Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-02-02
Correspondence Of the Gazette.

i
Anstin. February l.-PolitIcal nave
ricking in the legislature is arout over
with. the brands are recorded and the
roundup is In process. The lence-cut- |
ting argument is exhausted, the pre- |
yiolIs question is ordered and "stand |
from UNDER is the sesame of safety |
The mills of the gods grind slowly, |
saws the book, but the gods have hau
nothing to do with this mill, and the
swiftness of its grinding of men ana
measures to dust exceedingly me
will demonstrate that devils also have
mills. 1t cannot be that the want OF
wisdom on the part of these law
| makers is the occasion OF so much
short-coming, and yet it would be UNI
charitable to attribute to them either
of the only Alternative qualities. Ben
| Buffers prOudCst boast WAS to admit
that there might be some
truth in the general accusation OF
chicane and knavery preferred against
him by the American people, but no
man had ever called him fooi.
Knayes these men are not, and 1t
would be hazardous to call any Texan
"A fool Therefore, as "A compromise, ana
to avoid oilsnse, the softer terms ofex-
cessive patriotism, self-interest, 10y
atty to friends aud personal aspira-
, lions are the sources of the devilment
: that turks in the series of bills about to
be rounded-up into legislative enact
: ments. No single man, or faction. or
: cotorie of partisans can be justly
chargeable with the defects and the
2 mischief contained in the laws now
I al most ready to be launched upon the
j broad bosom of the commonwealth
y for it is n fact that at some stage OF the
: progress of grinding out the measure
l consistency has been forgotten anc
G hedging resorted to by every senator
y aud representative.
K II has not been difficult matter
i however, to discover the fountains
= of inspiration that have governed
u the motives and the votes of
d some who have held seats in the legis
5 lature. Az rule they have been nc
n tive, vigilant and cunning in shaping
II bills, amendments and arguments 70
e these interests, regardless of the effec
d upon the general veal, and reckless o
:, the rights OF the poor aud the pence o
II society.
= All will concede that the problem
T. presented for solution was one of anon
alous intricacy and supreme magni-
n tude. The causes to be discovered
i were hidden In the yer,
r depths OF concrete hypothesis
e. aud the remedies called f0
,e were new modes of thinking aud new
ne modes of legislation. No legislature
al ever met under more appalling aus
C. pices, or with grander opportunltie
or to sigpali2e its work for the good o
'e the state, aud the tranquility of til
N people. Failing, tn erelore, to com
q up to the full measure of the emerger
\, cy will afford no Justification for il
III voking the wrath OF the gods on thf
'n heads of the gentlemen whose gooC
~; or bad fortunes place them in positio
Nv to bear the fearful responsibility.
was kind to assume that they hay
done the best they could under tn
circumstances, and to acquit each on
of any purpose to do evil. Still tn
st truth stares us in the face thaC tn
m problem is not solved, and that tn
all cause being intensified the evil is nc
he likely to be abated, The provisi0
lie that the pasture men shall not fence |
re lands that do not belong TO him, with
ed out mourning liability to prosecuti0
of rs misdemeauor unless he shall, b,
by fore indictment, have paid into tn
IA treasury of the state ten cents on eac
he acre soinclosed. whether it be prlvat
ne or public lands, simply legalizes tn
h very system that originated the nippe
Ire and enables the rich 10 surround Tn
On poor with the barbed menace an
squeeze him 10 death or TO drive hin
from his home. And yet tn
is exactly the effect of tn
he amendment proposed by Senator Ma
nj lock and adopted by the senate yestel
o.. day. 1t practically and lawful
fr. places II In III, power of the rich I
n. rent the lands OF the poor, whether tn
M poor he wiling or not, and the stat
a. takes the place of the oppressor an
70 accepts the rental Of ten cents an ac,
VS. as conformation for the crime. Il,
he Illustration, Wen suppose that il,
Staliings has purchased section-0.
acres-from the state, at 81 per acre, I
ars thirty years time, with interest at II
rate of five per cent. bich max
ten cents an acre he pays TO the stat
and eventually 81 $50 purchase none
Suppose further that jim has bui
,ur him cottage ami planted his vii
lat and children and his little ''alln Q
re- that section, and has no money TO bli
ur or lease adjoining sections. Baro
Longhorn has plenty Of money and