The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-01-31

appear, and there will be no peace
And L cen no more he shaken from
this conviction, grounded, as it is, il
reason and in truth, than the wild
winds of the north can shake from
their deep foundations the rock-rooteC
cliffs of the Colorado.
| say, further, that you might as
well attempt to prevent the bursting
of an engine by sticking straws in the
seams of the boiler, or shooting the
engineer. as to expect to stop fence
cutting by penalties alone. You must
reduce the steam, reverse the lever and
pull the throttle. Votes of confidence
VIII not save fences; and we should re-
member that the commune once cared
as little for the Council of Five Hun
dred as it did for the Swiss Guards of
the Palace, when they paid an uncere-
| mOnious visit to him, who, three
months ago, they worshiped as a God.
| Free grass, | say for the twentieth
| time, Is legislative robbery; the robbery
of patient industry; the robbery of the
many to enrich the few. And. an
noumce further, that it makes no differ
| ence to me whether | am robbed by
the partial laws of the federal govern
ment, which shovel. under the tariff.
the wages OF agriculture into the
pockets OF manufacturers. or whether
| am plundered of school taxes to
make a race Of cattle kings here in
Texas. In both cases it is robbery.
My county is taxed $1,000 more for
schools than she receives back, which
goes to other people; every cent of
which could be saved and education
made indeed free-free without taxa
ton, If we force those who use the
grass on school land to pay even half
that it is worth. But you are gravely
asked here, when did Senator Terrell
become free school advocate? If |
were not amused by such stuff. so oft
repeated. | would tire of it. This hand
penned the law under which every
child in Texas, attending free schools,
has been instructed for seven years:
and because | could not walk gravely
to some gimlet hole to which | was
invited by a new solon, and see
through i: the broad day of inspiration
shining on new systems of education. |
was hereto. From the constituents
OF these same self-constituted champi-
ons Of education, we are now attempt
ing to rescue the school lands; and.
from the protecting care of all such,
may the good Lord deliver the children
of Texas.
FREE GRASS A CURSE.
The stock convention, with singular
good judgment. Gf they were sincere,)
declared that free grass must cease;
the real estate convention meeting
here the same week, pronounced the
same verdict; and no sane man can
doubt the verdict of the $4,000 far.
-merS of Texas, who toll and pay taxes
to make grass free to the favored few
And now remember my prediction
if you fail to heed their interests, and
eXalt yourselves, not only will you
perpetuate the reign of violence, but
you will be made to initiate that ruler
of old, who, for eXalting himself, was
deSpoiled of his power and turned out
on free grass as a punishment. Free
grass was the curse pressed to the lips
Of Babylon'S king, and the same curse
now cl'ngs like the shirt of NessuS to
Texas.
Feebly, it may be, vet with faith
firm rs the rock that the bill affords
the surest road to social order, have
presented my views; and whatever be
the fate Of this measure, my con-
science is clear. This fearful raid upon
property rights has invaded my own
district; and only last Saturday night,
nine mile Of wire fence around pas
ture worth 800, 900 were cut here with
ia twenty-five miles Of Austin. Every
post was cut for nine miles, two feet
above the ground, and it must have
required the force of fifty men to do
it. | would, if L had the power. enact
Il law to place all such misguided men
in the cells of a penitentiary. With
out knowing it, they have sacrificed
the cause of free government on the
altar of anarchy, and must be made
to learn that true liberty is only such
when regulated by law. Yes, and L
would place the stockholders and
ranchmen of every corporation, and the
owners of every pasture who hereafter
grows rich by enclosing school grass
without paying for it, in the same
penitentiary, side by side with the
tence-cutter, with striped breeches, to
learn some honest trade, if they shall
refuse to obey law requiring them to
pay for that grass.
THE FUTURE OUTLOOK.
The prospect is dark, but around
the black cloud l see silver lining.
Texas is not the soil in which the loose
idea that land must be free like air,
can take permanent root.
When we compare our condition
with that of older states, the warm
blood must leap with eXultation and
hope over the future. No laundering
craftsmanship or doubling helmsman
can strand us, for on the broad should
ers Of the mighty host of tillers of the
soil, who, in the end, are always con-
sentative, the Arc Of constitutional
government will move forward. Let
us go again to figures;
In 1880 Pennsylvania had of persons en-
gagged in professional and personal
Of Of 'i those engaged in professional
manufacturing and mechanical indus
tries. .52s,277
In ALL. .974, 800
67s. 1852
So she had 673, 1852 more persons en-
gagged in manuel labor away from
farms than she had on farms. And it
is safe to assume that 80 out of every
100 of those engaged in mechanical,
manufacturing and mining industries,
and those in professional and per-
sonal services, were men on wages and
without property. The census of 1870
compared with this showing reveals
the fact that the gulf between riches
and poverty is more than 200 per cent
deeper there now than in 1870.
Massachusetts shows about the
same result. Come now to the states
of Missouri, Kansas and Texas:
There are persons engaged in ag-
riculture in Missouri. -. -. 3l5,297
Personal and professional SER
Mechanical, manufacturing and
mining industries. .......... .lOO,T14
1882
1892
1O5, 1886
So there were in Missouri 1O5,935
more people pursuing the industries
of the farm and independent, In the
enjoyment of its blessings, than there
were of all other laboring classes.
In Kansas the comparison is even
more favorable, for it shows an excess
of 10000 persons employed in agri-
culture.
But see, now, how our mighty state
moves to the front, when, after de-
Quoting the 14,031 herdsmen and
stockraiseIs-
PERSONS.
Y" for r a living. ............... 1926
SOnal service. ..........-...-. 9IO56
And in mechanical, manufacture
ing and mining indusuies..... 30,3B
127,4O2
Leaving OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. Z6,oS4