The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-04-25
lTuH GRASS QUESTION.

The effort TO make the issue either free
grass or "herd law has fallen still born.
Tho tr nth 10 1t was trumped up unnatural
issue, and the people have taken no part or
laroel In It.. The prevent voluntary lease
system 10 gaining In favor every day and
needs Only TO he perfected in details. Un-
der the present system liza man wants the
exclusive usa OF school lanas ho psyb Tor II
in,tsad Of inclosing IL by fences or line
riders, snd excluding HE less fortunate
ncighbor. The legislature msy modify
aud change tho details Of the law and tx
lower minimum than s cents, but th..
tone ofpubl'o opinion would Indicate thl'
the lease system, subject 20 actual o'i.c'
ment, ha, come 10 stay. The next lsgisla'
ture will probably Get aside ao'o'uiely to
actual settlement, portion OF tho lands In
each county, not to be subject TO lease AT
all. Then they will design al certain other
lands 10 lsase. Thus thtf0 Will he no con
illct between thu actual settler and tue
states leaseos, sDd the school fund will get
= large revslue.
This la,tor policy 10 the one suggested by
SENATOR GIBBs, and I, s'eDs feasible ana
practical. Say that In = county where
here 10 only 10000 acres or less OF school
land there will be none leased and that
this much DO retained In every county for
homes. II the bes. land is withheld iron
lease for settlers homes there can DO no
objection to tho lease sy ssem, and the reve.
nue. derived will reduce the school taxes
very materially. Thore should be no sg-
tatioa that will effect the large live stock
interests, and one fixed policy, psriOcl in
oil its details, should DO adhered to in leg
islation and there 10 no doubt but what
tuis will bs done under the present admin
istrStlOn. The stock interests arc In no
dagger and their representatives, should not
be Incorporate or force an issue.
A change in tho policy OF etats in so i'm
portant particular rs this cannot be made
without mourning some opposition, and the
details Of such legislation can only DO per
f'cted in the light OF experience,
The people Of Texas, OF. Ut least large ma
iority OF them, demand that this schoo
land be handled In business way and q
revenue be derived thereirom, and they car
hardly be said to be unreasonable In thil
demand. The railroads have reserved some
OF their lands for pale, and have for lon,
time been leasing the other and getting 81
income, and now tho s,nte is proposing e
do the same thing. Instead of kicking out
OF the traces and trying to make political
capital against the democratic party, ,ht
interests Of the stockmen will be best sub
served by cool, conservative course, and
not by dsnouncing every man q, theil
cnemy who does not declare sgainst rev
enue from tho school land.
OF all men In Texas the atookmen should
be the lest to encourage unnecessary agi.
tation. or make harsh. attacks on the
state government, The result OF the fight
on the TERRELL bill showed shat there was q
majority ayerse TO any radical or inimical
Legislation, and majority OF cool, oonserv.
atiye men in the senate refused 10 favor
any policy excepta voluntary lease system.
Let well enough alone 10 n pretty good
a5sga. Whatever works rough In the de.
tails Of the lease system, or whatever inter-
feres with the actual settlement OF the
country will be remedied but two.thirds OF
the taxpayers of Texas are demanding
revenue from the school lands in proper.
ton 10 the demand for their exclusive use
Whether it Is beet to lease these lands az 4
or cents per acre oil arouad and In this
way lease large amount, or y ask cents
as a minimum and lease less, is matter Of
businesg which the next legislature vii
consider carefully unless there should be to
much agitation over the election.
Toe general policy Of the state on the
grass question has been outlined and re-.
suited in joint lease and snle system, such
az shrewd individuals have been pursuing
for some time. You can't make an issue
out OF the details, for they are matters OF
legislative judgment and calculation.
Some of the papers have been disposed to
pitch into the senators who favored the vol.
untsry lease system, and accuse them OF
straddling the fence in an issue, but they
advocated in this respect what sound BUSH
ness men were already doing with their
iand. Those who are oppoiing this admin
is,ra,ion on o small question Of details. and
declaring that the issue Is either herd law
or free grass should remember that extreme
views arc often disastrous In results 10 those
enforcing them.
r. u,,tt ka fail u;r