Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-01-17

Is made up OF lease law men. That
Is, they are Inclined TO favor the lease
because Of an honest desire TO prodnee
as much revenue as possible from the
school lands. Yet, there never was o
time when they did not dread the results
OF the system. But little longer than o
year ago one distinguished MEMBER voiced
this feeling N the following forcible
language "Wlcn an acre OF land II leased
IL Is irretrieyaby gone from settlement
Tor the term OF the lease, no matter how
long that ISL This suspicion was re-
sponsible for all the apparent inconeist-
oncies In the board, Had It been deter
mined to lease, regardless Of resules,
every acre Of the pubic lands might now
be leased and under fence. Such con-
summation is what the board most feared
One great confession HAS been forced
from the lease advocates there Is
q conflict between the sale aud lease sys-
tenn No one denies this now. Those
who would still cling to the sinking ship
OF lease-lawism are trying torcconcilo the
two. They admit that they are ~ sea
they are ut n loss what to propose. Some
how they hope 10 stumble on n plan, like
man working nj the ilfteen-bnil puzzle.
But the cunhict---lt Is real, apparent, un-
denied. " one Is to be adopted in Its
entirety, the other must be entirely aban-
dOncd. IL both are TO be maln'alned,
then such concessions must be made from
each as TO render neither satisfactory. IL
Is like trying to reconcile light and
darkness, virtue and evil. Compromises
In such cases are generally disastrous.
To lease the land IL to place an occupant
upon 1t, an occupant who will not re-
linquish TO apurchascr without protest;
an occupant who woald not have leased
at all II he had believed In the possibility
of sale In defiance Of his prior occn-
pancy.
have had interesting conversations
with some OF the grass commissioners
They all say that the eattlemen are pro-
testing vigorously against the privilege
which the settler has OF encroachlng on
their leases, and threaten that unless this
is repealed they will refuse to make
further leases. The conviction Ia grow
Ing among the lease men that this invita-
ton 10 settlers will have TO be with
drawn II the lease is to be preserved.
Some of them are ready TO plunge body
and soul into the relentless tenacles Of
the land monopollsti others would sacrl-
nee pet theory before invoking such
perils ON the state. Besides, the con-
stitutlon says the LANDS must be sold; the
constitution-makers forgot, strangely
enough, TO mention the lease. Even law
makers and state officials mast obey the
con titution--at times.
The lease is doomed. The Twentieth
legislature may not repeal IL, that would
be too much to expect, but the Twentieth
legislature will provide vigorous sale
system, and that means death to the
lease The Twentieth legislature will
also abolish the land board and place the
management of the public lRuds in the
hands OF a single executive officer, who
will be gwen policy for guidance. II
the law is ignored that official will be i'm
| peaehed.
/ Said an astute politician TO me: "The
alliance OF Gov. ireland vita the SO
called frec-grass cattlemen has, II political
Significance far beyond the grass quee.
ton. In the campaign Of - the governor
posed AS the uncompromising enemy oi
! the barons Then he was candidate FOL
governor, The governor Is made by popu
lar election. Now he IL n candidate FOL
senator. The Legislature elects senator
1 Pretty cold weather, isn't itp''
IApA