Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-28
FLEMING'S GREAT SPEECH
In Opposition TO the Terrell Bill in the
State Senate.
A Logical Argument, Fair In Premise
mud strong In Deduction.

regulate the ga Hing OF stuck anu w
prescrihe aud provide for enforcing
penalties for its violation, Mr. fiem-
lug said: a,
Mr. Chairmau-I supposed that the
object of his discussion -Ns6he part Ok
the friends ~ thSy~il under considcra-
ton would b- 1p Nfint out the senate
its merits, If 1t had any, and upon the
part of the opponents of the bill To
.noint out It's dement's. ! have listened
with great deal of pleasure to The
speech made by the venerable senator
from Collin, and have listened not
only with pleasure, but with degree
of Interest to The able and exhaustive
speech made hy the author of the bill,
But was surprised ut the argument
of these two gentlemen. The senator
from Collin, Instead Of discussing the
proyisions of the hill under considcra-
ton, went back and undertook 60 re-
ylye a discussion That took plnce
throughout the length and breadth Oh
this hand when II was In the midst
of n revolutions the blOodieSt upon the
pages OF modern history. To revive y
discussion that had been settled and
finally settled by the arbitrament OF
arms, but tie did not coniine himself 10
the question or the abolition OF
slavery alone aud the
higher 'aw he was graphic
ciily describing, hediscusscd the larIlt
question, AN issue that Is now I've
issue before the congress Of the United
States. He discussed, IA he usually
docs, the constitutional convention of
1919, and TIE policy inaugnratcd by
4 n,a.t,Its1 tiAuf
vention with reference TO the public
domain and the school lands OF the
state. But he did not explain to us
what these issues had Ia do with the
hill presented 10y the honorable sena-
tor from Travis, aud in that he was
not unlike the senator from Travis,
who discussed not only the tariff, but
communism aud all its dire calamities.
He even went back TO the French rev.
oution. hut he did not explain to us
what the French revolution and what
communism had to do with the bill.
He discussed everything in ancient
and modern history, but he did not
discuss his bill The reason, take 1t,
tuat these senators pursue that line OF
argument, Is, that they were afrnid TO
discuss the merits of the bill. They
have announced that IL was the object
and purpose OF the bill 10 force the
stOclmen OF the state 10 lease the
school lands; TO lease not only the
school but the lands of individuals and
railroad corporations that lie in the
same section of the state in alternate
sections with The school lands. have
read the bill time and again, and chal-
lenge any senator upon this floor to
show me q single section of IT, which
proposes 10 lease the school lands or 10
make provision FOR their lease or sale,
II IL recltcd ia the preamble of the bill
that 3D001,O 600 acres OF free school
lands remain unsold and Unbiased;
which, leased mt four cents per acre,
would yield annually for the benefit of
free schools one million two hundred
thousand collars, thereby relieving the
people from the burdens of taxation,
to support TIE schools. Why did the
senator from Travis undertake TO con-
meet with this bill the subject of free
| schools Was II necessary in order To
secure legislation for the suppression
of the crime of fence.cuiting, 10 drag
| into the bill the question of the public
free schools? Was IL done for the pur-
pose of securing the influence of seua-
tors on this side II the mousse who had
been earnest advocates and who had
| underworld at the last session of the
| legislature Ia build up an efficient sys-
! tenn of public free schools in this state,
| TO bring them to the support and advO-
cncy of this measure? 1t has been
| stated by the honorable senator from
Travis that if this bill is passed it
would pour into the treasury of the
| common school fund of the state, one
million two hundred thousand dollars
! per annum. 1t has been broadly AS
! serted by him In his argument that the
stockmen of the West would not lease
lands unless they were compelled To do
so. BY what right does he make this
assertion Has he shown that there
WAS an unwillingness upon the part OF
the people of this state to lease the
school lands? What proof has he pre-.
senied of such an unwillingness upon
their part2 The act passed by this leg
stature ut It's regular session for the
first time la the history of the state OF
Texas placed the school lands upon the
market for lease. The act took effect
in July last, but the land board d Id
not put 1t ia active operation until
about the first of November, and nc
bids were considered Inv thai hoard NM
I'll the hrst day of the present month
/ Then for the first time In the hiatoFy
Of tho state was the opportunItv of,aT
ed TO stoclimen 10 lense an mere of hi.
land. What evidence and what nrnnt
has the senator producpd tha ,hs,
will notlesse i,P call unon him nov
TO produce II.
1 have been favored Inv the eoicieni
secretary OF the land board' Mr. Ran
dolph LAURENCE. with the rnllo,v,n,
statement ofine number of acres. q
land leased and solJ nj fta lirat sitt,n'
on the first dny OF tbis month.
Total nnu,brr ~ ,cycs al, ,,y ~.