Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-24
THE TEXAS LAND BOARD.
The Influx OF Population Checked by Legis-
lative stupidity.

The influx OF Population Checked by Legis-
lative stupidity.
GnlNp VIEW TEN, Dec. %, 1885
To tho Editor OF the Gazette.
Assuming that the question Of free grass
was an issue in the last canvass, the YER
dict OF the people was, as reflected by
their legislators, in favor of giving the
lease law a fair trial. To the end that
nothing might interfere with the work.
ings of the great Texas experiment, the
land board were invested with powers and
prerogatiyes that are an anomoly in Re
publican government as existing in these
United States. The law has been tried:
the board having in trust the "childrens
grass, and composed of staunch advo-
Gates of the lease law, has done its work
TO the full extent of the law and has even
gone beyond the law Gin the language of
Gov. Lubbock it "set itself above the
law'') in its zeal to make Il success of the
lease system. Have they (the land board)
succeeded? Let us see.
Gov. Ireland is reported as saying one
had as well sing psalms to dead niger
as to hope to enforce the law as it now
stands.
The land board, from the way they kick
and squirm and quarrel and from The sup
preston of the reports of certain grass
commissioners, are obviously of the same
opinion.
The grass commissioners report the
law imperative in large territories and
shamelessly violated everywhere, where
by the school fund is defrauded of
revenue it was.hoped would accrue to the
school fund by the leasing Of the "chil-
dren's land"
Population has been kept out of the
West whereby the counties, not in enjoy
ment of the blessings and benefits of the
lease law, have protlted at the expense of
the West. These counties have, as it
were, Il flood of population who have
backed up against an artificial dam erect
ed by legislative stupidity, and only await
the removal of that obstruction to flow on
to the West and leave behind q depres-
sion and depreciation of values for time
to come. Wisdom has been dethroned
and Folly, with her FOOLS cap and bells,
seems to rule the hour among those who
should guard the interests of Texas and
enact wholesome laws for the government
OF her people. The effect of the lease
law has been to place "A bar in the way of
the settlement of the West, to enable the
cormorants TO get control of the public
lands and we do not doubt it viii be
found, when, alas, too late, that the cor
morants have succeeded in playing the
actual settler dodge so well that the
"children' have lost for all time to come
that prlncely domain which the Houston
convention, in its superlative wisdom,
segregated and set apart-for what? That
long-horned yearlngs might Craze where
the rosy-cheeked babies of Texas
might be happy in prosperous homes.
The lease law has been tried at the bar of
public opinion, and the verdict is: at is
a failure and scheme to defraud Texas
OF her public domain" The lease law is
responsible for the condition Of things
now existing in the West 1t is RESPONSE
bic for the creation of the land board that
mas degenerated into an electoneering
bureau, and as political machine or ring
Is as potent for corrupt purposes in Texas
I politics as was Tammany Hall IN the DAYS
OF Tweed. 1t has barred the settlement
OF the West while depressing the cattle
| interests of Texas. 1t has created a CON
dition of things wherein certain states
men OF Sanguiuary minds see the need of
the military. 1t has created so much agi-
tation and has "miXcd up things" until
there Is growing disposition 10 get the
land question out of politics, even though
a Wholesale slaughter of the lands must
be made, selling in unlimited quantities
even, thereby creating landed proprietors
beside which the landed possessions of
ieudal barons of the middle ages sink into
| nsignflcance.
The land question has not been settled,
nor has it been relegated to the shades of
| oOscurity, but will be u disturbing cle-
ment and the most important issue before
the people in the next canvass.
IeNas needs to retire her stupid block
heads and short-sighted politicians, and
elect a legislature who will lcgislate more
ior the welfare of the state than to create
! political capital or crafty personal or po-
htcal spite. II Texas ever did need the
AID OF statesmen now Is the time. She
needs man in the executive chair, and
not single block-head in the legislature.
She needs sensible land system, and we
are OF those who believe the state would
be more prosperous and the school fund
greatly increased were every homeless
lahily g'ceH home without money and
without price We would not wholesale
the land, but we would settle the West
win small farmers, even though the land
would have to be given away as an in
uucemeht to settlement, believing that
small farmers who own their farms de-
Velop the resources of country to its
utmost and make its prosperity pernan-
eht' Then let the issue in the next can
VaSs be Establishment OF the lease law,
ana homes for the people" So far as
Tue course OF The GAZETTE is concerned
on me question, the people lndorse you,
ana need only chance to prove It To your
''''si"c'lon, f b. BAmuo.