Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-05-21
His Speech Delivered at Alexander
Yesterday--Hls Position in the
Canvass Defined.
Ross Failure TO Declare in Favor OF
some state Policy at sulphur
Springs Alluded To.
Ths Record OF Ross Compared with His
own-Diffsrenoe ia Their Views on
the Questions OF tho Day.
special 70 the Gazette.


Knights OF Labor, addressed the people
and was then followed by Col. w, J.. Nc
Gaughey, our representative. Col. W. J
Swain arrived on the noon train, an,
after dinner made two hours speech I,
an audience Of 5000 people. His speech wa
listened TO with deep interest, and hli
Views were generally Endorsed by oul
people. He closed with beautiful trib
ute To the manhood and patriotism Of tht
people, and expressed confidence In theil
ability 10 sustain local seli-government
After opening the subject OF the guber
Material canvass he alluded TO the speech
of Gen. Ross at Sulphur Springs, and
said he was surprised that, as a candl
date Tor governor, he did not discuss and
declare in fayei OF some state policy "a
be pursued by him In case OF his election
But instead the general has assumed the
garb Of ward politician, and has opened
old issues that have passed eleven years.
That he had told how he, with others OF
his associates In the constitutional CON
vention in 1875, set aside 1900, 600 acres
Of the public domain ia one body for
the purpose OF building a
new state capitol. That General
Ross had not even tried 10 provide that
the land should bo sold in small lots,
The only restriction sought 10 be placed
upon u was that II should not be placed
upon the market under ten years. Swain
contended that II II was wrong to sell
100000 acres In one body the conyen-
ton was the place 10 check IT, But Gen.
Ross did not toll his hearers that he had
voted smoke-house and corn-crlb tax
upon all the farmers Of the state, which
cost the people 100000 To repeal. That
no and his associates In that convention
authorized the general incorporation act
by which the foreign and domestic cor
poratlons were Incorporated and have
taken possession Of the Panhandle 10 the
great detrment and annoyance OF the
actual settler, who desires TO tud home
In the West
Answering Gen. Ross question az TO
what part he (Swain) took IN the senate
upon the capltol.lAnd question, Col
Swain sald that he had voted to sell IN
small quantities, but falling In that II was
hnbliy agreed that n capitol board be es-
tablshed, consisting ot the i've elective
officers, with Gov. o NJ. Roberts as
chairman, aud that board WAS authorized
70 utilize the lnnd 10 the best adyan-
tase as their judgment should
direct, Tact that board made the contract
for the disposition OF the land and the
building OF the capitol before he came
into Office. Col. Swan said that he should
not have alluded TO these things, II Gen.
Ross mad not mentioned them. That the
questions involved had been discussed in
the press OF the state and he presumed
every Intelligent reader understood them
Col, Swain said that he was well salts
He'd With bis record on these questions,
and especially tho vote for change In
the material from limestone TO granite
That his vote on the Indiana limestone
proposition and those OF his two associates,
Walsh and Tompieton, had been the
means OF securing the change to granite,
OF which all the people In Texas should
be proud. He said that Gen Ross had
shown as much Ignorance when he said
the change would be million dollars adj
vantage to the contractor, ~ he did when
he said that tho new capitol would cost
only ono aud half million dollars; that
the BEST OF our architects had figured the
cost oil the building to be near four mil.
lions OF money, and that the cost In
granite over Limestone would be over six
hundred thousand dollars Regarding the
possession of the capitol lands, Gov
Roberts had long ago decided that the
contractor was entitled to possession.
Holding under q contract for purchase,
They were liable for taxes on the same, as
well ~ under n lease Of three years. The
lands were leased at oentsper acre, and
a 500 900 bond given TO secure the pay.
ment In case Of failure IN tho contract
The trade was \ good one, and the inter.
est OF the state fully guarded, Referring
10 Gen, Ross alluslun To tho use VI the
state troops TO suppress lawloss.
ness and crime, Col. Swain
said that no had repeatedly declared that
II necessary he would use such force, and
any other AT his command to enforce
obedience 10 law. That he would upD1ld
tho constitution in all It's meaning, and
that so far as no could do Il would make
every man, woman and child In Texas
feel entirely secure In both Lie and prop
ery That the frontier battalion had
been used TO arrest fence-cutters and thoy
had been used to arrest strikers, and he
could not SEQ why they could not be
properly employed 10 prevent the illegal
fencing IN tho Panhandle. That some Of
that tptce was now every day going
over the state olectioneering against him
for governor,
Col Swain paid glowing tribute TO
the law-abldlng people of the state, ana
said they paid taxes 20 support this bat.
TALON, aud expected az least some pro.
lection at their hands. He said Ross was
affected with constitutional oualms and
had become bald from superior
Knowledge OF the constitution. That n
Ross waa governor the law would have 10
enforce itself, and from recent demon.
STATIONS here, Texas would coon be Ia a
bad way. He said that Ross had not a.
sumed 70 toll the people what he
would do II governor; no had only said
what he wonld not do. That he would
not disturb the cattle barons who have
the school lands fenced; that ne would
notadvocate the lease law, and the re-
suit will be that the people Of Texas have
70 loot the hlllsin the way OF taxes 10
Keep up the schools,
Col. Swain said he was Ia favor OF the
lease law, but he did not want any land
poardi a well-tegulated lease law with |
I'll me lands belonging 10 trust FUNDS /
subject 70 sale to actual settlers aloeo on /
ong Time and at low rate OF interest
Referring 60 Gen, Ross claim. that
70 sell would secure greater revenue Ia
~ funds, Col, Swain showed that I'm.
der The lease law the state had sold thrSe
sna e-hali nallion acres at 81 per acre IN
,t'se more than two years, while under
~ SAFE law, for niue years before tho
ease law was passed, the state had soldA
',Vuo,Vo0 acrts &C 81 per acre, 81, zoe. 600
more money In two years than was re-
'eVea ~ nine years before, and st5O, 900
Y casn from leaees. The latter sales
9 aetuI settlers, while the
PRIMER were without restriction as 10 Sci,
l !. except the iewaeses sold undor act