Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-23

,iy "v'ua, settler Ia worth In taxable
vaiue 10 the state at least al. 5OD.
Wan the. 400 ranch homes ON
,ne watercd sections that have been
mentioned, this would add wealth 10
.ne slate, nom population alone. OF
y, lW,ooO. Thus we see that the on
GRAFTON of the lease law has already
driven out Of the state, or kent from
coming into the state, taxable values
10 the extent OF Sss, zoe, 600, ana de.
privtng the people of n state revenue
equal TO Ss5O,O00 annually.
The capital kept away from Texas
and the taxable values taken out az
the state, Ii retained and protected
would contribute more TO the general
prosperity of the state In rcven ,,es aud
otherwise than the highest possible,
results 10 be hoped for from the lease
system could give.
Tiik i,EAsE LAW NCoNsrfrrrtoxAt
but aside rom the had policy al
the lease system, which OF itself IA sur.
hclent D compel its repeal, the law Is
clearly Unconstitutional. The copsti.
tuiion provides that lands shall be sold.
ana even prescrlbes certain securities
IN which the money from those sales
shalt be invested, The constitution ia
mandatory ON this rolnt, SAYING these
lands shall be sold; aud II they shall
he sold IL follows that they shall moi
he leased. y
WEST rRNAs AS A FARMING COUNTRY.
Doctor, the advocates of a lease law
claim that West Texas ia ineapabln NJ
agricultural development, and that
actual settlers wi not Invade that part
Oh the state, which IL said To he III only
Tor grazing large herds of cattle.n
This, said Dr.. Robinson, 'is only
u repetition OF the argument which
has been used with reference to every
mile of territory from this Trinity To-
the Colorado river There ate In Texas
to-day thousands OF men who have
heard this same argument used with
reference 10 the black lands about Fort
Worth aud the fertile districts of the
upper Brazos; and doubtless iime was
when there was not sufficient rainfall
10 make farming n success In these
sections but now we all know this 10
be one OF the most prosperous
agricultural districts In the world
| remember one instance In reference
TO the BRACES country, In what IL
known as Smiths Bend In the north-
east corner OF Bosuue county, Mr..
smith moved 10 that place about
thirty years ago, with large number
OF negroes, opened up n large farm,
planted corn, and, TO use his own LAM
guage, "the FIRST year he made neither
a Hat grain nor n round onc.n He
brought his bread for the next Year on
wagons from Red River county, the
nearest point at which II could be-
bought. His success the second year
was but little better than the
flrst his cotton growing
only from four To six inchen
high. The third year he succeeded
reasonably well, since which time that
has been one of the most uniformly
successful agricultural regions on the
Bra2os river, aud II Ia nothing UNUSUAL
now To gather sixty bushels OF corn
and one bale of cotton 10 the acre.
similar circumstances have been re-
lated to me by the oldest settlers Of
Palo Pinto aud other counties In the
West, where farming IN now u great
success. What has been true of coun.
ties now admitted TO be good farming
country will doubtless be repeated IN
the experience Of more Western set
tiers.
ft SOME WESTERN CROPS.
Callahan, Taylor and Jones c0un-
ties are to-day rejoicing In the pos
sion ofabundant wheat crops, reach.
ing In some Instances "a J ield of TWEEN
ty bushels per acre, Of M fine, plump
grain ss was ever grown In any coun-
try. But 10 go nearly 900 miles west
Of this even, ON 10 the very summit of
the great plateau known M the Staked
Plains, whfat this year will yield an
average OF twelve 10 sixteen bushels
per acre on land never touched by the
plowman's hand until last year. | re-.
fer particularly 10 the German colony
located twenty miles west of Big
Springs, on the line Of the Texas
n Pacific railroad IN Howard county.
When the cost OF cultivation ana the
time occupied In making, harvesting
and marketing the cropI In considered,
IL can be demonstrated that an average
of eight or ten bushels of wheat per
acre, ut scvepty-Hye ccnis per busliel,
is more valuable crop than cotton at
half bale per acre sold at ten
cents pound The Quaker settlement,
about seventy.five Iailes north of Big
Springs, has been planted about four
years. They are raising u 4 only fine
wheat, but fine corn, domestic grasses
and all kinds OF garden vegetables,
with young orchards and vineyards
which give promise OF great success.
To 90 still further vast 100 mites 10
Pecos county, we have farms on Toyah
creek, In the hand, OF Mexicans. who
know nothing but the most crude
forms Of agriculture. which yield an
abundant harvest every year.
Of wheat, barley aud oats
and after these small grains
are harvested the same land IL planted
In corn often yielding thirty bushels TO
the acre, thus giving Two crops OF
cereals each year. This. however, In
done by irrigation. There are In
Pecos valley 100000 ncres Of arabic
land susceptible OF irrigation, there
being an abundance Of water In the
Pecos river. This stream never has
less than eight feet Of water during
the farming season. CalIfornians who
have examined this section pronounce
II equal III not superior 10 any OF the
famous valleys Of California for the
production OF alfalfa, fruits and the
cereals; and In addition 10 which II "
more convenient TO the purposes o.
irrigation than any OF the valleys OF
their own state. The time IL not far
distant when, N the lease law be re-
pealed, this will become one OF the
richest sections OF Texas. There ARE
now scores OF men VINO would pur'
chase and settle up0l. those lands, but
they cannot take the risk OF being IN
closed In the large pastures containing
thousands OF head Of cattle"
WIRE FENCES KEEP or sErTLEBs
"Since,u asked the reporter, There
Is reservation In the leases Of sales TO
actual settlers who wish 10 settle on
the,e leased lands, do you think II
likely that settlers will be kept away