The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-09-23
The Public Domain.

Very often these latter days we
hear the regret warmly spoken that
Texas has been too liberal with her
public lands, especially to railroad
Let us examine the question a little.
Before the advent of the roads, the
lands of Texas were worth one price,
now they are worth another, quite.
Without any coast port to speak of
and with but poor outlet TO New
Orleans, and,with st. Louis and other
markets so distant that they were
not considered, the productions of
Texas, had little or no value at
tached to them, of course the lands
had no, or at best, but little value.
The craftsmanship of early Texas re-
cognized the imperative nature of
the demand for transportation faciii-
ties, and used the immense non-pro-
ducing estate In lands of the state to
supply her with the all.important
disideratum. 1t was wisely and
periodically done. Perhaps they
might have been little more partic-
ular in urging conditions as to the
disposal of these lands, and in exact
ing conditions more favorable to the
citizens. For instance, the state
might have stipulated in the charters
that there should be no pooling, that
the general offices of each road should
remain in the state and that a
maximum rate for both
freight and passage should
be also stipulated for. But she
did not do this. 1t was her
own fault that she neglected to do SO,
and the roads are not TO be charged
with the fault. Under their charters
and the guaranteed protection of the
sovereign authority, the roads have
obtained rights, solemn vested rights,
and these must be regarded in every
instance. We cannot go back on
them. However, Texas has great
deal OF land left. She can, in the
light of her present experience, han
die the remainder so that she will
get the edge, or at least, hold right
to say that they shall not go into the
hands of alien syndicates to build up
here an influence hostile to our plan
of government and to the American
idea generally. She should not now
part with single acre of 1t without
realizing its full cash value. When
she made the immense grants to her
struGGling railroad interests she had
been served, and the value of her re-
naming lands have increased thous.
and fold by. the advent of the roads
The state feels grateful for this ad.
vance in value aud importance, and
this gratitude, natural and proper as
1t surely is, will operate to prevent
hostile legislation for all time. How.
ever, 1t will never, aud ought never
to so influence her as to permit the
roads to combine and conspire
against the true interests of the
state.
Tho actual settler is the man Texai
counts as the proprietor of her soil
Now that We have the roads, it woulc
be far better II no man in the stat,
owned more than six hundred anc
forty acres, and that he was resi-
dent on the land and tiller of tn,
soil. But had that rule prevailed
from the first, we would not have on,
acre In every one hundred In cultiya
ton that we now have. So, as tim,
changes, mon and their policies mus
change whit. Fairly, honestly ant
capably handled the government o
} our great state will be the richest All,
} most prosperous of any in the grca
family of states. We have enough
God knows. Let us be satisfied with
what we have got, but guard Il
jealousy from all assaults, whether
from outside or domestic sharks
This is the true policy. and this pole,
| WI manu- "o iich ihuceu us inc year.
roll by.
All Texas has to do In order ia
double up her real values rapidly IN
the future, Is to maintain order, en-.
force the laws and wisely and econom'
ically administer the government
Our fabulously rich soils, genial and
healthful climate and our Transports
tion facilities will do the rest Let nc
property holder or investor In Texa,
doubt for a single moment the grand
future of the state. 1t is fixed, and
as certain as any other earthly thing
can be. The Texas OF fifty year,
hence will astonish the world.
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