Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-02-25
Views Of a Candidate for Governor
on Leading Questions Before
the Public.
lie Fayors Sale OF School Lands TO
Aciual Settlers as Opposed to
Present Lease system.
Tho Renitentiary, University, Prohibition,
Libel, Knights OF Labor, Farm
ers' Alliance issues.



evening, and answered the following in
ierrrogations OF GAZETTE reporter;
keporter--Gen. Ross, the impression II
very general that you intend TO allow
your name TO go before the next Demo
cratic state convention as n candidat,
iur governor. Have you any objection
70 saying whether this Ia correct?
Gen. Ross-None at all. My purpose
Is TO have my name placed before the
convention as candidate for governor.
R.-~iiave you any objection to laying
your views before the public upon some
leading questions now agltating the pub.
lie mlnd2
Gen. R.--None whatever AS candi.
date for the office, the public are entitled
70 my views on any public question, and
they VIII be cheerfully given by me on
any proper OCCASION have preferred
70 postpone an announcement
81 my candidacy so early
in the campaign, and have
deprecated any active agitation OF polltl-
cal and personal issues so long In advance
OF action by the people In their primaries
and conventions. But as this agitation
mas already begun without my lnstru-
mentality, and there is general demand
from the press, II not from the people,
Tor Information as TO the views OF proba-
Die candidates, | chcerfully forcgo my
own disposition on the subject.
What are your views on the public
land question:
Gen. R--Decldedly In favor OF their
early sale, ON long time, 70 actual settlers
only, aud upon low rate OF interest
R-Do understand from this state.
ment that you are opposed TO the present
lease system9
Gen. R.--Yes, am opposed to the pres.
ent lease system and the present sale sys-
TEN, including the land board. Our
lands should be placed on the market
with as little fred tape" regulations as
possible. The system OF sales should be
simple and easily comprehended and UNI
derstood by the hu mblest citizen who
may desire TO become purchaser This
system should also be fixed and perma.
nent, and the regulations should be only
such as are necessary to protect the state
from fraud and the fund from peculatlon.
We have prospered and advanced under
q similar system from the early settle
ment OF the country, and the recent de-
parture from that line OF policy
has nreclpitated evils upon the
state which Will last us for
many years. We should profit from our
own experience and the lesson taught us
by the federal government In dealing
with its lands--save them for homes for
onr people and throw no object in the
way Of their settlement Not an acre
should DO sold TO u corporation, for we
wantno such land ownership In Texas.
n. But, general, should not the lands
be utilized in some way so as to produce
4 revenue before salep
Gen, Undoubtedly, II it can be done
Without Interfering with the settlement
aud development of the country The
state, so far, has proved sorry landlord
but II we can devise an effective system
Of leasing which win not prove an obsta-
Gle to sales and which will render our
tax burdens lighter,no man would rejoice
more than myself at such consumma-
ton The trouble Is that the lease aud
sale systems are so antagonlstlc in ptincl-
pie and results AS to constitute each Sc.
flous clog 20 the successful operation OF
the other. If we can harmonile the two
the whole question Is solved and all aim.
culties removed.
r.. Have You any suggestion as TO how
the two systems may be harmonIzedY
Gen Rim my Judgment 10 could only
be accomplished by strict subordlnatlun
OF the one to the other. The fundamental
principle In our land policy should be
quick sales aud the conversion OF our cd.
vocational fund into safe, interest bearing
securities. Every other feature OF our
lnnd policy should be subordinate
10 that idea; for every acre of
land sold nt the minimum price will |
yield the school fund 10 cents annually |
In the way of interest, while we could |
not hope for more than cents from
leases. great deal of our public lands |
have already been classified under pre- I
vious laws MS "agrlculturalr or "graz. /
Ing" lands, and these classiDcations
should furnish some data To the leglsla- I
turc in determining what particular local.
tiles might jndiciously be thrown open
Tor temporary leases and what particular
localities ought TO be reserved for sale
exclusively. The Legislature might pro
iidc, in u general way, that Within Ger.
ain defined boundaries no lands should
~ leased, and delegate authority to the
governor Cor commissioner of the land
)illce) from time TO time, to withdraw
rom the operation of lcasos such other
ocalitioS, either districts counties or
ub division of counties, AS the demands
II settlements Indicated 20 be necessary
~ proper BY some flexible system of
his character the state would be In
condition TO respond with reasonable
TO the general demands of
he settlers and the waste lands would
% gradually clrcumscrlbed until almost
very acre NJ for settlement was taken !
p, AS the frontier line advanced west ,
garl the country would M up with the
mall farmer and stockralsor, who would
eglu their settlements on an equal foot. !
no with Wnnllhlar rnttlamcn ha,ane,