The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-20
LAW AND ORDER.

LA w AMI OhDLh.
One of the greatest drawbacks Texas ,
las ever had to contend against has
1een the disposition to refer private
luarrels to the arbitrament of arms
rather than to the courts of justice,
On the part of certain class of her
people. There is no point, and abso-
lutely no good sense in denying this
fact, as many men and
many newspapers have been in the
habit of doing, instead of addressing
themselves earnestly to the task of
correcting the evil, as they should.
This unfortunate trait is not only ex-
cessively bad in morals, but it is most |
wretched in policy. Money and men
are both deferred from coming |
to Texas because of the killings |
which occur so often. The time
is not so remote when large sections
of our state, especially on this frontier,
were given up to lawless bands of bad
men driven from the denser centers of
population by an ever advancing and
aggressive civilization. Various means
were resorted to, to drive them out Of
the state or to submit to law; but all
failed equally until the legislature had
the wisdom to organize the frontier
battalion and send it after them.
Order was quickly restored, but the
battle was severe one. This is a
clear Indication, we think, as
to the means to be employed in
the fence cutting and all other
and similar troubles. Legal force
perfectly organized, armed and equip
ped is the best medicine for laWless-
ness. The states experience with
the battalion above referred to estab-
fishes this truth grandly. Now, if
the governor is only in real earnest to
put down theIfence-cutting energies
of the people, his means will approxi-
mate those mentioned as nearly as the
sum provided him will permit. Expe-
rience will guide his footsteps. 1t
ought to do it, and it must, if he would
have the satisfaction of seeing order
restored and values so seriously in
| jured, replaced. So important are the
interests affected that the people
would tolerate a little bit of assump-
ton and very harsh means, If the OBJ
| ject was clearly shown to be the resto-
ration of law.
Civil government is only effective
when it has military arm strong
enough to enforce its DEGREES, if nee
essary. We do not hesitate to use the
military arm to put down foreign in
yas1on. No one, even the most pro-
nounceo stickler for civil means OPP
poses arming when a foreign enemy
Is over the border. But in this sort
of domestic violence we have an enc
my more powerful, more dangerous
al, " tr more d SIR ictive than any
lWhrh could come to ia f'"n'
other nations; and certainly IL
the military arm is justi6able as a
means of meeting the one, it should
be In the other. Nothing in govern
ment is so contemplate as weakness.
/ Weak ness, when it destroys, becomes
sinister. A great strong man who,
| having the power to defend himself
and permits himself to be beaten and
murdered by a weaker force, is exc
Grated. So with governments. Texas
has ample power IN her own hands to
protect every interest, every piece of
property, and every life within her
broad borders. She has the money
to pay all the expense attend
ing this enterprise, and that, too,
without Gripping or affecting her seri-
ously in any way. She will win the
contempt of not only her own people,
but of the world if she does not use
the means she has in her own hands
to protect the people who are suffer-
ing by reason of the lawle5s energies
of bad people. These citizens of Texas
pay their taxes, obey the laws and
shoulder the musket in defence of the
/ 6I1UO WACA , oho OhOAA StehAAh
upon the st .te for protection is not
only valid and legal, but it is reasonable
and well formed. The state will be
derelict in every way if with all her
power, she refuses longer to make an
honest effort to extend it, and thus it
comes that her officers, representatives
and serva IS will be h. Id responsible
for any failure to meet reasonable
public expectation in this way.
The responsibility which is settled
at the ballot-box is a very heavy one.
AS it is mark of public esteem of
priceless value, to receive the votes of
the people, it is also punishment of
a grave character TO have them with
held by reason OF either unfaithful-
ness, incompetency, or want OF the
requisite nerve. Those who aspire to
serve the state, and those who would
serve it longer, could ponder over
this matter, turn these reflections over
in their minds often and with vast adj
vantage, not only to themselves, but
to the State az we'll