Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-11-17

ehciarics. Tho best lands win first he Sc
lected and purchased, and the inferior
lands near them win soon be needed tor
pasturagc aud outlets, and win sell for
as much rs the good lands do now. Such
u complete system as n private landowner
would probably adopt for the disposition
OF these lands would include the placing
of minimum value upon every section of
1t, having reference 20 its proximity 20
market, railroads and settlement, az wen
rs to the climate, characteristics of the
district and the Intrinsic value of the
land with respect TO soil and timber.
wArEBED LAND.
These lands are In great demand, and
when they are placed on the market great
care should be taken In order 10 prevent
them from falling into the hands OF spec
ulutors, This cannot be too well guarded,
for every intrigue aud device viii bo used
TO get hold of them. II the land board
had not withdrawn them from the market
they would all now be In the hands of
spectators,
FREE GRASS.
II the public lands were declared to be
free range IL Is my opinion that wealthy
companies and corporations would pur-
chase sufficient cattle 10 consume all the
grass, and that they would pool their
issues and harrass and annoy the small
stockmcn and actual settlers until they
would sell out and leave the country.
There are many ways of using up the
small man without Quarrcllng with him
The employees Of the large stoCkman can
separate the calves from the cows, scat
ter the cattle and ruin him. Free grass
should be no longer tolerated, and the
people should dismiss IL from their minds
and enact q lease and sale law that Will
give equal rights and protection TO all.
CORPORATIONS.
The school lands are, for the most
part, grazed on by corporations. More
than half Of these corporations
are owned by non-rcsidcnts of this state
The men OF small mean have no equal
chance with these powerful bodies, whose
agents only are seen. Their presence
oyer-awes and intimidatcs the unprotected
immigrant -inyndes the territories they
occupy. II seems 20 me that the policy Of
the state which permits live stock corpo-
ratiOns II Injurious to the development Of
the country. The question Is simply this;
Which Is the better Tor the state 10 have
her school lands settled and made more
valuable by the small stock farmer and
agrlculturist, or 10 permit them to the
exclusion Of settlers, and their cattle en-
rlchlng the stockholders who never see
the state and have no other Interest ~ IL
These corporations have stretched wire
fences around millions Of acres of the
school land without authority Of law and
in the face OF the statute prohibiting u.
They clamor for free grass, but are not
willing to leave II free to others,
KEvENuEs FROM scnooL LhSD
II proper laws are enacted for the man
aeemcnf of the school lands, with
sales and leases on easy terms, the rcye-
nue. from sales, leases and interest on
school land obligations would amount so
81, 900, 900 annually, and II the lands are
made taxable Ia the hands Of the lessee
under the plan propose about $4,000
would be paid into the state treasury an
nually for the support Of the state gov
eminent. The school land department,
under the management OF commls-
sioner with law prescribing fees 70 be
charged, would not cost the school fund
more than $4,000 annually and would
receive and pay into the state treasury
more money than any other department.
THR ENCLOSURE ACT.
This Law Is being boldly and deiiantly