Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-04-20
THE VETO.
Newspaper Comments on the Veto Of
the Land Bill.
rTrAR AND FORCTULE,

vetoed the land bill passed at the re.
cent session OF tbs legislature, and in
doing go raised himself to the full
height OF conscientious public duty.
Not only was this bill crude In con-
struction. uneven In application, dan.
gerous In principle and contrary to q
wise and Btatesmanlike public policy,
but, as Gov. ireland show 3, many Of its
features were directly contrary TO the
plain mandate of the constitution.
The bill In the first place was a COM
promise between cOntending forces.
The lease-law men got In their work
In come sections, while the free-grass
men established their doctrine in
other sections. This made the bill
contradictory and a confused and jun
bled pot-pourri of provisos, conditions,
enac tments, amendments and decla.
ratlons. What the free-grass men
did In one section the lease.law
men undid In the next, and when the
lease-law men laid down some IRON
clad rule in one clause, the free-grsss
men took care TO leave u loophole
through which they could crawl In a
following section. In fact the bill was
enacted AS game Of chess is played
each side tried to get the better OF the
other, not 80 much for the stake at
hazard as for the honor OF winning
the game. II IL no wonder then that
Gov. Ireland felt constrained TO veto
the bill. The governors veto ines.
sage is clear, forcible and to the point.
II his purpose WAS to rebuke the legis.
lature, as well as kill the bill, he sue.
ceeded admirably. Every line OF his
review Of the bill Is an attack on the
Nineteenth legislature, and the law
yers Of that body must feel as If an ele-
plant trod on them when they read
his constitutional objections TO some
of the features OF the bill. There is no
doubt, however, that the governor
ia right In all his conclusions. If
IT 1s STILL AN ISSUE.
San Antonio Express: Gov. Ire
land, In his message vetoing the land
bill, fairly riddles that instrument. If
all his objections are tenable, II seems
surprising that the bill should ever
have emanated from an intelligent
body of men. It was moro thorough
ly discussed than any other measure
before the Nineteenth legislature, was
handed back and forth between the
two houses time after time, the wis.
dom and experience of the two august
bodies were supposed to be especially
concentrated on this one act, and yet
even In the caption the governor finds
an objection that in itself would be
fatal to the bill. The Express does
not agree with all OF the governors OBJ
jectlons TO the bill, but 1t would be n
waste of time to discuss them now, as
the matter Is settled. lit Is useless to
NJ. al 60 a Ia. n
law will remain in force until the
next legislature meets, and the terrors
that have frightened the soul of the
Fort Worth GAZETTE man la connec-
ton with the state spy" provided for
in the bill, will give way to a feeling
OF peace and security. Free grass is
still an issue-with THE GAZETTE.
UNANswERABLE ARGUMENTS.
| Houston Post: But II is not alone
In the defeat OF this measure that the
people should receive oongratulation.
They should experience unlimited
pride In the still more Important fact
that they have an executive possessed
OF the moral courage to stand between
themselves and what his wisdom and
superior judgment decided was meas
ure fraught with harm TO one of their
dearest and most cherished interests.
This Gov. Ireland has done, even in
the face OF an uncompromising press
ure from quart ira most influential and
powerful. He gives his reasons for his
action la an honest and straightfor.
ward manner, and the Post doubts
most truly that any man can discuss
this question fairly and controvert
those reasons.
IT WILL WORRY US.
San Antonio Times The governor
backs up his objections with solid ar
gument all the way through. He deal.
with the bill from patriotic stand
point and takes broad view of Tia,
subject, Some of the Legislators who
spent 80 much time tinkering with tn,
bill will feel rather cheap when they
read the governors proclamation. Il
doesn't speak volumes for the discrlm
nation OF the managers of the hill tina
they made such an inconsistent, un
constitutional thing out OF 1t. w,
presume the land board will try /,
worry along until the next session o
the legislature.
ADVICE no THE LAND BOARD,
Dallas Times: The argument In the
governors veto OF the land bill IL /
| kVoh WV ~ Suuu luhb we WOnuef ut
did not make II in some shape to tn,
legislature before it passed the bill
! With the practical workings OF tn,
the old law thoroughly understood by
them suggestions from Commissions
Walsh and Gov. ireland would hav,
been extremely timely and appro
pirate, 1t seems those timely anS
appropriate suggestions did not com,
till after the legislature had aid
journed. 1.-THE land board will SUP,
press its disposition to legislate ans
proceed to vigorously enforc
the old land law, the vet,
may not result disastrously; bu
II the land law Is left in chaotic
! state and nobody can tell what TO de
pend on, then the school fund and tn
country will suffer.
GIVE THE WEST A CHANCE.
sherman Courier Gov. Irelan,
has at last vetoed the land bill passe,
by the Nineteenth legislature, and hi
message furnishes ample reasons 10
his ACTS. Without discussing the free
grass questions, IL does look like th
West ought to have the same.opportu
nitIaQ fnr 9att am ami fs,r', .s,et -,