Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-23
A VOICE FOR FREECRASS.
A Candidate for the State Senate De-
noanccs the Lease Law System,
And Exposes the Injury to the State that
Results from It,
Lease and Herd Laws Idpntical-Frce
Grass the Corrective.
With Few Words in Favorofa New Gem
sus and Fair Dealing.

DIR. w. r. Robinson of Colorado CITY
was In Fort Worth Friday. aud learn
Ing that he was a candidate for the
state senate from the Twenty.ninth
district, and therefore ut material To
elicit a public expression from, The
GAZETTE prepared to draw the gentle
man out on the subject matter of free
grass. The Twenty-ninth senate
rial district embraces the coun-
ties OF Stephens, E,stiand, Brown.
Comauche, San Saba, McCul-
lnch, Coleman, Callahan, Shackelford.
Jones. Taylor Runnels. Concho, No,
ian, Fisher, Mitchell, Scurry, Howard.
Borden, Dawson, Martin. Gaines and
Andrews. These equities are snper-
eminently the free-grass region of Tex.
as. Some of them are vet undeveloped
by agriculture, but others are the homes
OF thousands Of well o-do farmers and
small stockmen, whose herds have fed
and fattened on free grass, enabling
their owners to maintain themselves
while putting their farms In shape for
cultivation. Knowing by actual expe.
rience the priceless value to them of
free grass when grass was all that the
country afforded to support
life, The people of the com
paratively well.settled counties are de-
termined that the privilege of free
grass shall not be abridged TO those
who are forcing the lines OF sgrlcul-
tnre and civilization further into the
western aud northern counties. This
feeling Is practically unanimous
throughout the entire district, and DR.
Robinson evidently voices very accu.
ra,ely the feeling of the people to
whose support he appeals rs free
grass candidate for the state senate.
II requires little conversation with
DR.. Robinson to convince one that he
thoroughly understands the ques ton
which Is paramount to all others in
this part OF the state; and IL Is no less
evident that he is intensely In earnest
in his opposition to the pres
ent policy of the land board In the
leasing of lands. He looks TO be n
man who takes hold Of everything
with a strong grip and never lets go
until something gives way. He doesn't
mince words or tone down the rugged
parts ola sentence, but TO all appear
ances Is man TO command con-
tidence and impart a feeling of SINGER
ity by saying what he means and
meaning all that he says.
TERRELL'S BILL AND THE LEASE LAW.
To the first question addressed him,
asking what first drew him to study
of the questions growing out of the
land policy OF the state, DR.. Robinson
said:
"The discussion Of the Terrell
hill In the legislature last winter first
drew my attention TO the question of a
herd law or free grass. / regarded
that ms dangerous measure 10 the
property interests of the state. AS |
studied II my hostility increased to
any law that restricted the right of the
people Ia their use OF grass ON the pub
lie commons, and investigation of the
matter persuaded me that a herd law
or lease law that withdrew grass on
the public commons from general use
was damaging to TIE interests of our
people. Such legislation Is calculated
to retsrd, II not destroy, the develop
ment of the state. The mere discus
sion of the Terrell bill, though
| 1t was defeated, vas enough
TO impair confidence In the wisdom
of Or legislature, and many who
were ready To come TO Texas gave up
the idea until there should be more
satisfactory legislation. 1t caused an
apprehension OF danger The evident
hostility OF the legislature to the graz
ing interests, followed as 1t was by the
action of the state land board In doub-
ling the lease price of land, confirmed
the feeling that had already found a
Judgement In the minds ofthese people
thai there was party In the legisla.
ture inimical TO the Interests Of West
ern Texas. But for this fear of ad-
verse legislation, these people would
be citizens of Texas to-day.
The disaster which these
upwise measures have wrought
will take years OF conservative, pru-
dent legislation to recover from. A
consideration OF these effects, as have
said, led me to an investigation of the
merits of lease law and It's inevitable
outcome, herd law, as opposed to
free grass. The result OF that investi-
cation confirmed me In the belief that
1t was most dangerous experiment
on the part of the state. II is the first
effort ever made on this continent to
lease or rent out the public domain.
From the earliest settlement Of this
country the public lands have been
held for actual settlers only"
THE LEASE LAW DRIVING OUT SET
TIERS.
Please state In full the reasons Of
your opposition TO lease law" was
next asked DIR. Robinson.
'.As above stated, he answered, iii
checks the great tide Of immigration
that has been flowing into Texas for
the last ten years, not only keeping
out thOuiands Of weIl-to-do settlers and
millions OF capital, but materially
crippling interests already planted In
the state. The operation OF this law,
as shown by the leases already made,
will very soon result In the passage OF
the public domain OF West Texas into
the hands Of q few corporations, to the
exclusion OF all actual settlers
and small stOckmen. In sup
port OF this view. 1t is shown
that two-thirds of the lands already
leased are In the hands Of fifteen cor
pOra ions, one corporation having
leased 2S5.5i7 acres from the state;
aud with this amount Of public lands,
they have taken the same amount
from private parties or corporations,
thus placing la the hands OF one body
of men 81 ,03i acres OF the public com
mons and tied 1t UP for ten years from
actual settlement. This land II sltu-
aied In the most fertile section OF
Northwest Texas, which Is one OF the
most eligible districts In the entire
state for actual settlers to locate upon
a IA HaveloD ar cOuree the very best
lAnds-lands bsst suited for homes
and most attractive 70
the eye Of the Immigrant Will be leased