Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-02-23

! Investment tcoeVal Win Whlch was the
clamor for permanent ranges In which
to perpetuate the csttle-Isising bust
ness on big scsle) are not alone in
their desire to tie up the West from
settlement and continue a system on
which Azrael has set his zeal. The
demand, twice made at Austin by the
Texas Stockmen's association, for a
lease law, has been supplemented by 3
similar demand in congress by
the Stockmen's National association
and by the efforts of
cSttlemen, encouraged by the interior
department, to hold Oklahoma "a a
great cattle ranch. The movement to
obstruct settlement extends from the
British 10 the Mexican border, and the
big cattle companies, representing In
major part the money OF Wall and
Threadneedle streets, are the shrewd-
eat enemies the Man with the Hoe
has yet encountered, and the law has
been invoked to perform what nothing
has hitherto been able 10 accomplish.
And 1t Is passing strange that men
protesting to favor the settlement Of
the country can be hoodwinked by de-
lusive cries and specious arguments
Into support Of the very measures de.
manded In open conventions by those
whose interests compel them to favor
the segregation of lands In large bodies
for ranchinR purposes and to oppose
the settlement of the West.
The conditions OF the struggle ip
Texas are known to all Newspaper
readers and how crsftiIy there has
been interviewer into the discussion of
q lease law the sacred nature of the
public lands and n deception of the
people as to the class Of men who re-
spectively favored and opposed the
lease. Indeed, 1t is scarcely two
weeks since a distinguished state leg
islator at Austin made the remarka-
BILE statement in a public speech that
no one but cattle kings and barons
opposed the lease, when he must have
known in the very city in
which he spoke the Texas cattle kings
and barons had met and resolved n,
favor Of lease law! Every argument
that could appeal to prejudice, eec-
tional Jealousy, selfishness OF ignor-
ance OF the true question and its con-
ditions has been used without stint.
The adaptability Of the West TO farm
Ing purposes has been denied, the in
constituencies Of lease law advocates
have been passed unnoticed, the posi-
ton ofIts opponents has been pervet-
ed, and no device known to cunning
or selt-interest has been unused-and
yet, despite all, the advocates of a
lease law to day at Austin, occupying
an untenable position, are divided
among themselves and know not
what they want; unless, indeed, 1t be
an Endorsement OF their previous mis-
takes. Such Is the condition here, and
the people Of Texas may rest assured
that the leaven is at work and that
the Man with the Hoe will conquer
the lease law as he has conquered all
other obstacles to his western march.
The lease law will get no aid from
congress, and the farmer in the North.
west Will have an easier row to hoe
than will his Texas compatriot.
But 1t is in the Indian territory that
the more exciting phase Of this old
old struggle Is TO be- seen. Oklahoma
Is the intermediate battlefield. A
Coiieyville, Kansas, colony proposes
to move on to the government lands
about March 9th, but the cattlemen
have occupied, how and by what au.
thority may be seen In another article
printed elsewhere In THE GAZETTE
to-day, and to which we Invite the
readers attention.
The struggle to prevent settlement
is going ON all along the line, but the |
struggle is in vain. The Man with
the Hoe will enter upon and |
hold the Oklahoma lands; the Fort |
Worth & Denver win p'ant farmers
in great strength TO the west |
OF the territory, and, thus sur.
rounded, the standardization of the |
B. l. I, must yield to crops and civil
lsauon. We are approaching the day
when the ILdian lands will be divided
IN severalty and occupied by tillers OF
the coil The lease lease law of Texas
Is doomed, and propped, however
as It may be by the Nineteenth
legislature, 1t has received It's death
wound; and the day Is not very far dis.
tant when men assembling to IeRlslate
for the good of Texas will wonder how
.hey could have been so blinded to the
best interests OF all the state "a TO vote
to maintain the lease law In order that
cattle raising on a big scale might BE-
perpetuated.