The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-01-15
organization Of the Mill

sui OF 1uQllIef60CG, perhaps, dllu INDY
! rest on a supreme confidence IN the
/ laW-abiding character of our citizens
| generally; and yet it might be tht
/ part of wisdom and of true patriotism
to guard against all contingencies
The impetus given to the martial
spirit of our people by the short inter
/ course of different commands, at the
Houston drill, has resulted IN the for
nation of q number Of new compa-
MES, and an increase of zeal in all or
nearly all of the old ones, and it win
be a cause Of regret if this commend
able spirit of activity is not enc0UT-
aged, and increased facilities offered
by the state for intercourse, discipline,
dFill and effectiveness and Tor putting
the entire active militia upon d solid
foundation for the future.
FRONTIER PROTECTION.
IN regard to the necessity of main
tanning frontier protection, Gen. King
has this to say:
"A large part Of western Texas
seems TO be so well adapted in many
respects 10 success in stock raising,
and so poorly suited to profitable
farming, if for farming at all, exc pt
here and there, that ali measures lock-
ing to legal Limitations or enlarge
ments on private enterprises, or the
management Of the public lands, in
this section Of the State, should have
these facts constantly in view; and by
SO doing it is believed that legislative
Judgment could devise measures that
will foster and encourage all proper
and lawful enterprises, while caring
fn 10 ErEn re inv in, hA
wise manag ement of the immense
domain devoted to the support Of free
schools. These Important matters are
referred to as having a bearing upon
and d direct connection with the queS-
ton of the future maintenance of
the frontier battalion, as a small but
effective force to be used by the
state upon our wide border until such
time as it may be determined that
this force is no longer needed.
However desirable il may be to fill
western Texas with actual settlers,
the physical aad material difficulties
are such, Goth as to the condition Of
much territory to be settled, and those
of the regions from which population
is expected or sought, as to make this
a question requiring probably many
years to determine, while the rights
OF big and of little stock men who are
already on the ground, and OF such
actual settlers as may be there, or who
are on the way there, are pressing for
an early solution. In the policy final
ly adopted-invOlYing as it will the
whole question Of the management
of the school landslide leasing in
large bodies to stock men, or selling
only to actual settlers in limited
quantities, or q union Of both ideas
and the lawful control to be exercised
over the immense and possibly oppos-
ing stock interests, it will be necessary
to consider the means by which the
power of the state can be most
promptly, effectively, and yet econom-
ically, brought to bear in this section
in the prevention OF wrong and VIC
lence, and TO determine whether or not
the continuation of the frontier force
is the best means to secure the object
contemplated"
FENCE CUTTING.
Gen. King details the steps taken
t. subdue the laWlessness of the lat
fence-cutting era, under the act OF
the special session Of the legislature
relating to that subject, as follows:
detective work is of such char
acter as to make it necessary and IN
ayoidable that each man employed
has to be left largely to his own judg
ment and resources, no close personal
supervision being practicable; and it
need cause no surprise, therefore, if
the expenses seem heavy, while the
direct and visible results may appear
oil Ia n RI ri iS,-
appointment in THIS matter, so far as
fixing the guilt and securing the
victims in any particular cases, yet
there can be no doubt that the arrest
of quite a number of fence cutters
through the efforts of detectives, and
the widespread belief prevailing that
unknown and mysterious means were
being used by the state to detect that
class OF offenders, had an important
influence in checking this violence.
"Some of the agents from abroad
were jealous and capable men, and ac
complished some good, but, from a
variety of causes, the best results in
this line of duty were obtained by
volunteers among our own people,
and whose services were much less
costly than those of specials sent from
regular detective agencies. This ser
vice has to be largely secret and silent
in its methods, and it is not proper,
therefore, nor necessary, to enter into
details as to what was done, and when
and where and by whom, except to
say that an official list of names of all
men so employ ed is on file in my office,
giving rates of pay and allowances,
and the commencement and end Of
their service, if discharged. The
necessary funds have been obtained
upon requisition drawn byyour excel
lency upon the special appropriation
of $500O0O. and all payments are shown
in duplicate receipted vouchers, one
copy of each of which will be retain
ed in my office and the other filed with
the comptroller. The amount drawn
out upon acquisitions from time to
time is $12,316 "a, and out of this
vouchers are on file for payments to
the amount OF $11, 984.1S, with some
small accounts now aCcruing bat not
rendered.
"This sum includes payments for
personal services and necessary ex-
penses only, as moneys disbursed for
rewards, etc, pass through another
channel.
"The probable cost of this special
service from the present up to Febru-
airy 28th, 1885, the end of the appropri-
ton year, will not exceed few hun
dred dollars
The cash revenue balance was again
nearly exhausted yesterday. The
comptroller drew his warrant for
about $4,000 to finish paying for the
construction of the Terrell lunatic
asylum. The warrant was not cashed
but placed in bank, as it's understood
the banks will hold state paper a linn
tied period during a pressure upon
the state treasury. This is the only
large payment to be made before
March, aud it is likely the revenue
| that will pour into the treasury for
two months will be largely in excess
of disbursements.
Chartered: the Drng Company, OF
Galveston, with capital of $250,000
The annual report of sAttorneyGen-
eral John D. Templeton is just from
the press and is full of interest. A
few extracts are given. In regard tC
| criminal business in district anC
county courts for the year beginning
December 1st, 1883, and ending Nov
ember 30. 1884, a summary is giyeT
which the attorney general confesse:
is unprecedentedly incomplete (nO re
ports having been received from sixty
| five of the district clerks and thirty
two county clerks) From the re
ported counties there have been:
1. Three thousand. seven hundred