Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-07
PROBING THE PROBLEM,
Views of Hon. ]. A. Patton on Fence
Cutting aud Land Monopoly.
Cnuses and Remedies for Evils That
Now Ailiict the state.
The Herd Law Not Solution-Protec-
lion of the Rights OF the Poor.
special correspondence OF he Gazeiie.

Special Correspondence OF the Gazette.
| Austin, January 5.--Hon. |. a. Pat
ton, nuaturial representative from tll'
counties of johnson, Hill, Ellis ant
Navarro. has established an enviabl,
reuut.tion AS one of the most pru
dental, conservative and deep.thins
ing members OF the Eighteenth legis
lnture. Careful in his conclusions, ht
generally manages TO attain CORES
nonding correctness that gives them
| weight and potency with his col
leagues. As the delegate OF tile
largest lin population representative
! district in Texas, with a constituency OF
over 80 600 people, richer in natural
advantages aud agricultural develop
ment than perhaps any other section
of the state. Mr.. pation's views ara
given n peculiar prominence beyond
! their own intrinsic merit. The char
man OF the land fraud aoard, Mr..
| Patton has studied the land question
in all its variations aud phases, and y
| clpacitated to express an intelligent
/ aud well developed opinion upon
I the subject. Desiring To give the
| public the best information upon
current opinion at the capital, a GA
! zETTE reporter waited upon the hon
cradle member from johnson, and re-
quested an expression of his views
uuun matters that are now of such
public moment. Geuially the gen.
tleman responded:
at il. usual and generally considered
prudent for members of the legislature
10 bc nou-couimittal, especially on the
eye Of q session, but to the extent that
have formed any opinions | have no
obi elton To eXl ressiug thew.N
Have you solved tne :euce-cnttiag
problem
considering the question from one
standpoint, I find no difficulty in its
solution. find no trouble in settling
upon plan or c0nceiving a law tina,
harnOniles with the view, Of one Sec
ton of.t.c stale, ur in other words j.
conducive 10 the interests of one class
of our citizens, but when | consider IL
with reference 10 another section Of
the state and another class of our citi-
2ens it fails to POSSESS amy merit
what is yourldea OF the character
of law that should be- enacted Tor the
suppression of the fence troubles
1T should operate equally and
rQuitab.y on 81. y !aw ihat acgard~
with the views ui one class aud j. at
the same TIME detrimental 10 another
t.u-s ls certainly Hn"i-e and lnjaGicl-
"us y ia@ tI-, "i-. suIt and exactly
satisfy 1s .-i-c -.pshurn ana pasture
owners W.A l ~u-. and exactly sal
i-iy The 1-r. -liilral classes, and right
here l- 1-: -i.e-iuls. To make a gen
--i- AW " i4e suppression OF
exciting ems li4t VIII bear
ol Oh ---E+ j. the grea,
t-p.. --A- iae coming legislature
wall LaN- --1te1e With in he set
t.-Erl. t--- moment MS question, g
question z- conceive. when taken i'm
calure--e- wlIh tie land monopoly,
tLat is ca--l- 1l--lv going on through
ont the stale, Is cf greater Importance
and 1r-aly. magnitude, aud flaugbt
with greater danger % tnuMture pros
perlty bud greatness of ogr state than
any other that has agitatcd our couu-
try 'or N ny years. Land monopoly
is incidental 10 ana VIII inevitably
4row ont OF consideration OF the
fence cutting troubles. In the effort
that viii be made by the extra
session 10 devise remedy Tor
renee cutilhg ami other great
eVlis that exist II IS very important, in
tact essential, that all parties wkom
me RENE ~ or law to be enacted vii
elther olrrctl y or Indirectly affect,
must oe ready ana willing TO make
reasonable concessions. individual
interests ana opinions must give way
l" ana become subservient to the gen
er'u pUoHc GOOD y compromising
spGlt must prevail, II we expect wise
anG prudent results
As remedy bat do you think of
masking ience-rutting lelony"'
am oppo-ed 10 e. rene radical
legislation ON his subject, and do not
heheFe II VIII he productive of
any good or accomplish the OBJ
Ject desired until aher we do
away WIN the abuses and just causes
Oh coihPiaini That exist IN many To-
cailtIes. We may pass laws as rigid as
nose OF >. Ion ana lycurgus, md a.
blood rs The codcof Druco; we may
ihearcefgte the gay aud festive
iehce-cutter in the pcnitcntiary, or
hahg MIN upon gibhcJ as high
as humans, but unless the char
Aclef OF our legislation Is such as 10 do
away wlth the Just causes Of com
. IT,