The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-07
A GOVERNMENT OF SHREDS AND
PATCHES.

Were it not for the absurd as well
as the brazen effrontery of lree-grasS
bands il demanding free grass, there
might he some difficulty in account
ing for the furCr which exists for
opening and establishing public roads.
But as things now stand, the eXpla-
nation is plain; those advocating
the root of all this evil, which the
state is called upon to correct, openly
declare that fence cutting is the nee
essary result of insufficient open pub
lie ways. But this has not been accepted
as either valid or a candid excuse,
by the intelligent people OF Texas,
though it has been given and insisted
upon by the knights of the nippers,
and by their friends and sympathiZerS.
If the object of fence cutters were TO
open the way for travel, why could
not these knights have been satisfied
in cutting only one PANEL OF fence,
which ould have answered all their
avowed purposes; why, in SO many in
stances, have they cut and destroyed
fences for miles around to ride
through the pasture of the owner;
and why have they so often destroyed
the fences around farms, containing
no more than sixty acres? Was it for
the want of public roads that these
knights have destroyed so many sheep
sheds and slaughtered so many sheep,
all upon the lands of their
owners? Is not the excuse
brazen as well as absurd ?
But this sudden and jealous demand
for public ways becomes even more
absurd when it is known that our
statute laws, long ago enacted, give
plain, adequate and complete direc-
lions as to the opening Of such chan
nels for travel, either highways or
neighborhood roads. Citizens have
the right to petition for such ways,
and, when so petitioning the county
commissioners of their own cOun-
ty, it becomes the duty of
these commissioners to appoint a
"jury of five freeholders of the county
| to lay out the road and mark it, which
is to be done to the greatest advan-
tage to the public and with as little
prejudice TO the enclosures as may
be-" This any three Of the jury may
do. Therefore it is asked what law
can now be made upon the sub
ject more plain or more reasonable and
just? How easy would it have been fol
these knights of the nippers to have
applied for and to have obtained
peaceably, under the provisions o.
law, all such roads as the interest Of
convenience of the public, or ever
neighborhoods, required. Such
course would have shown respect fol
the law and a disposition to uphold
constitutional power. Many millions
of property would thereby have beef
saved from destruction; much miser.
would have been spared ouf people
while Texas would have been saved
from humiliation and absolute dis
grace. The evils that have sprung uE
and which have been nOurisheC
by a lawless sentiment, have beel
more blighting and more blast
ing TO the peace and to the pros
perity of Texas than visitation
of pestilential plaques. This liend
ish destruction of private proper
ty has ragged with undated fury TO
nearly OF quite six months; when anC
where will it end? There can be NJ
man, in his senses, foolish enough Il
believe the passage of any road law
will, in the slightest degree
appease the communistic fenc
cutting element. Would it sta!
for one single night, their busy ant
destructive art? How humilating il
the spectacle Texas now presents
Here is a government of two millions
of people, to all intents and purposes
paralyzed, standing powerless ant
trembling before, at most, few thou
sand lawless men. Texas, great ant
powerful for good, becoming subjec
of scorn, by word for rapine anC
murder, governmental thing O
shreds and patches, signifying nothing
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