Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-04-18

wise enough TO appropriate them Il
ne,r use certain economic truth,
which II adhered to, whether by indi
viuuais or states In their treatment oI
mankind, will carry with them the
piess,ngs OF peace and prosperity, but
which II stumbled over through
ignorance or willfully neglect.
ga IN order 10 accomplish some imme-
uia,e ana selfish result, will bring con. .
Sen.ions, turmoil and poverty. Then
INV important is 1t that you In the ex.
eiSise OF this great power should he
guided by the light of these trnfhs
among which are, first. nil contract
must be invlolahly kept and perform.
eG. Second, all capital where there il
no chance for the loss of the PRINCIPAL.
should be rendered productive of ms
large an income us possible,
o. Ihat policy which adds most rap.
iuly TO the population and taxable val.
ues oi state and inspires its citizens
Win NEST enterprise and tends TO rem
der that productive which has been
unproductive is best.
1, Taxation should be reduced
TO the lowest possible rate
consistent with an efficient adj
mlnistration of equitable laws.
d. An agent must act strictly within
me limits of the authority granted
nm by the power that constituted
nm agent. These are truths which |
suppose n o one familiar with the prin.
cipies OF law and political economy
VIII attempt to contradict. Then let
us lurn their light upon your manage.
meht OF The great and most important
trust, bearing in mind that your every
act affects not only the forty-tive or
more million acres of land directly un.
del your control, but also the forty. five
or more million acres owned 10y indi-
Viduals and alternating with IL as wei
as every industry that may be at.
tempted to be planted within
acres of land worth, according I" the
laws and valuation fixed by the lepjs-
iature,.SlS0,OOO, 900. Add to this Tie
railroads that are built, and the cities
that are built and being built, the
countless herds of live stock that roam
ana Craze over this vast eXpanse, and
you add another hundred million that
Is directly affected by every act of
yours, not only these but every one
VINO may seek to make their homes
there, whether native or immigrant,
Ihen how important ii is you should
appreciate your position and act with
wisest discretion when You touch these
great and developing industries. The
legislature, in the act that created
your honorable board, rec
ognizipg the Importance TO
the material development of the
state, In securing Its agricultural lands
to be settled upon and brought into
cultivation, declared that they shall be
Sotd, and to no one but actual settlers.
and In order to hold out as favorable
an inducement rs possible 10 the immi-
grant, and to secure as permanent in
vestinent for the fund as possible, they
authorized the land to be sold upon
thirty years time with interest at but
D per cent. per annum, the most liberal
terms that have ever been offered TO "A
homeless humanity, where anything
at all has been charged, In the history
of our country. These acts OF the Leg
islature have been published and dis
tributed broadcast throughout this
country and Europe by rail-
roads and others who are
DESTROYS of encouraging the influx of
capital and immigration to this state;
and thousands led by the generous
promises of our laws as enacted by our
legislature aud having faith In their
promises and being possessed with u
desire TO acquire permanent and desir-
able homes, have sold out In distant
states and countries, severed all the
ties of friendship and relationship and
have come here and are now asking
the privilege of purchasing homes on
the conditions expressed In the acts of
our Legislature; for these sacrifices they
want the privilege of buying the best,
the valley, watered and timbered land;
but are met by the ruling OF your hon
orable board which says thatl no
watered land shall be sold, thus MAX
Ing the acts of our legislature bait to
lure the confiding immigrant into onr
borders, and then spring upon him
this newborn, lily conceived, board
begotten rule nine, which reserves all
watered land from sale. Where are
the richest and most desirable agricul-
tural lands with timber and water?
If anywhere, they are along the
streams, and you say to the confiding
Immigrant, 70. sir, you cannot have
these lands; II you take any, you must
| go back on the bald prairles, where
| there Is neither timber nor water,
and at best but second-class land.
| What must he think of state where
such gross Injustice IL done him f?
And what will be the character of III
information he will convey to his
friends and relatives who are waiting
| for a favorable report from him 10
unite their destiny with ours: Ger
tainly anything but favorable. Who
Is responsible for this violation of faith
and the setting aside of the promises
made to these Immigrants? The laws of
our state? No, sirs; but on the contra
ry, the arbitrary rulings of your hon
orable board. The principle Of law
that an agent must act strictly
within the authority granted him by
the party that constitutes him agent Is
well established. This honorable
board is the agent OF the legislature for
the disposition of the special fund
lands, and In withdrawing the watered
lands from the market and advancing
the minimum price for the lease OF
land from cents per acre to s cents |
per acre for unwatered, and 20 cents |
per acre for waterej land, your honor
able board has usurped an authority |
never contemplated TO have been given |
you by the legislature. II there was |
any question as to this fact would not |
speak 80 positively, but |
II you will turn to page
14l or the journals Of the senate |
you will see that pending the discus.
sion on the bill constituting this board |
the following amendment was offered
by Senator Chesley. Amend section
four by adding to the section the fol-
the minimum herein fixed for watered
aud unwatered sections Is so high as to
make sale impractlcable, the land |
| A. Il 4. 10,