Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-07

rev men nave abused the privilege of |
free grass. My answer is that Texas is
to-day what she is on account of the |
freedom of her lands, and free grass
upon all uninclosed pastures, and that |
under that system Ellis county grew |
subject to lease laws and large inclos- |
ures,. its phenomenal growth would
never have occurred. The people |
who made the county great and
powerful would never have come
there to settle inside of an Enclosure.
Look at Goliad and then at Ellis and
the futility OF the argument is appar.
ent.n
"Is there anything else in ccnnec.
ton with the lease law which you
think unjust and which operates as a
bar to the settlement of the country?n
"Yes. Section l, chapter 33, of the
laws passed at the last special
session of the legislature states.
"That If any person or corporation shall
knowingly make or permit to remain stand
er without tse written c,nsent of the owner
thereof, duly acknowledged on a duly exc
cuted lease of such land from the proper au-
thority he shall be deemed guilty
OF misdemeanor. etc.
~ deem this unwise and pernieious
legislation. People often find it
HARD TO TELL WHERE THE LINES
exist, and half the persons
who have settled in Texas
located on lands not their own. 1t is
frequently years before they can find
the owners or acquire title.
1.-THE legislature should have left it
to the owner and occupant to settle the
disputes. l believe this law is invalid,
for nothing was submitted by the gov
ernor to the legislature about inclosing
lands of another, but if 1t remains on
the statute books IL will give rise to
numberless cases of malicious prosecu-
ton, which otherwise could be settled
by few simple cases of trespass to try
title.
This law is in opposition to the
NATURAL LAWS OF POPULATION.
"People ought to be allowed to settle
anywhere and inclose as much land
as they are allowed to purchase. They
don't hurt the state and the laws of
Limitation encourage parties to occupy
lands where they can get them.
Formerly an occupancy of ten years
gave title to 640 acres, and under the
Revised Statutes, it gives 100 acres. il
mistakes are made people are threat
ened with prosecution and judges,
lawyers and juries differ upon such
questions. / think this statute should
be stricken from the law, as 1t is q
hindrance upon the population
and prosperity of the state.
ut is folly now to adopt such laws
we should return to free grass when
the new departure can only end in Diet
riment to the state"
"Do you attach any blame to Gov
, Ireland in these matters?"
my only objection to him is that he
approved the laws creating the lease
system and making it an offense to in
close land of another, which do mol
|; believe he would have done had hs
:. been sufficiently informed on the sub
ject."
: "Do you think the issue should b.
made before the people on this ques
ton ~
Eyes, especially in the election o
! representatives, for the prosperity o
a our state is threatened, and men should
: be elected who know the wants of the
' country, and who have the courage u
9 stick to their convictions. The mattel
. should be discussed in the Houston
. convention. j have no sympathy
. with any movement to try to RICH
= our wrongs outside of the Democratic
\ party, for | believe but for that party W.
n would have no free government. ant
/ in state affairs think We should cor
:, rect wrongs inside the party. Thos'
, who passed the obnoxious law had Du
! little appreciation of the facts. ans
= were over-zealOus on account OF IN
, school fund and were misled by tn
). foolish cry Of the ehildren's grass
! Thefe are In round numbers 5000 0O
!, acres of the public school lands. sup
4 pose they were sold at 81 per acre, the.
4 would bring $50, 100000. This addet
4 to the present would make YER
|. handsome permanent school fund
:, Any deficiency oilthe available schoo
! fund should be supplied by direct tax
= ation.O