Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-09-08
Q. MCCARTHY.
He Defines his Political Position Wash
Jones and Gov. Ireland Dis

cnSsed.
BELMONT, TEX, Sept, ., 1851.
To the Editor OF the Gazette.
am in the race for representative
in the Nineteenth legislature from
this county. From the time that the
Legislature prohibited line riding and
loose herding on the school and asylum
lands by cattle kings, they the cattle
kings have advocated an unlimited
lease of the same. This opposed
and advocated free grass on the floor
of the house; that it was culpable par
slmOny on the part of the state after
having given away a continent OF
land TO railroad corporations to be
caviling about four or five cents per
acre TO lease men who would soon
by barbed wire fences convert the from
tier into wilderness, and thereby
shut out the widows COW; that IL free
grass meant free range outside of
inclosed lands we had always enjoyed
IT, and Notwithstanding the odium
sought TO be attached to il, ! was still
n free-gTass man. From this time for
ward was spotted The henchmen
of bankers and cattle kings in my
county have sought to retire me, and
though large majority of my conslit-
uents were opposed to county nomina-
TONS they (the wire-workers) ram
sacked the county for an available
candidate, who would indorse their
views, and they have nominated w,
II Jones brother of Wash Jones TO
represent this county in the Nine
teenth Legislature. Mr.. Jones was a
Greenbacker, voted against JOhu Ire
land at the last election. he
is opposed to taxation for
public free schools, voted against
the amendments to the constitution to
establish free schools for not less than
six months In the year, and is an un.
compromising lease-law man. | am
no seceder, but am making the race
on principle inside the Democratic
party, and believe that the lease law
will retard the settlement and deyel.
opment of the frontier and cannot toll
crate herd law. | am a John Ire
land man, and, from an acquaintance
with him of thirty years standing, |
think lie deserves the sobriuuet of
Honest John" He has fought HIS
way from the pillow handles up to his
present position unaided, and will not
go back ON the lablring man. He
could have defeated the most inn
portaut and liberal measures of the
eighteenth Legislature, some of
which We're against his own recon-
mendation, yet he did not interpose
his veto; he did not claim to possess
the law-making power and did not
attempt to defeat the wishes of the
people expressed through their repre-
sentatives: therefore, / am of the opin-
ION that we need no other candidate
for governor. We can defeat the lease
law in the legislature, aud there il the
place to make the fight ia the defense
and in the interest of the actual settler.
for homes for our children which thew
need as much if not more than thew do
an education. The Eastern farmers
and capitalists who are opposed To
taxation have been captured by the
promise and prospect of large and
available school fund that
would Accrue by the lease system.
which TO my mind is altogether illu-
sorry, and they will soon diecover their
error. | know the sentiment of the
more popular branch of the legislature,
and though the law as it left our hands
was somewhat bunglesome enact
ment with large latitude of discre
ton left to the lam board to make IL
flexible, and it reads that the board
may lease for ranch and cattle pur.
poses, at not less than four cents per
acre." 1t was never contemplated that
large areas of land should be leased Inv
any one man; but on the contrary we
compromised on seven sections ms the
maximum amount of land TO be sold
TO any one man so as toavoid large i'm
closures, and future troubles with fence
cutters, Tor as there was no other alter.
native but to protect the rigbtful in
closure of land the result of a bad land
policy of selling land in unlimited
quantities, we were determined I'm
reference TO the remaining public do
main, to avoid H., either by sale or
lease, and in the language of present
ana prominent lease-law candidate.
Leasing the public land ism experi-
ment, and there Is much to be de-
teruined in regard to its Ell g. on the
country by time. If 1t should proye
an an obstacle TO the development of the
west II Would be poor economy TO con-
tlnue II, no matter what revenue If
brings into the treasury" With such
champions Of free grass as Temple
a in the senate and Hon. A. Nj.
Iaylor in the house, the lease-law
nehchmen will be made to quake
IN their boots. The Hon.
A. nj. Tay lor as legislator | know
70 be bold, strong and aggressive i'm
the right, Distribute free grass litera.
lure freely, that the people NAV be
informed and vote intellgently. 1t is
not GENERALLY understood that We are
making square fight against aggres-
SlNe capital, and in favor of the home
Tess laoorer, the small stockman, free
lange Tor The widows cow, population
Snu distributed wealth for the West.
! ours In the cause of fuatica