The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-02-14
FRONTIER BATTALION
Its Faithful Performance of Every
Duty Required OF II.
A Liberal Appropriation Wanted
to Sustain the Force in the
Field.

General King, in his com prehensive and
interesting report, has the following to say
of the Frontier battalion:
The battalion is too small for the ser
vices demanded by public necessities; but
the excellent material composing the en-
tire force is a guarantee of its faithful
performance of every duty within its
power, and its record in this respect is
such in every part of the state where it
has served that the orderly and lsw-abid-
ing people are its friends.
Train robbing last year in Texas fol
lowed so closely after the first decrease in
the ranger force, and became so frequent
for a time, and so serious in its methods
and results, and so marktd was the inabil-
ity of the state to suppress these out
RACES by the as encits then at its control,
that other means had to be sought. To
accomplish this desirable and greatly
needed purpose in lawful way confer
ence was had between your excellency and
myself and tho leading representatives of
most of the railways of the state, and
system was devised and pat in operation
for especial ranger service" on the pas
senger trains. without cost to the state.
Trustworthy conductors, engineers, brake
men and other railway employees were Sc
lie cted and sworn in as Especial rangers"
and were then armed by the railway COM
panies. This system has worked well aud
is still in operation, and think there can
| be no doubt but what it has been pow
erful hgent in stopping train robbing.
Especial rangers" without pay from the
state, have also been appointed and
"sworn in" in a number of counties
where their services were asked for by
the officials and citizens, and where it
was thought the public interests could
and would be subserved by this process.
Great care has been exercised in confer
ring this authority upon individuals, the
public interest being the motive in every
case, and the plan has evidently been pro-
ductive of good, and met the wishes of
the people where it is in operation, as no
com plants of wrong doing by these
Specials" have ever reached this Office.
Scores of applications have been sent
into my Office, by persons in all parts of
the state, for authority to carry pistols
for private or personal purposes; but such
applications were necessarily refused, as
the power to grant such authority for
such purposes does not rest with me. The
law against carrying pistols cannot be so
set aside, and in no instance has such
authority been given, except as already
indicated and for public purposes.
In arranging this Especial service" both
for the railways and for certain communi-
ties, an eye has been kept to the require
ments of the law under which the ranger
service was originally organized and since
regulated and the number of men en-
ployed as regular rangers, and those who
are specials" has been kept far within the
limits authorized by law. The maximum
number of regular paid rangers allowed
J by law is 45O men, but the number actually
, kept in the field is regulated by the
amount appropriated for pay and sub
, sistence.
, The battalion is now too small, as be-
, fore said, for the many requirements and
exigencies of the public service, and il
! may so continue; and yet it is such q
powerful factor for good, has been of such
immense advantage to the whole border
and in many other sections; has aided sc
8 materially the peaceful progress of oul
western settlements; has given protection
and needed support to SO many courts in
) weak communities; has go often given en-
, couragement and hope for the present and
r future to the peaceable people, and fright
: and confusion to the lawless ones, and hai
been so efficient and safe and ready ar
aid to wise executive authority
{ as to render it's continuance 6
> matter apparently of positive necessity
1t is by far the most efficient and econom
7 icsl agency in the state IN the suppression
8 of lawlessness, and as an adjunct to active
2 enterprising sheriffs all over the border it,
3 usefulness cannot be easily measured. Tht
number of criminals arrested by the ran
' gers, the courts attended and witnesses
protected, the stolen stock returned to III
) owners, are things of Importance, ant
may be count ted and named; but these al
t sink into comparative insiRnificance wher
balanced against the moral force, or SOM
t other mighty influence for good, exertec
and made active by the presence of thi
body of men in any community where the!
serve. A simple scout" by the ranger
/ through any county infested by lawles
: men purifies the whole moral atmosphere
: 80 to speak, and the criminal elements dis
3 appear for the time being. In the interes
r of peace and security to life and property
of law and order and good government,
trust that the wisdom of the honorable
legislature SO soon to assemble in thi
: grand capitol building may induce tbi
D body to confde to your excellapcy's hand
D a yearly sum sufficient to meet all reason
' able demands made for the continues
: service of this frontier force"