Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-16
THE TERRELL BILL.
Ringing Repor, of the Minority OIL inc
senate Committee.
. Herd Law IN Disguise. Sa'oring u
Glass Legislation.


Bill " respectfully ulSSeiiV 'i"'' =,
views of the members OF the coii'il,,u
tee who style themselves "a majority
of said COMMITTEES" and whiie we NC
lieve to call the paper filed by them
"maiority report Is u misnohleI' VI,
pareI,t upon the face thereof, yet lol
The purposes hereof we snal
adopt said designation, aud respect
FULLY submit the following as lie VleM'
of the undersigned, Il minority OF you,
committee upon the questions invoiVeo
i'm said bill, its provisions ana the 50
called majority report thereon.
We object to the PAPER designated a.
a ",nnioJity report being considered
repo,t from your committee, az IL Il
not concurred in by a majority OF saio
committee. and because 10y said paper
defects in said bill as reported are a'i
mitted. and no amendment or suosli'
tute is offered, as the suggestion OF the
committee, for the cure or cor
rection of said admitted detects
and omissions.
We believe said bill is unconstitu-
tional, in that ii conflicts with section
| So. article 3, of the constitutions, ana
! the fifteenth section of said bill Is IN
conflict with section 10, article 3, OF
! the constitution,
We beievs the bill u herd law in
disguise.
We believe the practical operations
of the bill would not only fail IN the
objects expressed for it by those sign
ing the "mlajority report" but that its
results would be the reverse of their
expectations. Instead of stopping
fclice.cutting, il nouId increase that
evil, and be conducive to other
ofienses against the law, bringing
upnn the country even greater evils
than those from which the people ask
reliefat our hands. As Il law IL would
not bear alike upon the rich and the
poor On the contrary, it would en-
nance greatly the value of one class OF
property ut the expense of another,
would make the rich richer and the
poor poorer. 1t is calculated to build
up Landed arislocracy ut the eX-
pense of poorer persons VIII" own lit
tie or no land, and will add to
the Inducements already eX-
i.ting for the war now carried
on against property rights in Texas.
We 10 not assent to the proposition
that it is the duty of Texas to protect
estates of the individuals and corpora
tinns who hold their lands not Tor use
but for speculation, and at the same
time double aud treble their value
lille We force citizens of Texas to buy
or lease from them. The crops of the
farm, the garden and the orchard are
not protected from trespass unless sur
rounded by lawful fence. Then
x,Fl, l. y, Ia H..
SO protected? If n land
owner chooses to protect his pastur
age as a iarmer does his crops, then we
think the state should 20 n far, as
some disposition is shown by a land
owner 70 project and utilize his own.
We cannot cone i've it the duty of the
state to call to its aid all the eXtraordi-
nary machlnry of this bill to enhDnce
the fortunes of II particular class, neitu-
er can We think IL advisable to protect
the grass upon unused lands, that it
may grow and rot or be burned
upon the ground, without BEN
ent 10 anyone. The i'm
mense landed estates now held
in TeXa, for speculation by citizens
and corporations of this and other
states and countries, have been uc.
uals ana corporations. The stock of
Texas, which hey say have fattened"
upon said land, are TO great extent
the property of Texas citizens, who
nave, or many years, battled wi, Ii the
frontier question, and 10y their energy
and courage have largely contributed
already 10 make such lands valuable,
ana We cannot believe that the time
has come in Texas history when n
law can be passed to compel our
citizens to sacrifice their cattle nj
one-half their value in order that they
may buy lands from spectators at
double what they are worth Neither
do We believe that school lands should
Occupy better position tnan those of
individuals. There is no such thi o.
as 81 100 600 school tax in Texas ana
hence We cannot see the correctness of
Tue assertion that such would he saved
10 the people; but even if 1t were to be
saved as stated, we should feel unwitl.
ing 10 save some by the
destruction Of MANY, TO
build up the rich land owner and
felitve him of taxes at the expense of
the Ne"manry Of the country: first
double his fortune and then relieve,
MN from taxation.
We de- not sub. crihe to the assertion
That all other industries are taxed To
support cattle ownets II such he
True, however this a:t would b none
The less wrong j / not an act for The
purpose of taxing cattle oW ners. thouph
We aunt its effect would he To tnx
mem al least nifty per cent. Oh the
Vai'e OF their stock the first year.
rar from protecting the poor man
tle bili proposes that "a commissioner
OF lhstura2e. with n squad of soldiers.
si'ai' ride the country with dictatoriai
powers, To arrest aud inprisun, exam
me ana require bonds from the door
PEOPLE "f Texas, whom he may choose
10 charge with h.ving permitted one
PET colt more than the proper number
!" run at large and pick IL little gras.
rom the roadside or the fence corner
y minority Of your committee ara con.
aincen mat Texas VIII always hay.
s'use 10 lear such force. We believe
ne pr sent tribunals the courts OF
'he country are sufficient |
uhU"ce any law this DO ~ |
,laS shaf', winch seeks to protect The |
Nv ; and groperly of our people. We |
'l"Ve an ahlding mith In the patriotism
y, ne great mass oflhe people Of Tex A.
anu we are not prepared admit lnat
''hey WI not enforce the laws. or thut
u y necessary 10 create new judicial
.ripihals cioIhed with special ,,o,yer ;,
ma backed by II military d,spnli.n,
u "fder 10 secure obedirncr To h.,
hWs' II Is true there Is no other XII
'e'oIe inns body which "c,y.