Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-08-26
THE GAzETrE FORT WORTH TEXAS TUESDAY. AUG sT 20.

them at their own expense. He re
fused and his neighbors had to 90 al
around his Enclosure, two hundred OF
three hundred acres, mar
row strip, to get TO theiI
post. Office, church and school-house.
His fence was cut In two places al
frst, making room enough 10 pas
through. He put 1t up again, and in q
short time unknown parties cut every
panel of II down. I do not mean 10
reflect the least bit of discredit upon
Mr.. DeMorse by this statement, for
he did nothing unlawful, but give 1t
AS an answer to the Insane and mali
cious charges made against free-grsss
men.
| forgot to say that Mr.. DE Morse's
fence joins on To large farm extend
ing north and south, and as his line
runs east, he very successfully ciibbed
whole settlement. Now II Is plain, II
his neIghbors did cut him down. IL
was not for his grass. There IL not a
man In this section who believes they
did II. They are fine class of we'll
to-do people.
Patker's land IL located on Mlnturn
prairie, about eight miles from Dee
port. There are fifty acres of grass on
1t not worth a snap. just opposite
are POO acres OF fine meadow owned by
the same party and his br0fher-in-
law. Had IL been free-grass men try
Ing 10 rob him Of his rights, they
would have stepped across the road
and made the meadow fence fly. IL IL
ts more likely that some lease.law adj
vocates hired "a lot Of hoodlums to cut
II down, so they could charge il TO
free-grass men, and the latter thing
they have already had the impudence
to do. III they continue to
throw their dirty filth at us,
we will ut least return the cOmpli-
men.. The fact IL these papers are
making enemies of the very class they
should collrt-thc farmers. Ne mer-
chant will advertise in paper whose
county circulation IL cut of. But no
doubt these furious friends of the
poor" know on which side their
bread Is buttered better than we do.
! will close this subject with the re-
mark TO those who fancy themselves
hurt that they themselves began the
attack, and ] will close by extending
10 them cordial and sincere PROPOSE
tons OF peace.
Now, Mr.. Editor, please let me give
II few reasons why We are In favor OF
free grass. 1t is more to let the lease
press understand that we are not set
of fools than anything else:
First, we know that the lease law
provides for the sale of the land TO
actual settlers.
Second, we do NOT believe that men of
small means would dare to 20 inside
of large pasture to settle.
Third, we know that small cattle
owners are not able TO lesse land.
Fourth, we know that all leases 80 far
have been large ones, with few small
ones perhaps.
Fifth, we know that the bulk of the
public domain now unsettled has been
given to railroads and sold for Song"
TO spectators who now hold IL at an
advance of from 300 TO 1000 Der cent.
Sixth, we know that the practical
withdrawal of many million acres of
unoccupied lands from sale will cause
the land owned by spectators TO rise
still higher. We know that il has
risen 80 per cent. In Coleman county
at least.
Seventh, we believe that the tillers
of the soil have the best right 10 those
lands-hence we favor "a policy that
compels them To unload nj moderate
figures, when any actual settler wishes
TO buy. That policy Is To compel them
to fence In small bodies not exceed.
Ing GAO acres under one fence,
and the keeping of the
school and other public lands
ON the market for actual settlers only,
IN tracts not exceeding $40 acres, thus
bringing about competition that will
lower the eXorbitant demands of these
spectators.
Eighth, we know that the land board
has withdrawn all the watered sec
lions from the market, and we have
sense enough Ia know that this i'm
Itself Is sufficient to stop the settlement
Of the country.
Ninth, we know that the large cattle
men did all they could to get the lease
law passed, and we know that their
present opposition is u mere trick to
fool East Texas into supporting the
system.
Tenth, we know, above all else.
that IL Is ridiculous TO imagine Ia lesis-
lative body In ''rich man lowing
Texas, TO pass a law that would oper-
ate against them--the rich men.
Eleventh, we believe 1t unjust TO
nd vance the price OF the school lands. |
We are willing for our poor brethren
~ purchase at the same price we
paid, and at the same price |
the rich spectators bought at.
We don't believe We have the right TO
lay claim TO large portion of the |
richest farming lands In the world, and
say To those thousands and tens of
thousands who havs neither bread nor
shelter for their little ones We
have set aside that country 10 ed
ucate our children and build fine school
houses, thereby enhancing the value |
of our property back here. IL you pay |
us the market value OF private land |
you may have IL, otherwise you must
stay here and work our land on the |
shares.p
But" says the settler, "S'pose | |
'aln't the money ~
"Oh. In that case We will lease 1t 10
rich men for pastures
1 venture to say that every farmer In |
this state would vote to give every |
actual settler 100 acres of land. viii |
wind up this communism OH Justice |
10y saying We are In favor of giving
every manned Confederate soldier
l2S0 acres out Nr the reserved |
land, and to INDECENT widows of
Confederate soldiers the same amount |
ana II there Is not enough take il out |
OF the school land or buy II from the |
spectators, and, as q great many of
these certificates of land issued To sol. |
diers have been bought by sharpers for |
barely nothing, we are In favor of the |