Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-11
Why Texas Is Democratic.

|
North and West Texas demand free
grass. South and East Texas are COM
Dining to take away free grass and
turn our lands over to land syndicates
and rich pasturemen to be fenced up
for six and ten years. They are pre-
pairing to do this through the action of
the Democratic party. Now, let us
see what South and East Texas can do
to keep the state Democratic, since
those sections propose to dictate the
policy of the party.
AT the last election 1l2 counties in
South and East Texas gave Wash
Jones S3,6S7 votes, and John Ireland
s2,429. On the same day North and
West Texas gave John Ireland 66.923
votes and Wash Jones 25,441. Jones
was the Independent and anti-Demo-
cratic candidate for governor. Ireland
was the candidate of the Democratic
party of the state. Southern and East
ern Texas gave Wash Jones l, 200 ma
jority, and would have made him gov
ernor. That he Is not governor of this
state to-day is to the credit of the
Democrats of North and West Texas,
who overcame the Jones majority by
one of $4,000 for Ireland and gave him
the position he now holds as chief
magistrate of Texas.
A change is proposed to be made in
a policy of state that has been pursued
ever since Texas became a state.
Against the interests and over the pro-
tests of North and West Texas, these
good Democrats of the other parts OF
the state who gave Wash Jones ma
jority are preparing to cut us off from
the use of millions of acres of free
grass with which nature overspread
our prairies, to turn our grazing lands
over to syndicatesa and pasture corpora
tions, to tie up our common domain in
long leases of thousands of acres, Il
shut out the small farmer and stock
man, and turn the entire Northwes
4 over to the control of combined CAPT
: tai, hedged in by wire fences, agains
which no 'nester" dare contend. NJ
= satisfactory reason is suggested TO
/, overturning policy that has giver
g Texas free grass in the past. The plet
e of an increased revenue to the schoo
:, fund from leases is false. There is N,
demand for such n change.
!. The success of the Democratic part,
d OF Texas, carrying with it principle
J. which deserve success, is regarded b,
/" THE GAZETTE as the predominant in
terss st of the state. In the present stag
of the states career Of prosperity. t
d, change our policy and introduc
" strange features in our system of GOV
eminent would be unwise aud al
b. tended with great danger to our ful
ID ther progress. A Democratic admins
I'd tration has been identified with ever
IS measure that has given us gain an
e. added wealth, population and glory
Is our state. 1t was under Democrat
Ill policies, conceived and executed
Democratic statesmen, that we hay
grown from less than million to tw
d. and quarter millions of people an
OF increased our taxable wealth frol
ne $240, 100000 to $530,0OO, DOC since IL
Is- Democratic party was given control
'ss the state, and the same ratio of growt
40 promises to be continued unlei
ne checked by departure from the pc
he Icy OF government that gave us pro
ul Derity.
nd Respect for the Democratic party
as inherent In the people OF Texas, b
he cause 1t has earned respect becau
that party has been the party Of Il
people. SO great has been the publ
confidence in the party that its cane
lily dates have been elected to Office
of maJorities exceeding 100, 900 and rare
lat falling below so, 900. AS THE GAzEr1
'n. has shown, Of this large Democrat
ibt majority, the counties whose furth
we growth and prosperity depend upo
gh free grass gave the larger part, and
t." the instance cited gave all. Can tn,
Of lbe depended upon to give the san
II majority in the future IL in doing
on they make possible the success Of
ort policy which threatens evil TO the,
bic selves? Win they vote again
lon their own paramount interest
on. Do the gentlemen who are o
Mt. posing free grass expect the peop
W. OF Northwest Texas to give them Ii
Ire same majority as was given two yea
~ ago? And DO they hope for succe