Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-04

Progress as Natural and Inevitable Law
The extra session of the legislature
will convene on Tuesday, the Sth in
slant. Last year the regular sitting
OF the same body commenced just
about the same time, ON January 9th
30 The two periods may be said TO 5e
exactly year apart. To the thoughtful
observer of current political events
and progress it will prove rather inter
esting TO indulge somewhat in retro
spective, noting how completely pub
lie issues have changed within a
twelvenonth. Practically speaking
there Is not to-day Il public question
appealing to public consideration that
was prominent when this same Eight.
zenith legislature first assembled. The
blu nlng issues, y that the papers and
! the politicians We're discussing and
wrangling over IA year ago to-day,
Eave all been tuk,n up ana disposed
OF. ThepenilenIiary question, railroad
| changes in the fundamental law affect
Ing public education, investment of
the permanent school fund, tax levies,
etc, have AL in lurn gone through
the legislative mill and the people
have the grist, 10 matter wha, NAV
be thought Of it, quality or quantity.
hfG.F4 a ia IINr T.,
aud in their stead We have an equul
number and perhaps of equal IN tort
ance) of new questions and measures.
All the talk now is OF matters that
were either in crude, uudefiued
shape year ago, or that had not at
tracted pubic attention at all. The
fence-cutling lawlessne>s is IA notable
illustration OF the last mentioned clpss.
But it may be suIge.t ted that progress
is natural condition among civilized
peoples; that if Texas has considered
and largely disposed of 50 many ISSUES
and measures within year it il no
more than she was competent and dis
posed to do, no more than lay in the
path of dutyto society, progress and
the varied interests, social and pnliti-
cal, We shall not enter an exception
to this proposition; il is sound and al
ways in order. 1t may be remarked,
However, that il is ut the SINE time n
somewhat conclusive reply to the peo-
pie who are given to imagining that
all the good lies i'll the past; that what
ever Is progressive, creditable and BEN
eiicial may chance to never hammer
again; that the country Is somehow on
the eve of = terrible crisis, with excel !
lent prospects of going to the dogs.
AS we have said, all experience proy,s
that progress, iii q civilized country |
10 natural. an inevitable law. And |
the GAZETTE is so firm u believer in |
the teniencies and possibilities of our
American-Texas progress that It il in |
cliped, despite the grave events of the
last half of the last year, to hold to the
faith that the extra session will nrova
equa' TO the emergency. 1t performed
arduous and valu bic work lat wear
the Eighteenth legis ature did. We
.on'vi'oer 's "pokeF-playing'
troubles and such things but We stick
To our text. 1t did good wor; l,s,
year and is therefore competent to do
SO a.ain, and we have no riyh, +,
question its disposition to do 20 until il
mas been put 10 the test and found
wanting, alike in competency and dis
position. The GAZETTE is not dis.
posed to underestimate the gravity Of
some OF the phases of the situation. I
ihey are grave enough TO awaken
general concern. But they are not in.
'ufinouh'"ole, and we shall hope the
legislature will come up to the fulI
measure of duty and public expeo,a.
.lon' and so deal with the Issues of !
1854 That they will be us completely +
ma as generally wisely settled aud t
'sposed OF a year hence as their pre- B
iecessors of year ugone are now
'"y'hihg less than this will be a re. r
'efsai OF the law of pro sress. And IVA q
make no doubt but that the same view a
"''u ny most people who are cool .