The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-01-24
Line Pass, had been correctly en-.

Line Pass, had been correctly en-
crossed.
Senator Pfeufer presented a rep )r
iIom judiciary committee No. L. OF
senate bill No. As, recommending il
adoption, and on bis motion ;
hundred copies were orderes
printed; also, favorable report or
Senate bill No. 46, with an amend.
ment to the effect that the commits
sloner5 court may. by order entered
on his docket during term time, az
, the time of the term of the court end
) change the time from term to tern
OF the county court, and on his mo
ton hundred copies were ordered
printed.
Senator Matlock preseRted u report
from the committee on public lauCs
on Senate bill No. 52 with amend
ment for the classification for the sale
and lease of lands, etc. On his mo-
ton a hundred copies were ordered
printed.
Senator Fleming introduced a bill
relating to schools in towns and VII
lages, authorizing them to issue bonds
Tor the purpose of purchasing sights
for public schools and erecting school
buildings thereon. and the leYyinR of
taxes to pay for the same.
Senator Houston introduced rsso-
luton and petition from stockmen OF
Tom Green county which was refer
red to the committee on stock raisinH.
House bill No. 90 was laid before
the Senate.
Senator Jones moved to take up
Senate bill No. Q.
Senate then went into committee
OF the whole with Senator Buchanan
in the chair.
Senator Houston took the floor and
addressed the Senate On The motion
pending, to adopt the recommends
tlons OF the majority report, In sub-
stance as follows
Mr.. Chairman-There exists In the state OF
Texas at this time condition of affairs h
very peculiar and singular measure, making it
necessary for the governor TO convene this eN-
ira session Of the legislature. ImvoFtant uuea-
tlOn5 relating TO the destruction OF property
rights In Texas: by lawless classes is the prih-
clpal subject OF consideration. Men, women
and children throughout the length Of the
state have Their eyes turned to this legislature
looking for relief trom these accursed evils. ]
do not know any question mor prominently
involving the attention OF the peOple. or which
has ever called for legislative action. These
evils have been br. ught about in a large meas
urs by mistaken line Of policy pursued by Tie
state from time immemOrial We, all OF Us, go
and know of them and recognize the fact that
ihls me OF policy has been u mistaken ons.
Under 1t there has been accumulated landed
interests against which the people have risen.
NO one fails to recognize this fact, or TO com
prehend the Importance of the situation, but
this situation is not sufficient to frighteu Ia
terrorism the Eighteenth legislature.
There is no necessity for this legislature 10
rush into ridiculous changes of the Isnd policy
% tlal have hOfn
acquired under the law which demand its prc-
lection IL has been often said that the
courses of evil Zation have now turned back.
There is no such a condition OF affairs to lead
me TO believe that these courses for the time
beng Lave so turned do not believe that the
cOur e6 OF civilization have so tuTned that here
is cause for becoming panicstricken. There
ne' or is time that the pron ess OF civilization
ceases do not a init fhis Is revolution or
amounts T. such thing Owing 20 the progress
of railroad and the advance Of civilization In.
TO tho lar W. st great sums OF money expended
IN the building up OF the industries oi
the country, aud owing to the fact that the
line OF civilization pushed to the very bordeTv
OF the state these grelt pro- erty rights called
PASTURES grew up. They were acquired by
other; but by the regulation OF these pasture
rights some men were incOnveniencod. some
IN the enclosing the public, others In the en-
closing of their own and in all individual lands.
some In the enclosing Of their stocks thus lead
ing to the cutting OF a few fences at nrst but
deny that this fence cutting trouble has grown
When this leg1S ature was last in session these
troubles had begun, but there was nothing
In In. them u at that time to cause seri-
to frighten the country then. Nothing
was done, and they did not think it necessary.
| believe. sir, the men who owned the pastures,
by their carelessness in enforcing the law, are
to blame for this state OF facts, which has
frightened tine country. They became fright
ened, and 1t is admitted no proper effort was
made to bring these men TO justice. They sat
by, saw their property DESTROYED and waited
for tue legislature 10 come and pass laws TO
protect them This was the mistake made BY
them. Instead OF seeking the rem, dies pro-
vided and attempting to enforce the law and
suppress these acts OF lawlessness at the start,
they waited for relief in the action Il the egis.
lature. BY this mistake they were
deprived OF the protection furnished by
the existing laws and these men ENCOURAGED by
this neglect continued their lawless acts In
their part this lawessness increased Law
lessness and crime always increases lawless-
brought to justice. Crime unpublished always
increases tile number of criminals, and this evil
has spread throughout ie length and breath Of
the state. 1t Is not confined to any one coan-
ty nor any parti ular portion OF the state, but
extends from he Red River 10 the Rio Grande.
Now, Dir. President, do not admit this crime
grows out of the fact tnat the cattle IL he
West feed upon the unenclosed lands of the
school, or other public lands, or the IN
enclosed lands Of individuals. L do not admit
that 1t is caused by these men I'm the Pan Han-
die cOui ties owning $50 00O heads Of cattle, or
any other large number, for T. nces have been
cut quite as extensively throughout Travis,
Harrison and other counties. where there we're
no school lands. But just as 1 stated before
this matter began with exceptional Cases: be
gan in the idea, in measure, th.ef this fencing
was unlawful, and this fence with viii b the
lands were enclosed was an unlawful fence. II
star ed In exceptional cases, and because u
was not promptly suppressed IL increased.
growing in magnitude until IL requires, as now,
some extraordinary means to suppress IT,
There has been brought before us remedy fUr
this eeil-SeDate bill NO.2-now under discus
sicn.
Eir. President, have no desire
center into a long preface In my remarks
upon that bill, ] disagree with the majority re-
port, the adoption OF which s the question
now before the committee. 1t is proper for me
TO say here and, perhaps, should apologize
to the Seuate for having used In tn minority
report OF the committee presented by me Ian;
guage, which, perhaps. appears 1ippant and
not Of that serious character which such re-
port should contain when addressed TO digni
he'd body OF this charac er, but the Senate will
understand that this was made in reply to an
other report by the majority OF the committee
which used the same kind OF argument.