Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-08
Utility Of Discussion,

From the discussions of free grass in
many of the East Texas journals, one
may well inquire what that section
knows OF the Western portion of this
state, and congratulate himself that
the discussion now progressing will
perhaps acquaint the East with the
West. 1t would seem as if people in
East Texas had no more conception of
the growth and development and agri-
cultural capacity and capabilities of
West Texas than they have of Hin
doostan. 1t would seem as if they
regarded all the country west of line
drawn north and south through Fort
Worth as fit only for grazing purposes
and as populated only by cowboys
and with no habitation save that of
the ranch. To men with no other con-
ception than this of West Texas and
with the belief that all this domain
great "free-grass barons" and lordly
"cattle kings" the proposition to lease
, these lands seems eminently the proper
thing to do. They are told that indi-
viduals, syndicates and corporations
: are fairly rolling in wealth acquired by
4 growing cattle on free grass: and, be-
: lieving the land unfit for aught else,
!. they are quite pleased with the idea OF
Z. educating their children at the ex.
e pense of these Western "cattlemen.'
: 1t is to this ignorance OF the West tina,
II demagogues appeal in crying aloud for
, the dear little school children. The
h East Texas farmer does not see tn,
e herd law hidden in the lease sys
Re tam like the Persian adder annie
Is the flowers; he does not see grea
e, section suited to agriculture giver
Or over to "syndicates and corporation
e outside of Texas !" he does not see tn
t. Wall street capitalist counting hi
n gains from his leased barony in Texas
IL he does not see the countless thou
a sands of poor men who might acquir
a a competency and rear happy familie
ly but for the barbed wire embargo lai
is by state laws on West Texas he see
rs none of these things. The Eas
OF Texas farmer sees only a huge ranc
.e- In the midst of boundless plain fl
of only to grow grass; he sees gruf
s's overbearing desperate of ranchma
ge who is growing richer day by day O
re the 'children's grass" and he SET
NO not only relief from his own scho,
ST. tax, but q semi-annual premium CON
re, ing to him from the lease of 18th
io- school lands" He sees all this b
nut cause this is what the demagogue an
lie, the newspaper tell him. The follow
lat ing extract from as intelligent publ
fl. journal az the Marshall Herald wi
up convey some idea of the density of IL
te. Ignorance that must prevail anon
II the masses of East Texas concernin
this section of the state:
ate The question of free grass Is being press
rts by the Fort Worth GAZETTE with all 4
~ a power that excellent journal can bring TO be
'-' as heissue In the coming state camoaip
ys, THE GAZETTE has endeavored to force IL
lct fore the people as matter not for leglslati,
sea but one which the people In their prlma,
for and county conventions should decide Tn
Tar, Judging from tho published reports OF 1
gu several county conventions, the question h
ase never been submitted In a large majority
to counties In the state. Those counties tn
p :, have acted upon 1t have been almost entiI
~ from he ring portion NJ ne state whe
'ne free grass Is NE principal element u, busine
Ind and overreaches all other issues
oys political economy. THE GAZETTE claii
en- that free grass Ii the only medium by whi
49,, ne Wedf grazing region OF the state can
's' settled aud populated. This liz strange re
IN soning. How can a section that Is Kept as
the oyn.ia0 common become settled with farmer
in. siong As II IL held open for free. grass II W
=, be used ~ eahteneH uio pay neither fares |,
GU re'H Farmers can have no rights amol
ges them. Uhuniers 30 there and propose 10 b
les foads IL SUFFICIENT quantities 10 cut 10 he n,
,re Drdss PirReges Mey are forced 10 .lence agui,
NE cnfttc, and their fences wiH be cu, and
ing farmers mus rage a ,enr against caiiiemen
ieh teqrevhe eonnt,y.
ate In Its battle SO far for return to Il
'ns system which has given Texas 200,
ing 600 people and made II 30 great al
on wealthy, THE GAZETTE has m
Is nothing like the above. The extra
Iur- betrays such lamentable ignoran
'se, orwillful ignoring Of the,true conditit
oc- OF West Texas and its vast capabiliti
h that we might well despair of ev