Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-10-22
ADVICE no THE WEST.
The Lease Law, the Frec-Grassers and
the Land Board.

the Land Board.
Galveston News.
Though the lease law may be mOdi-
fled, there N no prospect of lie repeal
by the Nineteenth legislature, hence
the governor need not make any great
mistake should lac commit himsel To n
promise when asked by the free.grass.
era not to veto a repeal. Upon this
lease law and its practical operation
enough will not be known 20 call for
ito repeal so early as the next session
OF the legislature. Some Of tine most
saEacious land operators and close
observers In the west firmly believe
that Il Is being used 10 hold the best Of
the school lands while spectators and
cattle corporations arc engaged syste-
matloally In buying the lands ~ the
minimum price through actual or pre-
tended settlers. Others contend that
though this may not be generally true,
leases prevent the better class OF actual
settlers from taking the lands. AT the
ensuing session OF the legislature the
evidence upon these matters will be
conflicting u will not be.tndisputahly
shown by that time what Va 10 be the
practical result of the operation Of
the lease law. II has been suspended
without n veto until next month, and,
az TO wRtered lands, has been indeh-
nifely suspended by the land board
exercising both legislative and eXeCu-
tive authority In the meantime
actual settlers are offered school lHnda
at the minimum price without COM
petition. Evidently Just now the
status of the land question is promia-
ing TO the free grassera, and evidently
will 50 continue n they can estan-
lish the correctness OF their allega-
tinns with respect TO the Injurious
effects OF the lease system. While
the legislature will be elected without
adequate information ON the subject
and 40 largely predisdosed 10 sustain
the lease law that It's repeal by that
body ia Improbable, yet there IL a Leg
lslative, executive and judicial de.
partment all In one, created by law
and empowered to amend, repeal or
suspend the leAse law. Hence, If the
free grassers are able to convince this
plenipotent body of the truth and jus
tee ef their objections TO the lease lHw,
there need be no effort TO influence the
legislature or to commit the governor
for or against a veto, II the free grass.
ers want to put the governor on record
WItIt bhtN may lhu nun Mhtu NleN
want him, they had better ask him
what AS president OF the land board he
would do In certain COZ tingencies As
regards land policy the authority of
the legislature has been virtually
merged iato the viii OF the
land board. The r. Q grassers
should recognize the fact aud
address themselves to the prRcu-
cal task of preparing their case for sub.
mission TO the land board. The free
grassers ought 10y this time to have as
cerRined that the board needs no
legislative enactment to proceed with
any system OF sales ur leases OF school
lands, when II amends or suspends at
will the law creating the board, and
leases public lands over which no
known law gives Il any possession,
control or authority. While such IA
board exercising such power Is in eX-
istence, the free grassers mistake their
remedy when they suppose 1t to lie In
the legislature