Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-07-03
WASHINGTON LETTER.
The Democracy laundering They
Study the Cause of Public Opinion7
Ben Bntler Coming and Listen for
Vests Sweet Voice.
Special oor.ssroudence OF the Gazette.

Special Cor:ssnoudence OF the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, June 29.-It was a
strange scene in the house yesterday
morning when Mr.. Ellis denounced
James A. George of Denison rs
"blackmailer' and declared that
George had changed the terms of one
of Ellis letters and thus was forger.
The day before, when. the Back
bone land grant was under
consideration and its forfeiture
sought to he effected, the house voted
against the forfeiture by an overwhelm-
ing majority. But yesterday, after
Ellis letter was published, In (which
he confessed the rotteuness of the con-
Germ and lawlessness of its land stealing
aud in which Mr.. Barnum Of Connect
| icut, chairman of the Democratic
national committee, Is mentioned by
Mr.. Ellis as one of the land pirates, -
the roads majority was reduced to ten.
l have seen the original letter from
Ellis to George. There is nothing on
its face, as the Republican states this
morning. TO show that II has been
tempered with or changed
and the great change In the vote when
the question OF forfeiture last came up
shows that many members of the
house knew, despite Mr.. Ellis state
ment to the contrary, that James A.
George is incapable of this villainy
ascribed to him, But it was nece. ary
at the moment, In order to secure the
passage of the bill, to make these allie
cations against George. George may
have been imposed upon by someone
who signed Mr.. Ellis name to letters
he holds, but these letters are appar-
emily genuine and unfold the plot to
rob the people and the government.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE SEN
ATE?
But the bill now goes to the senate.
In that body very many gentlemen
are railway owners and attorneys, and
preme In the senate, and yet the bill
whole strength and wealth of the cor.
porations has been brought to bear in
this case, by which the fate of the rest
of the land grant roads may be deter
mined. will not pass the senate. Sem
ators NanWyck, Hill and others, Re-
publioans, unless they stultity them
selves, will vote with the Dem ocrats
and defeat the Ellis scheme.
HOW THEY VOTED AND WHY.
The corporation TO which the lands
were originally proposed to be granted
never acquired any title and yet the
transfer of this land to another corpo-
rltion which also failed in all things
to acquire title, is proposed to be recog
nized. Mr.. Culberson entertains the
opinion that the courts must settle
this question Of title and not the cou-
gress. Therefore he voted for Ellis
bill and such / suppose to be the
opinion of Messrs. Throckmorton and
Hancock who co-operated with Culber-
son. The rest of the Texas delegation
voted against the concession.
So offensive to the peo-
pie are they who have been
involved in these railway land-grab-
bling schemes that it is hardly possible
that Mr.. Barnum will retain his place
as chairman of the Democratic eXecu-
tive committee. Mr.. Ellis letter is
surely fetal to Mr.. Barnums tenure OF
this exalted position.
JAMES A. GEORGE.
l only know of this gentleman that
he is a citizen of Denison; that he
holds no Office; that he is vigorous
thinker and effective worker. He has
begotten all this discussion of the
railway land policy of the
government. He prepared and pub.
lished history of the railway land
grants, of which million or more
copies have been published. His map
of the United States, showing the
broad acres of territory proposed to be
absorbed by few hundred capitalists
owning the railway system of the
country is the platform of the anti.
monopoly party and of the Knights OF
Labor. In fact George breathed the
breath of life into these potent organi
cations. IL their demands be not con
ceded; If the corporations be suf
, fered to hold this vast property
+ to which they have never perfected
their titles, and If, as in the case con
sidered yesterday, corporations may
have land forced on them when they
have no shadow of just
right in law or equity and
simply because they claim i,
directions talked of in letters which
George says he will publish, the PEG.
pie will conclude that they have nc
rights which the corporations and con.
gress will respect. Then comes the
next step. The corporations and con
gress are driving the multitude to take
that step. 1t is n fatal one. 1t is revo-
lutionary. 1t is evolved from the phi
losophy of that other George, who's,
book, progress and Poverty" ha.
been even more widely circulated thar
James A. Georges MAP aud DISGUST
lion on Railway Land Piracy" Con
gress is forcing the people to inquire by
what right government itself holds OF
held the land the people cultivate
What myth is this "eminent domain?
; And if those calling themselves
{ the government had no orig
inal right to own all land
and air aud water. how could II
: convey exclusive title To corporations
or individuals? God gave the earth
!. its air and water and land, say ths
! socialist, To mankind, and each person
, has the God-given right to possess al
, he can use aud no more, and 1t Is only
the business of the government Il
guard aud enforce this law of nature
! and keep the peace. Reversing
this law OF natures code and making
the earth's surface monopoly Of thu
lordly few, as has been done by British
tyrants and usurpers, as was done by
! robber barons In an ignorant, lawlesl
age, may be tolerated for time; but 1
system more revolutionary In it's ten
: denotes was never devised by human
seltishness and greed for power and