Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-06-26

cattle raDching purposes can never be
converted into agricultural lands;
that the public lands should
be graded and authority given
to lease pastoral lands in
quantities no. less than 10000 acres
nor more than 100000 acres TO each
lessee for twenty years and that the
Importance Of the cattle-ranching busi-
ness demands permanent range. The
argument OF Capt. Bent is supplements
ed by rainfall map" to show why
the great West can never be fit for any
thing except grazing. This address is
strong corroborstion OF every argu
ment made by THE GAZETTE for re.
turn to the land policy which ruled in
this state so long, and which has al
ways governed the general govern
ment in its disposition of the public
lands, viz; That leases are the devices
by which syndicates and corpora
lions hope to perpetuate the cattle
raising business on big scale; that
they hope to effect leases by represent
ing the country as unfit for anything
except grazing that the actual settler
has gone and l0W go on to lands used
by ranchmen when unprotected by a
leasehold; that :" free grass " i, the
weapon with which the settler has
conquered every difficulty that bsset
his march from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, and that those men and those
newspapers which advocate lease
law are, Willingly or unwittingly, the
advocates and organs OF the cattle
men--of the syndicates and cor
porations outside Of Texas. Mr.
Nimmo refers to the resolutions
Of the National Cattlemen's conven.
ton fAvoring lease law, and expresses
himself most emphatically in opposi-
ton. AS Mr.. Nimmo's arguments are
as applicable to Texas AS to any por-
ton Of the so.called grazing" regions
we quote that eminent authority
freely, and The GAZETTE invites
every one interested in this important
question 10 read what Mr.. Nlmmo
says Of the policy of leasing public
lands in large bodies to cattle-rais-
ing companies Mr.. Nimmo can
not be accused of having re-
ceived $4,000 for opposing what
the bullionaires advocate, and he
offers no objection to the leasing Of
United States lands, which docs not
apply with equal force to the state of
Texas.
THE GAZETTE has always asserted
the power of the settler to protect him.
self, and commended that the march of
settlement westward was ample proof
OF the fact; but that the leasehold was
an obstacle ne could not conquer.
THE GAZETTE has further contended
that free range was an inducement to
pioneer settlers, and that free grass
was not the desire OF the big cattle
raiser. or the se-grass-land policy
of the Union, Mr.. MIN mo says
"The wisdom of the land policy OF
the United states has been abundantly
vindlcated In the mdterjdt prosperity
and in the Intellectual and Socioldeue
opmom of the Western and North
western states. 1t has also fcRdcd Il
nc achievement Of the commercial, in
dpstridi and transportation interests
OF the whole country" 9TH,
conflict OF interests between tn,
herdsmen, rs between them
selves and as between herdsmer
and settlers, appear to be bu
the natural and unavoidable result o
the Intersection of productive forces
In the development OF the re
sources OF the country but the histor,
OF our race clearly indicates that out o
such struggles usually come those sd
justments of right and OF interes
which characterize our civilization am
result in the advancement OF the CON
mcrcidl and industrial interests of
great and free people,
In other words, unobstructed by
lease-hold, unawed by quasi lega
possession, the actual settler unde
the impetus given by free range 70
his small herd will invade, as he Ia
invaded, the great ranges OF CATH
syndicates and corporations, and dem
onstrate by actual effort the utter IA
sity Of the assertion that West TeXs
is tit only for grazing purposes, an
thus lay the foundation for thrivin
, communities that shall aid in tn
commercial, industrial and social d,
a velopment Of all the state.
Ifthere are men In Texas who hav
public lands illegally enclosed, let tn
state order them taken down and en-
force that order with troops il need be
, Then repeal the obstructive lease Law
, and the state OF Texas will enter upon
career OF prOsperity transnendinu an