Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-25
The Gazette and Free Grass.

The Gazette and Free Grass.
The advocates OF the land-leasing
system have asserted with general |
voice that The GAZETTE was the or
gan of cattlemen and that back of all |
this clamor for actual settlement was |
desire to leave free grass for cattle |
men; that all THE GAZETTE cared for |
was to have the bullionaires grow
more bullion off the dear little school
children's grass. Despite these allega-
tions THE GAZETTE has kept on the
even tenor of its advocacy of the ac-
tual settlement, growing in grace and
circulation, firmly confident that time
would demonstrate the baneful influ-
ence of pastures on population and
bring the powers that be to realiz-
ing sense Of the proper disposition to
be made of the public lands. But
now. THE GAZETTE is met by a
charge that quite overpowers it. The
organs denounce us as the organ of
the cattlemen, as having an eye siugle
to their interests only, as sneeZing
when "free-9rass baron" blows his
nose on thousand dollar handker-
chief bought with wealth made by
grazing cows on the dear little school
children's grassland all because we
advocated free grass at all. We have
endeavored to bear up under these
charges, consoling ourselves as best
we could by entering the names of
men with hoes on our subscription
books; but a Gainesville man par
alyzes us. We catch it because we OPP
pose the leasing system at all, and now
we catch it because we didn't oppose it
sooner-and, strange to say, all our AS
sailants base their assaults on the
charge that we are the organ of the
cattlemen, some because we do not ad-
vocate free grass and some because we
did not sooner do it. But here is what
the Gainesville man writes to the Gal
weston News under date of June Is:
GAINEsvILLE, June Is, 1884 About the
only absorbing question In state politics no "
seems TO lie what the Fort Worth GAZETTE
calls free grass took care not TO raise
this cry until the cattemsn had succee ded in
fixing themselves securely by leasing all the
best watersd sections, and IL now wants the
dry sections made fee, knowing that the
farmers and small stockmen can not us,
them without water This will enable tn,
cattle kings to Craze the rest of the land free
} Who blames the organ Of the cattiemen under
a these circumstances for playing the tune o
| free Rut the "a "a An m n lat rat ion n
wba, Is the same thing, the omnip potent Ian q
board, comes to the aid of the cattlemeI
from differe ut direction. This board mad
haste TO put the new law into operation an,
. sell or lease to the cattlemen the choices
y sections and the water at the lowest pric
It nxed by law. After giving the cattlemel
g ample time to get comfortably fixed, tn
~ board suddenly fell in with the sctual-settle
ida. 1t peremptorily and contrary to la,
Withdrew the lands from sale except 10 act ua
n settlers. But here Is where one OF tn
a shTewdest tricks known TO demagogues ha
h been palmed of on the people. The law prt
vides that lands which have been lease
shall main subject 10 sale to actual settler
re This land board all at once concluded tha
none but actual settlers should he allowed
purchase lands Mt ali. But notice their ru
ings, and see what love they have for tn
l
at that restricts the sale TO settlers also with
,s draws all watered sections from sale.
These watered sections, which the cattl,
40 men have leased. must be placed beyon
IN the reach OF the man with the plow and no,
- and TO do this II IL necessary TO violate Il,
or law, which says: "All lands leased shall r
a.. main subject TO purchase for actual settl
ment, In bodies not TO exceed 0io acres.
se lscction II, page 50, laws OF 1881
I'D Is there "a man on the land board VIII
ur thinks farmers will go into that region whel
,a most OF the school lands lie where they kno
they VIII be cut Off nom the water? The ide
OF farmsrs cultivattng the school lands wit
out water is rich one, indeed. liza sy nd
~ cate OF catilemen were controlling THE q
zErrE, and at the same time directing Il
er land board, they could not serve their ow
OF interests any better than these two instit
so lions are now doing IL. The truth OF Il
a. matter Is our whole land system is wrop
The legislature should direct In positive ar
w unmistakabls terms Just how these LAM
us should BIS disposed of, and leave the exec
,ss ton OF these laws 10 the commissioner OF Il
III land Office. We have had enough OF Ian
boatds with unlimited powers. The dispo.
'o ton OF 10 10000 acre OF land Is too importaI
Nv an anair 10 be left 10 the Judgment and W.
on oil hve men who assume the right not only
co. execute but TO make the laws by which the
i. lands shall be sold.
r. Whatshall we say--what can we SAY
nv wen be damned five do and we'll |
= damned II we DON'T" II the cattl
nd men don't chip In and make up
M small-slzed keg for their '.organ, the
no they are not the bullionaires the Dali,
INT Times says they are. The GAzETI
criticised the arbitrary action Of ii