Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-22
FREE GRASS FUN.
n. q. Fowler of the Roanoke Cllppe,
On the Peoples Side.
Politicians Warned to Hide from the
Coming Storm,

| OF, salu the ScrlOe, eyelng MIN
suspiciously, "there is statute of lin.
itations in this state which prescribes
q time after which all debts are pre-
sumed, in law, to be paid, and"
Paid, the deuce! | am not after
you with bill; don't you recolect
me.n
Yes that is OUCH don't grind
my finger into chicken feed. Yes, !
know you now; you are Fowler of the
Roanoke Clipper, are you not?'
II ann
II met you once en- your native
heath -
You did,
You are the author of the Clipper
biblical tales ?n
II am
And you dish up fricasseed free
grass diet in the vicinity of Roanoke?n
Yea. verify"
'Well?"
well, yourself?n
Il mean-how do you do; when did
you come in, and how are the folks.''
Pm fine, and fat as a gopher
Fat, You look like you've been
RECALLING yourself on moonlight, with
Chinese chop-stieks. Where do you
sleep? Tie yourself in bow-knot
around pump.handle?n
young man, fun is fun, but "a hand
ful oil chigoes in pair of top boots is
not conducive to terrestrial happiness. ~
The reporter looked up at him, tow
ering high above all mortaIs; his head
reaching into the calm serenity of
heavens blue ether,
As some tall clin that rears its awful form,
/ ffna fl..a.s L.. .s.l.l
storm.
SO he concluded 1t best not to fool
around him too much for fear he might
let something drop on an ambitious re-.
! porter's head. But feeling around for
u tender spot in his armor, said:
/ Free grass Is an issue OF such hideous mlen
That 10 be dreaded needs but to be seen.
But seen too oft, familiar with its face
You first endure, then pity, then embrace.
Then from the summit of the tall
sycamore descended a voice like unto
"A sound from the skies. you are
right; and the man who opposes it, or
denies its existence as an issue in our
state politics is in the same condition
as those who, having eyes, see not, and
having ears hear not, those things neces-
sary to their salvation. 1t is n necessity;
a necessity which must not be over
looked by the Democratic party il they
desire to maintain the reins of govern
ment. People are going to stick to a
party only 50 long rs a party sticks to
them, and when politics becomes a
science in which the otfice-holder ) an
expert in so far as feathering his own
nest is concerned without regard to
the demands of the times, the people
will rise in their might and the sun
Will sink in glory casting its FURNISHED
rays over shattered machine and the
defeat of the machine minions.u
But you will admit that many of
our leading statesman are opposed to
free-grass?n
II VIII admit that many prominent
men are opposed to it but they are
the Sc who have not had their ewes
opened to the signs of the times and
their leadership is without q following.
You can bulldoze people into submit
ting to the party lash so long as there
is only maudlin sentiment at stake,
but when you go down into the peck
cts of those who make their few dol
lars by honest labor and hard work.
you viii find them the worst kind OF
kickers.n
"Then sou honestly and candidly
regard the lease syst EN- as detrimental
to the whole state?"
II do; the way to test principle is
to reduce 1t to an absurdity, aud not
by a series of glittering generali-
ties. Suppose the lease system was
thus reduced and the entire public
, lands of the state We're leased for ten
l years to syndicate that would in.
close them in one mammoth pasture
, don't you see 1t would have the sam,
v @ Ina lnt q
into the bottom of the Pacific ocean. In
SO far as the development of the
state is concerned? Who would
I, dare enter upon these inclosed lands
: with his hoe and pillow and attempt to
open up farm? Certainly no one; but
those already in there would take the
nrst opportunity of getting out. The
very name of u lease system has re
tarded the material development of the
= state more than the pasture kings will
y pay into the stat" treasury in twenty
years. Even ms you cannot find an
8 emigrant seek ~ a home where thou.
u sands were seen daily one year ago. II
Is positive curiosity TO see a covered
wagon filed with split-bottomed chair.
and tow-headed children seeking .
u spot on our vast domain to improve
q ana call home. 1t is simply an out,
II rage on the honest men of our country
e am firm believer in Goldsmith,
,, theory that
u III fares the land to hasrning Ills a prey.
u Where wealth accumulates and men decay /,
u Letthe wealth stored i'm the fertile soi
of Texas fall into the rapacious hand.
. OF fonr or five syndicates and vor
y SOW the seeds of discomfort. mon Nh,
T. heels Of which follows struggle Of
= the weak against the encroachments O
- the strong, which pious folks viii
y dub communism, and law and orde
- VIII buckle on the bayonet against In,
=, oppressed until our fails will be filled
- with law-breakers, and under the soi
a. OF Texas, which should have been hi,
=, nome, will rest the ashes OF the slauph
~ tered poor man. People NAV hooi n
~ the idea as much as they please b,,i
the murder of citizens charged or s,,s
,e Pecled with fencecutting will no,
\ down. and the cause for 1t must he re-
n moved. u the Democratic part !
). don't attend To this matter the peoni,
- VIII. Before / go, will WHISPER r.
you That you need have no fears aboIIl
the abrogation of the lease svstnn,
Before the Houston Convention i,
L reached you will see that most of ths
~ patriotic Office seekers will see wha,
~ the people want, and YOU will 90,
y them execute most arl stic flops -
0, The sun was feeling It's way over IN.
= western horizon. and al the altitudin
y GUS granger departed the reporte,
!, couia zee his frightening shadow