Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-10

small, that we earnestly invoke the
attention of the legislature 10 this sub
ject, and respectfully request the pas
sage of law making IL felony and
nothing less TO mnliciously destroy
any fence around AN Enclosure in this
state.
The substitute drew out the orators
cal force of the convention, and led To
some really fine extemporaneous
speaking.
MIR. Slaughter opposed The substitu-
ton of another resolution for his own,
and spoke at great length.
Mr.. Saver of Gonzales wished to be
nut on record against stringent meas
ures to stop all such classes of crime.
His experience rendered him distrust-
full of country jurors in prosecutions
for ollensts akin to this. They could .
be depended on for always bringing in
n verdict for the smallest allowable
punishment. whether IT be by fine or
imprisonment.
Mir. Seligson of Galveston spoke SEN
sibly, warmly and to the polut.
b. r. Paddock of Fort Worth con
sumed considerable time, and many
others put themselves on record in ia
vor ofsevere legislation.
Slaughter of Dallas intro
duced the following resolution
which drew the tire of
the association at once:
Whereas, there are many men in
Texas who own small bands OF cattle
and who are unable at present 10 ac-
uure land ON which to Craze them;
And whereas there are large bodies
of unoccupied lands belonging to nom
residents and others, as well rs the
public domain, which would be prac-
ticully useless and upproduetive
should a herd law be passed by the
! legislature;
And whereas, laws should be en-
acted TO protect the weak instead oil
( the strong;
Therefore, resolved that it is the
sense of this convention that The
adoption of q herd law at
| this time would initiate against the
| best interests of the state, and that the
! legislature be requested to defeat any
proposition to the passage OF such
| law.
Many men were on their feet in an
! instant, but Slaughter retained the
| floor and spoke at great length. HIS
argument IN favor of the resolution
WAS damaged 10y his admission that he
wished herd law passed, because IL
would certainly lover the price of cat
! tie aud enable him TO buy in from
those who had been grazing on leased
| lands, for which he had paid
| his good money. in spite of
his protests and without paying them
n cent therefor.
But the taking speech OF the after
noon was the somewhat elaborate one
of ex-State Senator Lane of Goliad,
who occasionally rose 20 the heights Of
elouuence He said in substance that
past legislation had, in bis opinion,
been mainly wrong, aud the cattle
systtm of the state vicious one 80
ftf as th- school lands were concern
ed, he would make ii an indiclable
Offense Tor any one to use the grass
without compensation. lie favored
stopping all sales OF them, leasing them
in perpetuity forever. The thirty
million acres of school lands would
produce millions OF dollars per aunum
in rentals, and would increase in value
forever. Wars would come, bonds and
other school fund Investments melt
away, but wars could never alternate
school lands, and a system Of leasing
would secure them 10 our children for
ever. AS to fencing or herding, he
would not impose stringent restrictions
hastily or prematurely, but the time
was not far distant when all the LANDS
in the state woull have To be fenced,
in the interest of education, political
economy and public morals.
Free grazing was aCcompanl-
ed by such lawlessness
and crime in the past ms should lead
all catCemen 10 assume the dignity
and spon-ibility of citizenship and
legislate for the good of the whole
people. He gave startling and con-
vincing statistics concerning the crimi-
nal records of ten years ago under the
free grazing system, compared win
those of to-day when every rod is
fenced for many hundreds Of miles.
He looked forward to the time, there
fore, when all stock must be fenced in
instead Of out.
The herd law resolution was tabled
by vote of siXty-thrce 10 forty EIGHT.
Bernard of BeXar submitted reso-
luton, which was adopted, proVlolDS
for the appointment OF committee
of fifteen on resolutions, TO which all
resolutions on fvnce-cutting, orto"ards
securing Legislative action thereupon
should he REFEREED the committee TO
report to the association such resolu-
lions or platform Of principles MS III
their opidion deserved its approval.
The executive comnit,eefor ensuing
year was announced as follows: j. W.
Day, chairman, of Travis, A. NJ Brit
ton of Tarfant, J. Nj. Mathes of Vie
toria, w. +. Lewis of Mitchell, IL.
Lott of Goliad, A. j.. Stoddard OF
Brazos, Il. f. Ford OF liny,. j. NJ,
Brownson Of BeXar, j. w. Moore OF
Galveston, and w. B. Groom OF the
Panhandle. Adjourned till tomorrow.
All kinds of imported liquors at