The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-08-05
LEASE SYSTEM.
FREE GRASS is IGNORANCE,
Leases ARE Education - The Specious
Arguments of Advocates OF Free
Grass - Falacles that are
Empty as Air Bubbles.

Empty rs Air Bubbles.
MERIDIAN, Aug. g. Editor HERALD.
1t is preplexing to witness the def
erense paid by the press and people t,
an isolated question of State policy, and
the disposition on the part Of many poo
pie to elect Legislature with reference
to that single question-to adjudge 4
man fit for Legislator or not on ac,
count of his status on free grass" II
Is still more perplexng to see how
utterly ignorant the people are az tc
what - meant i'll this election by "freC
grass"
There are many people who would
not disguise themselves as thieves and
| hlghwaymen, and go under cover OF
darkness and cut down the fence tina,
tho honest owner of land had erected 10
| enclose q pasture for his own stock; bu,
who desired the privilege of grazing his
| stock on anvbody's land-as had been
done from time immemorial and when
| pLhef people cut down pastures did MOI
| condemn 1t. 1t was a business they did
not wish to embark in themselves, but
theY desired to soc il prosper I'M the
hands of tho more daring and depraved,
who were the actual criminals. All this
class are charmed 10y tho very name Of
free grass" They are class of men
VINO have boon accustomed to have
heir way, and to make laws to regulate
me conduct and the legal rights Of
Otler men VINO 1.-Two near them. The.
think That II a man comes in and
pay high price for u tract of land thnt
has water or timber or grass on il, thai
no has liberty to build house and live
IN II; to enclose part Of it and raise
crops, but that he must Let them use the
water, the timber and the grass, lust as
.hey dld before he bought il. They are
men 40 welded to tho notion, that the
men who settled the country and lived
On 1t, without labor, shall still have the
light to do so, that they can't see the
want of difference between cutting
down the owners fence, that prevent.
their cattle from eating his grass; an
Killing his cattle or his horses and
sheep, or cutting down and DESTROYING
mis- growing crops. They arc so obtuso.
mat they would he prepared to excuse
inc midnight perpetrators of the one
lass Of crimes, and would themselves
jolnl III mob to lynch the perpetrators
If the other.
Free grass with tho ignorant, il fcncq
cutting in diluted form. II is lin,
assent to sentiment that il offered t.
the system of stockraising in Texas.
lately accepted, of owning and en-.
closing pasture lands, instead of raising
stock on lands not owned nv thnqo who
use them. Tho perploxing feature is
mat mon who entertain Tins sentiment
iBnorantly connect ii with the pOlitic.1
lsSue OF free grass" now before the peo-
pie. They cannot be made
TO understand that this dnes-
ION only relates to the lands
mat Tcyas hn9 sci apart for educational
purposes and tho support of her asylums
none Ui when ale located m ins on
adjoining counties, and that the contiu-
uation or the repeal of the lease law can
not possibly Affect any pasture or open
iands here. They are told that "trrr
grass" ns now agitated, is a boon TO the
poor man. They understand il 20 mean
that the owners of grass shall keen il
open for their stock To- eat. II mo NOV.
means that than that the owners of corn.
wheat, oats ami beet cattle shall furnish
Vhem bread and meat. Free grass. ma
now agitatcd, has no possible legal or
moral connection with either II ig
simply que ton AS to what tho Stni,
VIII do, for the time being, with Tho
lands she has dedicated to the nurnnsc.
auuY& stated, the education of tho child.
ron aud the support OF the asylulns TO-
tho unfortunate and afflicted. The State
was rich IN lands not demanded for sr,
Element. Some she gave 10 her soldiers
WHO have rented ana used them; some
10 railroad companies and To other puh.
lie uses; some 10 counties for school mn
poses, all of which have passed into th
hands OF the owners. Some have settled
ana improved them; some sold them nj
low prices; some still hold them.
huI the right 70 free grass" is no,
get up IN any of them, except by the
lencG cuttors To which | have rrferod
Those set apart for tree schools and nsv,
lums, the state holds in trust for tho
uses designed. They are in tho urayin,
region OF Texas, whore they have not
oeen required FOR actual settlement. nm !
many ol them not likely Ia be for "A long
tlUle 10 come, but were actually bciup
used ana made the source of large urnf
Us by men who We're owners of storL
u WAS SIMPLY question with the lpri.
.ature, holding the lands In trust for tL.
purposes designed, whether they shall
celnain open to the public to use free, or
Tor snch time az they wore not decided l,.
actual settlers who would buy anda sett O
on 'hum, or Toe leased AT u nominal rat,
IN order To supplement tho educational
iunu raised hN taxation, and alwtNs sub.
lectto actual salO and settlement. Tho
repeal OF tho Lease Law, or "rco-urass"
WIN stop All this income. AMI licen ca
licllleh 10 got rich on lands not thelr
own. Iva
is said tho Lease Law obstructs the
Salo ol lhe lands ana prevents the s,ttlu.
/ h.h 49, a a..
tlelllon 10 cngrOss the country hy large
pastures. This is In tho rnce of the siSt
ate, that gives the actual settler prefer.
ence; and the right To terminate nny
mans lease 10y actual purchase and sci
tlrnent, and IN the face of tho
lact, that no settler M.
IN any instance been kept away from
lauda desired for and smiled
To agriculture. And In tho mrr
OF the fact, that the lands are In
alternate sections, and the lessces will
nave 70 buy the other alternate sections
III order To enclose large pasture.
IL the operation of the lease law
or the reiusunl Of the State TO sell thch
,andS should keep them OIL the mar
ket u lew years, tho price will ho sur
lcient to educate all tho children of the
state, while to sell them at the nominal
r9t.s now palu Tor such as are sold, lie
virtually sguandor aud waste this yns.
treasure. lfsuld US the county gchoni
lands IN many eases have been, only m,
interest cun he used. Lot us have H.
rental aud hold the lands. instead of n.
interest on the proceeds nj nominal
prices, until such time as the prices pniJ
WIZ yield a fund to run our free school,
All the year. Tho lease law is the poo,
man's law; "froc grass" is n bonus and a
monopoly To cattle men, who care moi
Tor the education of our children,