Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-09-22

worthy the support of Democrats OF
any section of the state. IL Is not. |
however, TO be inferred that he Ia, |
tended TO say any such thing, though |
his Languages has been SO construed. |
His language can only imply that he |
has found IN Eastern Texas n senti- !
ment which renders lust and |
equitable solution OF the school-land /
question more ditiicult thSn II would |
be We're this sentiment not 50 strong
ana go prevalent A citizen OF East
ern Texas has an equal right Ia the
Dement'S arising from the school lands
with any citizen OF the West. and
neither the duration OF citizenship nor
the place OF residence OF the citizen
can justly be considered In this rela-
tion. The citizen of the West, what
ever the length Of his residence in that
section, has no more interest I'm the
school lands OF the West than the
citizen OF the Fast or South has in this
/ common heritage OF the whole people
OF the state. But there Is one
very important consideration In
1 favor OF the Western man,
which Is overlooked by the Eastern
beneficiary OF the school lands as well
AS apparently by the governor and the
| state land board, While the school
lands should not be utilized 10 confer
partial benefits upon any section or
any clsss of citizens, they should not
be 50 managed AS 70 inlure the property
OF private persons IN the districts
whore the lands are situated. The
school lands may te so utilized az to
lessen the school tax upon all property,
and the Western people, conc ding
this, only claim that this shall be &C.
complished In such manner as not to
lessen the value Of other Western
lands and Western interests.
When the citizens of other districts
Of the state deny this claim OF
the Western people they commit an
act of injustice and oppression that
viii create dangerous sectional hOstil =
ity. Tue fertile lands OF the West will
some day support a population largely
greater than can exist In the Eastern
counties. Intolerance OF the rights
and disregard Of the interests
and welfare OF the pioneers OF
the West ju,t now will not be forgot
ten when that vast region becomes
more popul01s than the East, As the
country becomes populous and wealthy
the counties BECOME more self-rellant
IL IL the tendency OF sentiment ON the
school question in the more populous
aud wealthy districts to locallze
the taxes for schools. The
East and the South where
especially the colored non-tax-pay ing
population is mainly TO be found, have
been barely able 10 resist such cOnsti-
tutional changes MS would remit solely
to local taxation the support OF the
, schools. These sections of the state
cannot afford to assist this tendency Ia
lOcallze taxation for the schools by an
unjust and oppressive management oil
the common property Of the schools,
Western lands and property, when the
West shall become more populoua, can
sustain by local taxation the Local
r schools with infinitely LEST
/ strain upon the producing
! interests, and with lighter
burdens upon all taxpayers ti.an II
po sible In the East and South. IL 4
! not wise at this time to precipitat'
, this question by injurious manage
ment of the Western school lands
The Western people have not contend
e ed that the several million acres o
: school lands In the timOered region
= at the East shall be sold or utilized "
4 as 20 bling the greatest immediate re
D turns. They await In the East an,
4 the West the settlement OF the coun
! try, and have a right to demand I
: policy that will not sacrifice the pine
= lands of the East or deliver the
fertile lands of the West 30 wealthy
corporations TO hold at will, until they
have gradually absorbed every ACRE
/ through pretended settlers at the min
imum prices. If the governor intend
ed TO deprecate sectional feeling upon
this land question, and 10 indicate tn,
obstacle TO the Just settlement of the
question which arises from unreasona
BILE demands Of either section, he i
/ setting an example which should com
mand universal approval.