Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-07-25
Mr.. Templeton's Letter.

In another column will be found d
letter from Attorney General Temple.
ton, in which he undertakes to define
his position in regard to the lease law
AS he says, he has "had the chonc,
to knew as much about II rs some
others who write letters and make
speeches about it, but we are not
quite certain, since we have read what
he has written about it, that he has
used his chance to good effect. IL is
not our intention at this time to 90 in
to an elaborate review of this letter,
but we cannot let IL pass without point
ing out one or two erroneous views.
ON the subject under consideration,
advanced by Mr.. Templeton.
says he: 80 long as every man is
willing that all other men shall be free
and equal with him in the use and
enjoyment of the prairies of the state
there is no law to demand of him one
cent OF tribute. So long rs he Is con.
tent that 1t shall be free to all others
II Is free to him." That is to saw, if
Joln-Smith, living in Tarrant county.
surrounded by two, ten or twenty sec
tons of school land, over which his
stock are In the habit of once grazing.
does not interfereto keep other stock
than his own from grazing on this
land, said land is free to him. and
there Is no law under which he can be
disturbed in his enjoyment of the
range. That 1t is free to him, SO long
as he is content that it shall be free TO
others.
is this really the law? If so, we are
satisfied with it, for instead of being a
lease law, 1t is IA free-grass law.
But 1t is not the law, the opinion
OF the Encouragement to the contrary
Notwithstanding.
Smith may have no wish to interfere
WIN his neighbor Jones' enjoyment of
the same range on which his own cat.
.'e are grazing to-day, but under the
,ease iaw' which Mr.. Temp,eton so
heartily Endorses, Jones can lease ths
entire range tomorrow, and tbereaftsr
exclude Smith from the range. Smith
may De ever so content that It shall he
Tree to all Others, or to himself but i,
WIN only be free to him so long as
Jones Is willing. 1t is not "a matter of
cnoice with him" at all, AS Mr.. Tenn.
p'etoh insists, but the choice ia with
Jones. True. Smith may yet in ahead
or'Jones and lease the land, and TINS
smut out jones, but when he does 60
ne ut once begins to nav tributs
,or the use Of the land. He may nre.
Ter not to pay such tribute, and NAV
even prefer to give up the use of ina
range rather than pay 1t. But to our
,,,na mat Is precarlous right. which
Is only right 80 long ms some Other
person Is willing that II shall rem.,n a
''snt' smith may be very fortunate
~ living under law that RECOGNIZES
MS right to free grass only so lone no
Jones is willing, but we confess onr
inability to see 1t. '''
Again, Mr.. Templeton sava IN ON,
port OF the lease law, that one or IN.
s ~ benefits to the state, and To tho
West especially, Is that 1t has been a
most potential argument in CONVERTING
great many to the faith that m.
chooi land OF Texas is fit for the nc,na
e.lier." Granted that such IA ha
use though We do not believe II. stlll |
ba - NO good argument why |
= -" shail be continued |
'ne statute books. II II
w. enacted that the people Ia the
:. .ss might be convinced the school
mus are capable OF supporting our
s''cu''urai people, now that thew