Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-03

NV OF the COn5utullOut III tiuShh
OF 100 acres 10 actual settlers, with
no 100-mile pasture fences, no land
corporations or eyndicates, foreign
or domestic, claiming TO own whole
counties, no cattle kings with their hun
dreds Of lne-riders, not only TO keep
their numerous herds In the boundaries
they with lordly liberality laid
out for themselves, but 70 keep
out settlers, as well. During that
time petitions from the people were
given respectful attention. The MAORI
ties Of the Democratic party had gradually
increased until its nomination amounted
to "walk-over,r and no stronger proof
could be required OF the truth of the po-
sition taken in your leader above alluded
TO than is shown by true and honest ex-
animation of our history since the inaug-
uratioL of this large majority or "walk-
over" rule was developed. One, and the
most damaging, result has been q
"walk-over" that part Of the constitution
reserving the public lands for actual set
tiers, In tracts of 100 acres, and
selling them In large tracts to
land and cattle corporations and
syndicates at the very low price
OF so cents per acre. II Is true, that the
law, as passed, limited the sale to any one
party to seven sections, but equally true,
II uncontradicted reports can be relied
upon, that the official head Of the Demo
cratic party not only intimated to these
syndicates that the law could be evaded,
but told them how they could do it and
thereby monopollze still larger bodies of
land. As the legitimate result OF such a
policy, the area of dissatisfaction and dis
regard Of law was soon lnaugurated, and
the very general disregard of the rights
OF person and property, as shown iu
fence-cutting, strikes, and destruction Of
life and property, and the marked inef-
ficiency In enforcing the laws, completes
the proof that your position regarding
parties, who hold power by such large
maiorlties, il long continued, become
dangerous 10 the interests of the people.
believe am correct when | express the
| opinion that two-thirds OF the bona-fide
citizens OF Texas earnestly desire that
some state effort shall be made to lessen
the terrible evil the use Of whisky, as
now permitted In our state, produces.
From our very nature there is, and will
be, differences of opinion as to what shall
be the remedy tried. A very large num-
Der of respectable citizens have asked our
Democratic legislature to submit to q
vote Of the people the proposition to make
o prohibition amendment TO our constitu-
ton. That request was reasonable and
ought to have been granted; II it had been
and was voted down, as l believe
| 1t would have been, it would
have settled for time at least
that point and left the friends of the
measure free to unite on some other
plan to lessen the evil AS the question
now stands, the friends of some state
effort to lessen the evils resulting from
the whisky traffic, as now existing, may
look in vain In the platform or utterances
OF those who are acknowledged to be the
leaders OF the Democratic party for any
assurance or pledge in favor of any hon.
est effort by the states on their part to
lessen this crying evil, hence the contin-
ued agitation to remedy by prohibition
1t Is to my mind clear that agitation
will continue, Notwithstanding the effort
by the present leaders Of the Democratic
party TO prescribe and bulldoze all those
who favor state control OF the liquor
traffic. There are too many good and true
men in as well as outside the Democratic
party who favor the effort to lessen the
evils OF the liquor traffic, as now run BY
law, or it should rather be said in def
ance OF law, to be lead off from its advo
cacy by any OF "the arts and sciences
OF the politicians, nor will 1t hole
them responsible for the misdirecteC
efforts OF the extremists advocating that
cause, or drive them from the continued
and earnest advocacy Of 1t. If all parties
were judged by the extremists in then
they would all be condemned, and prop
erly so, as all parties have in
them extremists, our Democratic world
Is no exception to the rule. l am
earnestly opposed to prohibition by the
state as the remedy, but favor and de
mand, as far as my efforts can 90, that the
Democratic party shall make some effort
To control the evil. The argument that
the law cannot be enforced is applicable
TO all other laws as to this, and is 6
direct encouragement to law-breakers
and the failure to promptly and efficiently
execute the laws Is the prime cause of al
our difficulties, and If the Galveston conven.
ton had announced that while pledgine
the party to pass or amend all the laws
: necessary for the correction of all abuses
and the full protection Of the rights OF
, all aud every citizen, and pledged Itself
and all It's nominees to prompt, faithful
and efficient execution Of all the laws
and Gen. Ross in his acceptance had used
! |
the eternal, the laws must and shall be
honestly enforced il l am made your
governor!" it would have been notice not
only to law-brsakers to keep out of our
state but g warning to such in our state,
and the victory over lawlesness and
crime would have been half won. |
know Gen. Ross well, and know him to
be an honest, true-hearted gentleman
and patriot, one in whose bosom there
dwells too earnest and warm love
for Texas and all her interests to admit
of any doubt about his doing all he can
to advance them by all means in his
power, and ] shall vote for him with
pleasure and do what can to make his
administration successful. Hoping he
may be able to overcome the difficulties
that big malorities have thrown around
the administration of his Immediate pre-.
, decessoIs, am, ETC.,
j. B. ROBERTSON.
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