The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-02-25

play. Let us have it in this canvass SC
that after the race the party will still
stand together, and harmonious in its
magnificent majority in this state.
JUDGE TERRELL AND LAND MONOPOLY.
Some editors have endeavored to place
Judge Terrell in a false position, regard
ing the question of land monopoly. JUS
tice requires that the people should have
the following facts, taken from the SEN
ate journals:
On the 10Th of February, 1876, after
the passage of the bill to relieve railroads,
under which the Texas Pacific secured
millions of acres, that Terrell, Story, Nc
for the state, Judge Terrell placed on the
journals of the senate a lengthy protest,
in which occurs the following language:
"There are urgent reasons why Texas
should not permit herself to be trihed
with longer by this giant monopoly.
"The claims of the school fund upon
the public domain, emitting it to four
millions of acres more than the
INDICATED half remaining, to
compensate for that quantity
granted to the International railroad com
pany the necessity to utilize the 3,00O,-
600 of acres set aside by the constitution
to erect new capitol, and the Importance
of securing to actual settlers our land, are
considerations that appeal to this legisla-
ture to resume control of this large body
of territory, heretofore reserved to the
Pacific railway. The 100000 acres over
and above the half of the public domain,
which the state owes the school fund, the
100000 dedicated to build new CAPT
toll and the 100000 dedicated to endow
a university, in all 100000 ofacres, must
be found out of little over 30,OO0,OOO
of acres, which is all the state now owns,
after setting aside alternate sections for
school purposes. Does not every CON
consideration of our own interest and that
of our posterity demand that these
special claims should first be
satisfied before longer pursuing
our course of prohigate and profitless
prodigality to mammoth corporations.
Texas has promised, conditionally, to
railroads, 12s,0O9,2t0 acres of the public
domain, as will be shown by report
made in pursuance to a resolution intro
duced by me. This quantity is about
four times the amount of her disposable
public domain."-(S. j., 5SOD
Senator Terrell was one of only six
senators who, in 1876, voted against the
general law granting land to railroads.
Those voting with him were Ball. Blassen-
game, Grace, Guy, Henry, and Piner.
Is. j., of 1876, p. 6S1.) No vote of his
has been found granting land subsidies
to railroads.
On the 10th of February 1888, he re-
ported bill to limit the scope and pow
ers of private corporations. Is. j., Az
He moved to amend that bill so as to pro-
hibit any corporation from owning over
$40 acres of land in Texas. Is. j., p.
1919 On motion of another senator
it was amended so as to permit
Il corporation to own GO acres in
each county, and in that shape it bee ame
laws. j., y. 1901
AT the called session of 1884 Judge Ter
rell introduced in the senate resolution
calling on Governor Ireland to submit to
the legislature the propriety of repeating
all laws granting land to corporations, ex-
cept for mechanical and transportation
and under authority of article
594, revised statutes, to alter and reform
all former charters authorizing land cor
porations to hold land SO as to limit their
and require them to wind up
their affairs, pay debts and distribute
among stockholders their assets.-(S. j.,
p. 55.)
Governor Ireland did not respond to
the call and the bill was reported against.
On April %, 1876, Judge Terrell intro
iuced bill to build a new capitol by sell
ing to the people land certificates in guam
titles of 820 and GAO acres Is. j.. p. 100.
It was substituted by bill to survey
100000 acres of land to be sold to actual
settlers in quantities of 100 acres, and to
others in quantities of $40 acres, which
passed the senate August s. 1875, by a vote
Of fifteen to eleven, Judge Terrell voting
for it. is. L. 1901. That bill failed in
The house and no law was passed that SEES
sion.
Terrell was sworn to observe constitu- |
lion which required 100000 acres of land
10 be appropriated to build capitol il
some way. He had failed to do it in his way
'y selling land in small quantities to the |