Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-05-21
AUSTIN LETTER.
Lack OF Harmony and Unity Of Purpose
In the State Administration.
A House Divided Against Itself Should
No Longer Stand.


construction that can be placed upon
their actions. Every man who has
had business at the capital, which kept
him here twelve hours, discovered, or
ought to have discovered, that the per-
petuation of the administration as IL
stands means that the state govern
ment for the next two years will be
HOUSE DIVIDED WITHIN ITSELF,
which the Bible says is dangerous
construction. While every attempt
has been made to smother up the
sparks of disaflection, yet occasionally
they will flame up, high enough for the
public gaze, and those on the inside
print would astonish the opposition to
any change whatever. There Is
one thing the public ought
shall know, in order that simple. ius-
tice may be done. No governor of the
state ever encountered such internal
opposition as the present one, and to
that is largely due whatever mistakes
he may have made. In almost every
important state measure which he has
attempted, he has been hampered by
an influence which is part and par
Gel of the very administration itself,
and the only wonder is that he did
not grow
WEARY by THE wAYSIDF,
make an assignment, and go
into political bankruptcy. Few men
have done so much, against such heavy
odds, as Gov. John ireland, and it
should always be remembered to his
credit, that though antagonized by
those who should have given him
their hearty cooperation, he fought it
out on the line of his convictions,
taking all the fall and winter too for
the struggle.
THE MILK IN THE C0COANUT.
The great question of the
present administration, and in
fact the hugest political
problem ever presented in Texas, was
the public lands. Under the blighting
influence of a one-man power, which
disre garded all law or forms of law
save lis own imperial wish, and which
gras ped out after more absolute sway
the question assumed an alarming
attitude almost before the new admin
istration had gotten under Roadway.
The fence-cutter was born in the
twinkling of an eye; the new gov
ernor was forced from other
cares that demanded his Closest atten-
ton, to avert this great calamity,
which was transmitted as Il blighting
sin from sire TO son as part of his
inheritance. Where was the power,
then, from which he was so right
eously entitled to relief whose sole and
peculiar business it was to deal with
the land question and who was versed
or ought to have been versed in its
varied phases?
A REvILER AND A SCoFFER
of the measures of the administration
holding a!oof from its counsels, and
practically an obstructionisto of its poll
cy. This, too, when the interests of
a great state hung in the balance,
when the state was being shaken bya
contagious lawlessness, when of all
sother times differences should
have been laid aside and
strong arms and brave hearts
the honor of the state. 1t was a shame,
crying shame,s and there are those
to-day murmuring at the supposed
timidity of John Ireland in this crisis,
who, If they could only realize his po-
sition then, battling almost alone
against the organized forces of disor-
der, while the insidious drippings of
Jealousy at home were
WEARING AWAY HIS STRENGTH,
would not censure, not pity, but glory
i'll his moral courage and final success.
AS 1t was then, so was it before, aud
ever afterwards. When the land frauds
board, an ofishoot of the administers
tion. The GROWING glory of whose
head is that he has unveiled so many
thieves, was in operation, this infiu.
ence was felt. Gov. Ireland was
member of the board, and Gov. Ire
land must be crushed and Inundated
If possible. Again the powers of
ridicule, censure and obstruction were
invoked, and again in vain. The
would-be destroyer was himself the
only sufferer, save the thousands of
thieves who were exposed. In the
special session the enmity was renewed
with the same result. These who would
might tell how this influence was ex-
erted to foster opposition to the meas
ures of the governor, and it. possible
avert compromise on conservative
policy.
But it was in the actual
management of the school and other
public lands, where the most bitter
and unrelenting opposition to the head
or the administration was displayed.
Those who imagine that because the
land board was united in its recent ac.
ton its members are harmonious,
most woefully deceive themselves. In
that alone have they come together.
and then by virtue of an accident. AS
matter of fact, not more than
six months ago the disstfection be-
came so great that it broke out in an
open rupture, and the land commits
sioner
THREATENED TO RESIGN
unless he could have his own way in
the matter This is not the only
thing he threaten ed either, and The
rest can be told If necessary. The
action of the board in increasing the
rate OF lease, which, by-the-way, was
inspired by widely different mo.
uves on the part of the
individual members of the board.
brought forth protest which, for n
Time expended upon the board In its
oi'icial capacity, yelled its internal
enlargement. Now, the same men,
Der who. threatened TO resign has an
nounced for O. reelection for a fourth
term. A short time ago he stated that
ne ana not desire the petition again,
that he could do better financially on
the outside, and leaving the
Impression that he would not make
the race. Upon reconsideration
however, Us he Is free To say he wants