The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-07-17
SENATOR GIBBS AND THEACTUAL
SETTLER.


SENATOR GIBBS AND THEACTUAL
SETTLER.
Although new member, SENATOR
GIBBS introduced the first, and we are
informed, the only bill in the Senate of
the last Legislature providing for the
sale Of the school land toglctual settlers
only. He made Il strong fight for his
measure, but was out voted and the
present law substituted for his and all
other land bills pending. The old seven
section feature Of the law was retained
with some safe guards against frauds
not contained in the law as it then
stood. 1t was Senate Bill No. l24. page
IS OF Senate journal. Whom he was CON
tending against great odds for the
success Of this policy some
Of the present advocates Of
the interests of the actual settler, were
yehomently urging the continuation of
large sales.
When the Land bill was up for con-
sideration at the regular session in Jam
uary, 1883, and also when the Terrell
bill was up for consideration at the
called session, the Senator fought for
these views and this is the language
alsed in his speech: "No government
has moral right to sell land under its
control to any person other than the
man scekinga home on it," He was re
piled to very ably on this question: at
the regular session by several Senators.
and especially by SENATOR MArLocK,
one Of the best debaters in the Legisla-
ture, who represented the most of the
nnorganized counties.
The Senator from Montague showed
that under the actual settler policy, the
unorganized counties in his district
would not in years have tax
able values and people enough
to organize and keep up their county
governments, and he proved to the sat
istaction Of the majority of the Senate
by figures from official sources that the
increase in wealth and population of the
West had been one hundred per cent.
greater under the policy of quick and
large sales than ii had eyer been in the
same length of time under the exclu-
sively actual settler policy.
The only reply that SENATOR GlRBs
did or could make to this array of facts
and figures was to use his own words:
"a land monopoly produces an un-
healthy social condition that cannot be
justified, or outweighed by any increase
Of taxable values however great"
In reply to the argument that
III addition to being in the in
terest of the West that rapid sales
was also in the interest of the increase
in the school fund, he replied: II recog-
nize the truth of the assertion that de-
crease in the school taxes and an in
crease in the school fund is very import
ant, but am unwilling to concede that
1t is of paramount Importance to the
social question involved in the proper
disposition of these school lands.
Neither will | admit that sales in large
bodies is the only way to realize rev.
enue from these school lands, but am
satisfied that properly adjusted lease
system, with protection to the actual set
tier by Il reservation to his exclusive use
of the best lands, will bring in as much
annual revenue to the schools and Mt
the same time preserve these lands as
homes for future generations. What
ever may be its defects, the land under
this system will remain under the con-
troll of the State"
When Western influences were fight
ing this policy and claiming that the
actual settler was a mythical individual,
SENATOR GIBBs was fighting for him.
Why didn't .heso newly made friends
of the settler realize his Importance
sooner? Why didn't they give aid and
encouragement to the handful of men
who were making n losing fight for him
in the Legislature when the bill was mn
When did they become converts? If
they are his friends, and not using hi,
needs for sinister purposes, why have
they shown disposition in the name of
the settler to oppose GBBs and other
mon who stood by his interests? WHY
didn't the Western political and
journalistic friend of the settler mater
ialize sooner? Why is it that they never
discovered the settlers merits until Tn"
land board raised the lease price? 1t
was the IRELAND administration that re-
turned to the settler policy by means
of instructions to the Land Board at the
called session, and yet the men who
profess so much love for the settler
swears, in some instances, vengeance
against IRELAND.
1t was SENATOR GInnS who never
missed an opportunity in the Senate to
clamor for the old policy, yet the friends
OF the settler are asked to oppose him.
LABOR LORE.
The Miners strike In the Ohio Valley.