Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-10-04
A FREE GRASSITE.
Texas Has Gone Back on the Actual
Settler-The Immigrant Driven
From the Borders.
A Pen Picture Illustrating the Work,
ing of the Lease Systematic
Poor Man Friendless,

MINERAL WELLS, TEX, Oct. l, 1891.
To the Editor OF the Gazette.
All of the political parties with can
didates in the field for the presidency
WED with each other in declaring the
public domain to be for actual settlers
only, and in the election of any of
them, the actual settler may feel as
sured of possessing the sympathy and
protection OF the United States govern
ment. This unanimous action of the
public sentiment of the nation, should
have been met by the Houston con-
vention with measures equally as
strong. For Texas must compete with
the United States for settlers. But
that convention not only did not
adopt such measures but it recon-
mended the lease system, measure
which effectually robs the settler of a
great privilege and boon always con-
ferred upon him by both the United
States and the state of Texas and now
withheld for the first time. We al
Jude to free range, or free grass. The
United States has always
held that In consideration of the
benefits derived by actual settlement,
the seller is entitled TO free access to
unoccupied public lands, that he rich
IN earns and of right ought to have
this privilege by the further considers
ton of a long struggle of four years of
hardships and privations in frontier
country in endeavoIing to subdue the
soil to a state of production. For proof
of this assertion we have only to point
TO the established practice of the
United States government from Its in
fancy. Among all the parties and
shades of parties of that government
not man can be found who will deny
this right CT the settler, and 1t Is true
that you have to come TO Texas and go
inside the Democratic party to find a
man who will dispute 1t. II the proof
submitted Is sufficient TO sustain the
above assertion, and we think 1t is. 1t
follows as a natural consequence that
we have the humillatlng spectacle of a
great state like Texas endeayoring to
educate her children by robbing her
best friend, the actual settler, of a great
privilege and boon which time and
custom have accorded him.
We assert the further truth that o
free range has been one of the major
inducements-the potent lever In
peepllng the mighty states of the
. American Union-and has helped Ia
make them the wonder and admiration
of all Europe. Texas owes her great
ness to the same source. Ask any old
Texan If he would have come TO Texas
IL the frontier had been incumbered
by "A lease law, and he will tell you no
, Thus Is II not an inducement to set
tiers? Can the poor man sustain his
, little ones for four long years, while
aubduing the soil, II refused free rangeG
or the two propositions do not men al.
: ways choose heonewith the greatest in
, ducement? We have the United States
, in the field offering free range to set
tiers, while we have Texas withhold.
ing 1t. Ii free grass did not possess &
fourth OF its present value IL would still
! divert settlers from our borders In such
, contest.
In the future when the state enteri
} the field to compete for settlers, she
will hear an audible voice, coming
: from the settler in answer to her APP
I peals, saying, 1--WE do not want your
land, we can get grass here In the Eas
4 from our neighbors' pastures by pay
: ing for it.n VIII not these fact
: through the medium of the numerous
: land agencies in the Northwest bI
[ heralded to the world? And will they
r not say TO the settler you don't wan
to go TO Texas she he's gone back OF
: the actual settler.
r But Gov. Ireland says, "Times hay,
: changed in Texas, and grass has be
' come n mighty factor.h Times hav,
! not changed any more In Texas thar
In the United States, and yet tina
n government halls the change with de
n light, we'll knowing that II grass ha
Q become mighty factor, It will prov
i all the more mighty In inducing set
ties to her borders.
{ Let us for a moment contemplate
n the working OF the lease system. w
see In our imagination an actual set
II tler--a poor man, away out in the dc
n main of the lease System. On ever.
Il side as far rs the eye can reach all tn
n land 10 leased. The state In LEASING
the alternate sections has made