The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-04-05
If Successful, Stupendous Gains to
Stupsndous Fund Will be
the Result.
The Whole Land System of the
State to be Turned Topsey-
Turvey and Thrown Into
Dire and Cranky
Confusion.

IL was very quleG morning, ana very
few people were on the usually busy,
bustling thoroughfare, and the reporter
was wondering where he would turn to
find real newsy item.
AS he stood musing and watching the
smoke from the great chimney at the
Driskill form into fantastic shapes as it
rolled in great eddies over the top of the
buildings, he felt touch on the shoulder.
Turning, the reporter saw familiar
face. 1t was that of a gentleman well
known.
"Want an item," he said. "If you do,
I'm your man." and he eyed the news
gatherer with a suggestive, knowing look,
betokening more than he cared to express.
Pm not particular" said the reporter.
give got more now than l can handle"
telling the first untruth for years and
years.
"Ah! You don't hey! If you knew what
I've got you would be happy. But can't
give 1t away"
"Why not?"
II can mott" then, lowering his voice to
whisper, he earnestly spoke as follows:
"Tve got something. Its important, too,
and God only knows what it is oing to
result in. Now I'll tell you keep your eye
upon and watch and listen when you are
about Mr.. -. Take my advice; watch.
There was something in the lonesome
thing in the look. The reporter made up
his mind to watch.
Not only to watch, but to place his tow
lines in position.
There was nibble Monday, Tuesday
the cork went under and the arm of the
reporter was well nigh yanked from its
socket.
1t was Tuesday a well-known gentle
man approached the reporter.
"Have you heard of the big land suit?'
he asked.
"Certainly," answered the mild man
nered reporter.
"The mischief
''What do you think I'm here for?"
"WelI, was afraid you had and want
you to keep it quiet for few days"
"Can't do it. Its contrary to
rules, and if there is anything on
earth, I'll do is to keep the rules and tell
the truth. Why do you want it kept quiet,
anyhow
Il look upon it as an air-drawn dagger,
a phantasy, some such stuff as dreams are
made of, yet eminently calculated to do
great HARM"
"How so?"
Glow so? my God, it will create distrust
and cause q commotion throughout the
whole state. You know the attorney-gen
eral has brought this suit to make test
case"
'Ah?"
Yes. YOU st he has instituted it away
off, in Val Verde county, and has been
keeping it quiet. It's against the Southern
Pacific Railroad company. You go and
see him about it and ascertain from him
the facts, if you cam"
THE CASE.
The reporter talked some time with the
gentleman, and then he talked to others,
anu was astounded at the disclosures
made.
The attorney general has instituted
suit against the Gllvesto Harrisburg
and San Antonio Railroad company, to
recover forty sections of land, alleged
to be due the school fund.
To understand the suit it is necessary
to 90 back some three or four years.
1t will be remembered that some three
wears ago, Mr.. L. d. Brooks, of this city,
en- attorney, wrote letter to the Calves
ton News, in which he, in plausible
language called attention, to what he
considered some very crooked ways
of handling the school lands by
which the school fund had been tieeceo
ont of millions of acres of land.
Tn this letter he commended that the
constitutional provision setting aside one
half of the public domain to the schools
had never been complied with, and in the
letter he said
"a hasty glance at the management o.
the fund (the free school fund) by the
state officers having it in charge, and the
laws intended for it's government will
suffice to show that not by inaction merely
nor by complacent acquiescence IN mega
acts of others, but by an active particlpa'
ton on the part OF some, and the glVhP
of their official sanction on the part o.
others, to management, not only mo-
authorized by law, but which was plalnl!
in violation of the most positive require
ments of the organic law of the state
have, within the Last eight years. illegal!
deprived the common school fund o
many millions of acres of land.
"rhese lands have, without authority o
law, been taken from the school fund an
illegally parceled out to corporations an
others, by those whose sworn duty 1t wa
. to protect this fund and to Sc
there it was applied exclusively to tn
education of the children of the state t
which use it had been solemnly dedicate
by the people.
"In proof of the charge here made, a,
tention is invited to section 2, article vi
of the present constitution, to wit:
"sAli funds, lands and other propert
heretofore set apart and appropriated TO
the support of public schools; all the alter
nate sections of land reserved by the stat
out of grants heretofore made, or tha
NAV hereafter be made to railroads @
other corporations Of any nature wha!so
ever; one half of the public domain OF Tn
state. and all sums of money that ma
come to the state from the sal
if any portion of the came shall consul
tute perpetual school fund.
, "Now look, if you please, to the severe
reports made by the commissioner OF IN
general land Office and see how mau
millions'of acres of public domain thei
were in Texas on the 18th day OF apr
1876, the date of the ratification OF tn
constitutional provision, approprlatin
one-half of the then existing public q
main of the state to the common scho