The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-01-17

w. t.
G. Collins. Tom devices, i. N. Wesibrook.
Diseayes Of Live Stock. B. Groom, 9, Of
| GatIin. 4. j. Webb, i. +. Ellison. jr., Il. IL.
overall, II. W. Cresswell;
| Improyein nj Of Live Stock c. Jones OF
| Navarro. chairman; l.. T.. Gloom, I. IL.
| MathisIF. U. SkdnOTc. G.. W. Merchant, J.
| NJ. Dawson, j. ". Brownson.
Grazing and FencingH. d. Sullivan, of Vic
toria. chairman, G. G. Slaughter, }: Nj. Mathis,
Frank ByIer B. r. Paddock. T. ID. Wood, L. r.
PRO pTotection of Stock from Theft and Fraud
| C. q. Slaughter, Of Dallas county, chairman
ii. ID. Sullivan, r. G; Head; Lee lIall, W. II.
| Grain, Berry Gatewood, |; ;; Witherspoon.
Public Lands. NJ. Mathis, OF Victoria,
ehaLrman d yd n SnEWSer aTis r scout IeS
ny ESommiitee to Nominate Executive Commit
| tee-E r. Lane chairman; \. ii. Pierce, II.
| U Campbell. Berry Lakewood. j. +. Fleming,
j. N. Upton, Frank Byler'
Mai. Mabry announced that since
the last meeting of The association, its
loss. by death. 0. q .'.-'nguished
member, John Il. jefferson, / Tom
| Green county. He moved the ap-
pointment of committee OF five to
draft suitable resolutions. The mo-
ton prevailed, and the chair an
nounced the following committee:
Messrs. Seth Mabry, II. b. Stoddard,
C. b. Metcalf, d. E. Bentley and j. b.
Rector.
Col. Slaughter offered the follow
ing:
WHEREAS. There has existed in different
sections of the state for many months species
of lawlesSness known as fence cutting" and
WHEREAS, Such wanton destruction OF prl-
waite property is not only deleterious to the
best interest Of the state, commercial, agricnl
tural and PASTORAL; but is conducive TO the de-
yelOpment of our cOntll eS an clement OF dis
regard for constituted authority, which II per
sisted in will disrupt the government and up
root society.
That we oppose all classes Oh ItwlessneS'' ana
earnestly ask our law makers to enact such
laws and attix such penalties as VIII enectual-
ly suppress such offences as the wanton de-
structiOn Of property.
crime of malicious fence cutting should he de-
clared odiOus and the punishment fixed at a
term of Imprisonment ana heavy line.
Resolved further, That the members OF TINS
convention pledge themselves, individually
and collectively, TO aid and assist by al the
encouragement in their power, constituted
authorit, in the suppression ofcrlme ana the
administration ofthc law.
A non-member, who had evidently
''roped" speech. rounded up" him
self in front OF the chair and wanted
to know it he could talk. Cries in
different parts of the house to turn
him loose" "unbuckle his throat
LATCH" "cut the girIh,' satisfied the
gentleman that he was ION the right
range" and he spoke. Hefavored the
resolution, and also thought it good
and proper thing to penitentiary peo-
pie who stretch wire fence around
lands not their own. He was not a
fence-cutter, he said, and could be
heard from at any time on the streets.
Judge Rector and Mr.. Metcalf sec
onded Slaughter's resolution.
Maj. William B. Sayers addressed
the association upon the resolution,
and endorsed it. Every one knows,
who has watched the courts,
that the present law on the
wanton destruction OF proper
ty is grossly inadequate. In
every case of q jury trial,
the lowest fine, $40, was imposed.
Make the offense felony, and leave
the law makers over the way to pre-
scribe the penalty.
A gentleman from Frio county said
if the legislature would pass adequate
laws, the people in his county had the
grit and backbone to enforce them.
Ex-senator E. r. Lane offered the
following as substitute for the reso-
luton and briefly spoke t. it:
Resolved, That, whereas the public have
complained of grievances suffered at the hands
Of men controlling pastures, we respectfully
invite the attention of the legislature to this
subject, and request the passage of such
measures, with severe penalties as will correct
the evil.
Be it furCher resolved, That, whereas as there
exists widespread cOmmun'Stic raid against
private rights, depreciating values, driving emf
igratiOn and capital from our state in the wan
ton and malicious destruction OF private proper
ty, in the form OF fencing or enclosing pastures,
10th large and small, that we earnestly invoke
the attention OF the legislature to this Subje
and respectfully request the passage of law
making it a felony, and nothing less, to malic-
iOusly destroy any fence around any enclosure
in the state.
Col. Slaughter then offered the fol-
lowing resolution:
Whereas, There are many men i'll Texas who
own small herds of cattle, and who are unable
at present to &C uire land on which to craze
them; and whereas there are large bodies OF
unoccupied lands belonging to non-reSidents
would be practically useless and unprOductiye,
should herd law be passed by the leglsla-
ture; and whereas, laws should be enacted to
protect the weak instead of the strong, there
fore:
Resolved. That it is the sense of this conven-
ton that the adoption OF II herd law. at this
of the state, and that the legislature be re-
quested to defeat any proposition looking to
the passage of such a law.
AIr. j. M. Mathis moved to lay tn e
resolution on the table, but by request
and for the purpose of discussion,
withdrew his motion.
The following report was sent up
| and read:
| Hon. j. n. Simpson, Vice-Fresident Texas Live
Stock Association:
Your special committee, appointed to select
an executive committee, have the honor to re-
| port the uames of the following named gentle
| men as constituting the committee
j. M. Day, of Travis, chairman; A. NJ: Brit
ton, of Tarrant; j: NJ Mathis, of Victoria; W.
+. Lewis, OF Mitchell Ed Lott, OF Goliad; IL.
b. Stoddard, of Brazos; L. +. Hard, of Clay;
j. Nj. Browncon, of BeNar; W. }. Moore, of
Galveston; b. b. Groom, OF Panhandle.
| Respectfully submitted,
The report was adopted.
Then followed quite lengthy aid
very able debate OH Gel. Slaushtcr's
T. solution, that gentleman leading
off. He said the resolution nee led a
daddy, and he was not afraid to take
that position. 1t came from an old
lTexan, and had the right ring about
| it. There were those within the
sound of his voice who well knew The
bad effects and disastrous results OF
the herd law in Kansas. lie knew
there were many IN Texas who ia
vored such a law, but he was safe in
saying large majority of our people
were against it now, and the day
would never come when Texas should
want a herd law throughout her Dor.
ders. The object of his resolution
WAS to voice the sentiment of the as
sociation upon the question. He
wanted the members to speak out
and say whether they wanted hero
law or not. He had faith in the in
telligence and patriotism >f the body
and he wanted 1T to say, in plain En-
glish, just what its members wanted
the legislature to do. He made many
strong points in support of his resolu
ton.
Mr.. Seligson thought the resolution
not a proper theme for discussion b,
the association. 1t would give color
, and tone to the assertions of the Gal
weston News, that this meeting wa
, called at the present time to BULLDOG
the legislature. Several bills had al
ready been introduced in the legisla
ture for Il herd. What we want is ;
suppression of fence-cutting and tn
: punishment of fence-cutters.
: Mr.. Grain said the resolution wa
! improper, for the reason that the gov
7 ernor had not embraced in his procla
: nation converting the legislature tn
o subject of herd law, hence the legis
!, lature could not enact any such nea:
|, ure. He hoped to see the resolution
withdrawn.
= Capt. Paddock met this propositio