Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-10-06
mo LS rILE noDGER2

| tory, we asked II the Post Endorsed tn,
governments policy toward its own pub
lie lands. "'The widely different clrcum
stances OF the two sections has nothing
to do with II" says the Post. And yet the
Post will admit that It is the settled policy
of the government to hold the Territory
for the Indians, restraining all settlement,
or even existence there, on the part OF
presence IS absolutely necessary. This
policy, and this alone, caused the eject
mcnt Of the cattemen. Therefore THE
GAZETTE was right in the position that
the Posts qnery was totally foreign TO
the issue--thc disposition of public
lands. With respect to the government
lands the case is different. As public
trust they occupy exactly the same foot
inc as the school lands Of Texas. The
question, then, OF THE GzETrE as TO
whether the Post favored the application
to Texas of the governments policy
toward these lands, was entirely peril
ncnt. Hardly rs much can be said of
the Posts reply. Stimulating the
virtue of a candor it never knew
the astute organ retorts; eyes,
to the policy OF the general government
In reservng the lands for actual settlers,
and not selling them in large bodies to
SPECTATORS yes, to the policy OF the gov
eminent in its determination to see
that the lands are strictly devoted to the
benefit OF those for whom they are set
apart; but no. as to the policy OF sum
marlly ejecting cattlcmcn and their
herds from the state In its extreme
sollcltuJc for the cattle interests the
Post has chosen to miSstate the case,
and knowingly dor it must know in
wolves itself in maze of contradic-
lions ut the sight of which even
Mulberry Sellers might tremble.
The policy OF reserving the lands to
actual settlers meets the appreciation of
the Post, and yet it would rclegate them
in unlimited quantities to the control of
class ten-fold worse than "speculators. )"
hhc Spectator finds his only profit in
turning over the land as quickly rs posi-
BILE to the settler. The lessee, Il he con
suits his own interests, must maintain his
barbcd-wire fence as long as possible.
The lands which were sold to spectators
are now the small farms OF the West.
The lands which were reserved to
the tender mercics Of u board whose
heart throbs alone for Il "sacred trust.n
furnish the territory incloscd behind
countless miles of wire fcnce--the
Chinese wall against immigration.
The second proposition of the Post is
mere buncombe, which reminds us of
that celebrated occasion when the devil
undertook TO Gnbble in scripture. The
Post wants the lands devoted to the
benefit of those for whom they are set
apart THE GAzETTE believes that the
interests of the bcnehciaries, as
well as of the state, both be-
ing inseparablc, will be best sub
served by the speedy settlement OF the
lands. The Post contends that the school
lands have by some magical process OF
craftsmanship been 'segregatedN from
the public domain 1t is sure that the
school fund will be most benefited by the
leasing system, but even the Post is not
so verdant as to claim that the lease in
any way promotes the settlement of the
West, The same hand that now directs
the editorial pen OF the Post, put into the
mouth of a gentleman interviewed the
most forclble arralgnment Of the lease
law we remember to have ever seen
"when an acre OF land Is leased regard
itas irrctrieyably gone from settlement
for the term of the lease, no matter how
long that is"
ON one point, however, the Post dis.
covers itself in opposition to the govern
mcnt the policy OF summarlly eiecting
cattlemen and their herds. By impllca. I
ton the Post asserts that the policy
OF election has been followed toward the
governments lands, when it knew to tho
contrary Thus the Post lodges The
question OF TnE GAZETTE in regard
to the governments o,ca lands |
With the possessions OF the Indians tho
government has nothing 10 do save to see /
that is treaties are strictly enforced
Will the Post please name an instance
where cattlemen have been elected from
government lands. True they have been
compelled to ftdr doj, Meir fences on
government lands. All, here is the sub
Ntautal point OF difference between he
government and the Post, one would
destroy illegal fences the other proposes
TO legalizc them, This Is the issue be.
tween the government policy and
the state policy with regard to The public
lands OF each.
PnF GAZETTE i frank 20 say that il
gives is unqualified Endorsement 10 the
policy of the government; il the Post i
% be Judged by its cvaslous, 1, repudiates
TIE most important miami ~ th,,t ,..1,>