Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-12-05

those now in operation in
Texas, and in substituting in
their stead the liberal system
which has brought such marvellous pres
perity to the sections in which the federal
lands were situate.
The time hiss come to fsce some
dissgreeable truths in relation to
the situation in the school land
districts. RogY-colored statements
may subserve individual interests, hui
they csunot change cond itions snd in the
end they aggravate the evils. It is nc
exaggerated picture that is drawn in thfs
pstition; Con the contrary 1t is the con-
servstivs statement OF men whose
interests are directly opposed to any
thing which might excite public slarm
snd retsrd settlement.
In the twenty seven counties comprls-
ing the Panhandle OF Texas, there were
cast in the late election 2O60 votes. The
entire population CT these counties ia moi
in excess Ct 1000 people, an
average CT less than $50 TO tie
county, or to put it more
poinndly one inhabl:snt to fifty square
miles. II Is true that direct railroad
communicable with this section has
been established less than two years, bu.
that was lorg enough to work g much
greater chsrge in the country If the usual
Inducements to settlement in c
Jew country had been CT
tered. The stubborn TACT 1s
that the state has dealt with It's landed
holdings after tie manner ofsn avsricious
and overresching landlord. Z hiss put
conditions upon their purchase which
aaye Kept out more thsn Tie present
aumber OF settlers upon the lsnds
and are driving others away, some
In dis2us: because they have
found their purchases Improbable
under present conditions, others in de-
spair because al their earthly possessions
Fave been sacrificed II an fort to meet
the hsrd exsc ions OF the law.
The effect OF this selfish policy
upon the interests OF the west
End Indirectly upon the school fund rev.
enues may easily be sscertsined by 3
comparison Of me situstion in Greer with
that q its Sister counties In the PSr han
die. Three years Ego the population in
Greer was corf0ed to few rowing bands
Of cowboys. Aboat thst time the sgi,
tstion Of the ques iop Ct the ownership CT
the county vas begun. rhe regults fur
nlsh s startling commentary upon the
policy of the State TcwSrds the west: the
mere possibility that Greer county might
revert &c the United Stitos, and ihst the
federal land policy might prevail there,
has given the county populs
lion almost eGusI TO that
OF the entire Panhandle besides. The
scholastic census OF 1887 revealed tie
presence Ct ever 575 children within
6cto.ss:ic age in the county, indicating,
according to the usual proportions in
:hst sectior, population CT 5000. This.
it should ne remembered, was
acquired without 5 railroad touching the
county. The sentiments Of the people Of
Greer upon the boundary question
furnish further evidence OF the unwisdom
OF our own system Almost without
exception, the actusl settler cisss favors
the Claims Ct he United States
upon the disputed territory. This truth
msy not be rellshed by the people CT
Texas, but It is tru h and one for which
the oppressive attitude CT the state
towards :he settler is responsible.
That there are not fifty Thousand peo-
pie in the Panhandle of Texas 10 day is
due solely to thu public school land sys-
TEN CT the state. II may we'll be q1es-
toned whether the Interests Of thst eec-
ton SD CT the state st large would
not have been better snoserVsd under q
system Of granting homestead grstaitiss
20 settlers than under the policy which
has prevailed. The history OF this coun-
Try from the earliest to the late St settle,
Uents verifes the assertion of the petition
that at is about eli tbst new Country
is worth to settle and Improve ,it.2'
It reveals another fac. ths.
is commented to the Texas lsgisl Sure
for mobilization. That no couneg OF
section has ever oeen devalopeasndega
policy CT governnen:Isrdloreassh. Ftom
he time OF the division otfhs proi!sed
lsnd amorg the children OF Israel to the
present i. has been the settled policy CT
al governments to slot public
lands smorg their citizens
asa jus reward for TIE hard5hips to be
upde rgona in the development o; unoccuv
piad ta7ritcry.
+ TIE Tsxss system demands G; tie set
Ter that he shall share with the state
preh.s dependent wholly upon his
toll. l: Is more immoral than the
contracts of the worst Ct usurerr,
for, not content with unlawful advantage.
It claims an interest in the sweat and toll