Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-07

| If we would hope for a happy solution
nf,bis feI,ce.cut,ing problem aud ces'
sation of the lawlcssness and crime
connected with IL. Fence.cuiting is
rrent evil and should be deprecated
Sy every good citizen, but can never
vote for n law making il Il felony until
IL il preceded by such legislation as
will correct and do away with the
abuses and iust causes OF complaint
After that | am willing TO make u
felony and no. before. 4,
"What do you think of the herd
law rs n remedy J"
Gas gedtrul law i am opposed 70
IT, 1t would not bear equally ON all
1t would lie conducive 10 the interests
and enhance the value of the prop',ty
OF the lar ,e pasture owner ana lahd
proprietor. but IL would certainly he
| detrimental To the small cattle owner
and the landless Not exceeding -
per cent. of the population o. IeXas
! excluding town and city intsl are
| landed owners. At least 50 per ceit.
are lsndless, and at least 30 per cent
of the iandless have COW or a few
milch cows To furnish mix
and butter for their ialll-
| lies many of whom are unfortunate
tenants, already subject to the rlRld
eyactnpss of the Landlord and tenant
law. Pass the herd law and all must
conform 10 il or pny the consequence
OF disubedience. II would operate
cruelty and Oppressively on the poor
and unfortunate. but magniiicently ior
the rich and powerful, and moro es'
pecislly the landed proprietore. The
fostering care of the government Is
81, n and nagIuIlN Ia tho
weak and poor; without IL their very
necessities will often drive them To
deeds of desperation and criminplity.
Ignorance Is said to be the parent of
vice. but necessity is often the prolific
mother OF evil as great. The
state of Texas il not prepared for Il
herd law, aud its enactment at this
time would certainly be premature.
1t would he class legislation in its
wort form. The only way that II
could bc tolerated would he as Il local
option measure, and / am not ~ yet
prepared TO give it my support, even
in this modified form"
Whist policy do you propose to most
efirrtually allay the trouble? ~
THE remedy for feuce-cutting is TO
do away with all abuses. Roads must |
be opened and galcways e-tablis ed /
wherever and whenever the I
convenience and necessities Of the 1
people of county May demand. [
Aces - to water fronts and
water privileges must be guarded and
protected, and as free TO the peasant rs
10 the lord of the manor. rs free 10 the
humble, landess cattle owner with
has five. ten or hundred head, "a to
him Nho owns his thousands
you spoke of the innd monopoly
question that would most likely re-
Ceive considerable consideration in
connection with the fencc-cutting dis
cuesiou. would like 10 have your
views on this subject a 81.
Il cannot see how consideration of
the land monopoly now guag ouJn
Texas can possibly he avoided. VAST
bodies OF land arr continuously being
bought up or fenced up not only 10y
oar own citizens but by nOn-rc-ideuts
and foreign syndicafrs. From the yoi-
oradn to the Bio Grande, extending
from sixty to one hundred miles into
the interior, is one vast system of pas
lures. All water fronts and water
privileges are IuclO>cd from the GuaG-
aiupe O. the Rio Grnude. Vast areas
OF territory in the West and North ,
west are IN the same unfortunate con- ,
dit.on. Whole counties are owned
and inclosrd by only q I
few men. Villages, town, AMI
axe surrounded ,
Icy par5ed wire lenc :, and legally de-
barred from The privilege OF owning a
miicil-cuw uni, - stabbed or tied up
[ nIess this tendency. this practice of
buying up ANA iurlosiug large bodies
ri land, Is checked by .iudiciou !ogi--
iniion, ut least TO the extent that ltgis.
lali"h can cons'itutionaiiy prevent it,
we viii fake up in coming years to .
iuil realization o! the fact that we have
permitted our golden opportunity to
pass
What would you do with the large
pastures thgt now cNist."'
They must be protected. Wherever
the pasture owner or the land owner
mas 5OHG-hdc vested rights, they must
not and cannot be Disturbed. mo ,
OF monopoly has to do win
I"ture acquisitions and Enclosure, Of
large bodies of land and not with
those already scared. our Constltu-
non declares that perprtutie- and
nonopOlies are contrary 10 the oenius .
OF tree government, and shall not be
allowed. The future prosperity and
GREATNESS of Texas, The development
"i ITS agricultural, mineral ana diyrr-
rihed resources, all demand ,
mat the land be kcDt la ,
me possession Of the largest number /,
81 small land owners. 1t is said Lhat .
Texas Is emphaticaIly au agricultural
country. think it can be said vim
equal emphasis that it IL also a ,tork
Raising country; both are important
Iac'"rt m making out the future great |
'ieHs ana prosperity of The state, both ,
'ho1id receive tue fostering care of the 5
government but future acquisitions of ,
land for pasture purposes should Ger.
lainly be l!mited.n !,
ABILENE.
U,,iIiin,,, -,