started on the voyage
;, life ever def ID him. In the calIr. toI
= of his command there WAS an earnes
J. ness which utterly forbade all que
. ton of his authority. These are qua
Ties which will prove of inestiinab
;, value in the administration of u
e land Office. Under his management
: no one need fear ruling arrived
:; in u second and stubbOrnly mai
y tanned for lifetime. The vi
:, tim of no unruly self-conceit, he wi
be the servant of the law and not l
master. Whenever the supreme pow
y in this land-the legislature-seals
:, policy with its Endorsement, 1t will
e faithfully and fully carried out, whetl
: er In harmony with his own ideas I
not.
: Mr.. Patton Is not politician; he
le lust the reverse of what Is common
:, understood by that tern. Every pu
y lie position which he has held h
been pressed upon him by h
y. friends. To the writer's &C
\. tain knowledge it was only aft
'o the strongest pressure had bee
"a brought to bear upon him by pror
- inent men all over the state, that
a consented that his name should
~ brought before the state conventi'
.. for land commissioner. BY natu
ie modest and somewhat reserved, IL
70 impossible for him to mingle in Il
%, hurry-scurry rush after Office. son
Nv people may think, however, that III
s., will not prove to his detriment in u
os discharge of official duties.
VI These ere briefly the reasons VIII
have induced the friends of |. a. P'
ton to present his name TO the Dem,
~ racy of Texas in convention assemhl
ne as n candidate for the land comm
~ sionership. A representative man
III III Northwest Texas, which in the he
% day of its growth is most violently
w. fected by the workings of this ON!
~ he is admirably capacitated to adm
gu lister il to the benefit of that sectio
~ and the entire state and the credit
ha himself LAhA'
in Ladies' Library Association.
to Among the various movements tn