Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-20

item used in this Southern country, was
fought with persistence and zeal and IN.
telligence BY every representative from
Texas. And yet I am informed that there
IS 10 be an antl-monopoly party, combin'
Ing all the elements OF hostility to the
Democrats Of Texas, and ask why2 Let
any man put his finger apon a single act
OF omission or commission OF any mem
Der OF the Texas delegation, and | will
! give II all up II you can find q single in
stance in which the interests OF Texas,
or of any class Of its citizens, OF any
farmer or Of any lRbcring man, has been
essailed or threatened, that the entire
delegation did not promptly and en7rget-
icAlly defend and assert
THE RIGHTS or THE PEoFlE.
And now, fellow citizens, | will not
pursue this tariff question any further
Everybody knows that ourfarmer's wheat
and cotton goes TO Liverpool aud London
and TO the European markets, where IL IL
sold in competition with cotton and wheat
raised by the recently emancipated serfs
OF Russia and the half-clad and half
starved inhabitants OF India. Our people
are free American citizens, who open up
their farms, and till their fields, and
gather their harvests-frequently with
their wives and daughters assisting them;
and then they have TO send their products
20 these European markets to sell In COM
petition with the products of the Pauper
laber OF the old world. They have no
protection.
The European manufacturer gives bet
ter wages than any other class OF en-
ployers In Europe. In order TO protect
less than one million OF laborers engaged
In manufacturing Industries in this coun-
try, the great farming class of the United
States Is exposed TO the competition Of
the worst fed and poorest paid labor in
the world. People who do not get more
than few cents day are the class with
whom yourselves and your wives and
your daughters must compete on every
thing you buy you are taxed from 451 to
473 per cent. for the protection OF the
manufacturing classes of this country
from the best paid labor in Europe. 1t is
robbery that ought not to be tolerated
under civilized government
Now, my fellow citizens, these indie
pendent parties have great deal TO say
about the disposition of the public land
and the manner in which it has been
given away to corporations. Let me refer
you to the history of the disposition of
| land by this government.
From the Inauguration OF Mr.. Jefferson,
In 1901, to the Inauguration OF Abraham
Lincoln, In 1861, the country being under
Democratic rule nearly all the time, there
were 3O,O00,000 acres Of land granted to
the states, 10 be used by them in further
ance OF public improvements, with the
Limitation that no more than six sections
to the mile should be granted to any rail-
way corporation; 80, 000, 600 Of acres in six
ty years. On the other hand between s62
under Republican rule, and 1871,
under Republican rule, nine years, there
were l79 100000 of acres Of the public
lands granted to railway corporations in
quantities ranging from fifteen to twenty
sections to the mile In addition to this
enormous amount OF public lands, there
was granted to railroads during those
nine years money and bonds on which the
interest amounts to about $3.50, 1000, 900
more. One hundred and seventy nine
millions OF acres Of lands2 1t is difficult
to appreciate the meaning of the words.
1t amounts to 2Sl, JIG square miles. 1t
is equal to eight and half times the area
OF the state of Indiana; four times that OF
all the New England states combined. II
is larger than ell OF the 1--WE great states
OF the Northwest carved out of the
magnificent donation of the state of Vir.
ginla to the states of the Union 1t is
twice as large as the empire of Great
Britain, larger than the republic OF
France, larger than the empire OF Ger
many, larger than any empire in
Europe except Russia. This magnificent
domain was granted in nine years by the
Republican party, in quantities of six
teen TO twenty sections to the mile. Let
my Antl-Monopolist friends consider the
record OF the two parties up to that time
thirty million OF acres granted by the
Democrats In sixty years TO the states to
be used by them as their property. One
hundred and seyenty-nine million granted
by the Republicans in nine years
win these Anti Monopoly Democrats
who are doing all in their power to drag
down the Democratic party and to assist
the Republican party, consider that fact?
But do not want them to stop there. /
want them to consider the record further.
These grants commenced to expire In
1871. In many instances the railroads
had not complied with the conditions
upon which the land was granted, having
failed to earn their lands by the construc-
ton of their roads. Under Republican
president aud Republican congress,
nothing Is done; but as soon as the
Democrats obtain majority in the house
OF representatives, the charters of
these railroad companies were ex.
| alhlneu' IL WAS discovered that many
OF the roads had forfeited their grants OF
land, and the Democrats imme diately COM
menced passing bills of forfeiture; and
we have already by this means restored
to the people 100000 of acres, while
we have htlls on the calender to forfeit
every other acre that has not been earned
which will be passed at this coming SEES
sion OF congress. Applause, They
tell us, fellow-cltizens, that they need an
Autobiography party Why, my fellow.
citizens, am an Antl-Monopolist, and
am an Anti-Monopolist because
l am Democrat All Democrats are
Anti-Monopollsts Take that land record,
and 1t proves 1t. can prove 1t by the
record OF the Democratic party as we'll
since the war, as before. 1t is true that
we have been crippled by Democrats from
one NTH to one-tenth of our representa-
ton In congress- Democrats who have
Joined the Republicans ia opposition to
the Democratic party. But these men
who Join with the Republicans are not
Texas meni and II our Anti Monopolist
friends want to chastlse anybyody let
them go to the states where
these men are. That, my fellow-clti-
zens, Is part Of our record. What
became OF the money and the bonds is
sued TO these railroads. | Will tell you
what became of them, my fellow citizens,
The railroads, under Republican rule, have