The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-20
fUTiNG FAIR.

IOI1NG FAIR.
That is the truest theory in govern
ment which distributes its advantages
and its burdens fairly among the peo-
pie of all classes, opinions and pur-
suits. A crotchet in government
which bears down on one and fosters
and encourages another is wrong.
Thus it is with the government of
Texas when it places a too heavy bur-
den upon the stockmen in order to
foster agriculture, or upon agriculture
in order to foster the stockmen. 1t
is the want of adjustment and
equilibrium which is chargeable
with the fence-cutting evils under
which every interest eff the state has
been grooming for the last few months.
In Sc ekipg for and applying remedy,
it seems to us that these facts ought
to be taken, must be taken into ac-
count ere we can hope to pour oil
upon the troubled waters and WOO
back that peace and order to our
troubled border, so necessary to the
prosperity of the state.
We cannot afford to be unfair
OF just. because it is net right
and also because it is vastly
impolitic. Only few years
since it was the policy of the
state to sell the public domain
outright at fifty cents per acre. Now
it is the policy of the land board to
rent the lands at one-sixth of the price
per annum at which it offered fee
simple then. Surely the one or the
other of these extremes was or is
wrong. Either the fifty cents of four
years since was too low or the twenty
cents maximum now is too high. Can
there be a dissent from this eonelu-
clusion? We think not. This is one of
the things we are called upon to de-
termine. How will we do it2 1t is
our opinion that both were and are
wrong. The happy mean here, as in
all other cases, must be found ere a So
luton can be had.
No matter if stock-raising has
grown to be immensely profitable,
the business has rights which must
be respected. 1t brings advantages to
the state which the state dares not ig-
more and reject. Let US tote fair by
both the stockmen and the schee3 in
terests, and that is the only thing
which promises ultimate peace with
out the parting with something of
value to the state. True statesman
ship is now needed in Texas, far more
than ever it was at any former period
of her history.
TUE Fort Worth Gazette calls the
two-thIrds rule an cold superstition.
All! yes, so it is with enthusiastic
young. men! Everything old and
venerable is called a superstition.
Rotation in office, absolute blameless-
ness in political life, strict integrity,
and ability are growing to be merely
old superstitions among some of
the newer democrats. In the days
when these great principles of democ-
racy were active and potent forces the
party did not have the difficulty it has
now to establish itself as the potent
governing power. Too many of the
old landmarks of party faith and usage
are being discarded. 1t is the old, old
story. Open gap for one heresy to
enter and you might as well tear
down the whole fence. Now the
Gazette is ordinarily sound demo-
cratic paper, but in joining the sense
less screed for the abrogation of the
rule which has for so many years
rendered schism and disruption, in
democratic conventions, an impossi-
bility, it is unconciously playing into
the hands of set of men who have
no higher earthly ambition than to
see Texas turned over to the republic
can party. They have been making
this same fight for years and years
Hitherto the splendid discipline of
the democracy has been able to pre-
serve the venerable and time tried
safeguard. Let us hope that it will
continue to do so.