Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-02-10
TOLAR'S LAND BILL.
Why Should Texas Ask More for Her Lands
than the Federal Government Asks.
WAsHBgRN, Tex, Feb. Z, 1889.

than the Federal Government Asks.
WAsHBgRN, Tex, Feb. Z, 1899.
To the Gazette.
I have read several articles ia various
] papers eulogizing Dr. Tolar 5 land bill +.
1 will betray my disqualification for criti-
cising said measure by stating that I
have never read it, but from these com
mandatory articles am led to the conclu-
| sion that the chief difference between 1t
| and the existing law is that DIR. Tolar S
| bill requires actual settlement of one
! year before transfer can be
made, and that y it permits
non-residents or rather non-settlerS to
| purchase, restricting their ownership TO
ten (l0) years holding before transfer.
In my opinion the requirement of one
year S residence is very good; indeed it
would be much better to require three
years actual settlement and unquestion-
able proof of that fact to be submitted TO
and accepted by the commissioner of the
general land Office before a transfer
conld be permitted. While that might
work hardship on some, we recognize
the fact that it is almost impossible
to pass q general statute on
anything that will do and act
justice to all men, and it
seems that nothing short of this viii
break up the extensive and open land
grabbing that has and is being practiced
throughout every part of Texas where
the public lands are. For, nOtwithstano-
ing the very strict enaetments in the
present law against any but actual set
tiers purchasing the school lands, it is
notorious fact that more than one-half of
the lands sold are being held by nom
settlers and for speculation The COM
missioner, it seems, is doing all in his
power TO have these Illegal sales can
celled and to put actual settlers upon
these fraudulent holdings, but strangers
coming into a new settlement are 10th
TO begin their new career with a Wran-
gle, and in those cases which have come
under my observation it is generally adj
venturers who jump, and the last state
of the land is no better than the first.
The proposition to sell the school lands
to non-rosidents without giving them
right to dispose of them within ten years
would prove the greatest barrier to the
development and settlement Of the West,
and is an outrage on those of us who
are here. 1t would not only re-
suit in putting the rich and
promising land of the Panhandle into the
hands of spectators, but would pace
them there under such conditions and re-
strictions that should one want to buy
them and settle among us he could not do
it under ten years. To argue that men
would not buy these lands under pressure
of having to keep them and pay interest
for ten years, is to argue nonsense. If
DR.. Tolar does not believe that moneyed
spectators would buy them why does he
thus provide for them do so? To say
that this is to enable poor people who can
not come here and live, to acquire
a home is greater nonsense still.
OF what earthly use to anyone is home
stead upon which he cannot make liv-
ing? To invite the poor people of the
settlements to invest their hard
earned savings in sterile hands is certain
ly not the action of a patriot.
1t is true that man cannot come into
the Panhandle with absolutely nothing
and take up and pay for section of land
Unless he has $50 he cannot make the |
first payment; unless he has team and
pillow he cannot trIrn over the sod. |
Neither can he in the most favored |
spot of God s creation unless he had a
years supply of provisions, clothing,
etc. . on hand or the money to buy it, he |
cannot make a crop in Armstrong coun-
ty, nor can he III Lamar, Dallas or Tar
rant. If it takes his daily earnings to |
buy his daily bread in the Panhandle, so
it will in the Cotton belt. So if he can
not live in the Panhandle on his own |
home and pay for it, he cannot live any |
where else and pay for it.
Now, if the conditions under which we |
are placed are such as to render it unfa- |
vorable for the homeless to maintain |
and pay for homes, would it not I
fl-s hot
these homeless ones that fine price of !
these lands be reduced to the price at
which the Federal government sells its
lands, and the interest on deferred pay
ments likewise reduced to the minimum?
Why should the lands in Texas be held at
81 and So per acre, while in every other
state and territory they are only 81 20?
DR.. Tolar, Judging from his bill, thinks
the lease price of the school lands, 4
cents per acre per annum, is too much,
and therefore advocates that it be reduced !
to cents per acre; but he does not see
anything wrong in these deserving poor
for whom he Is anxious to provide homes
at 81 and SO per acre and per cent in
terest, having to pay 10 and Is cents per
acre. Interest and rent in this case is
the same. If the lessee cannot pay 4
cents, is it right to ask the purchaser to
pay III ana 10 cents! a tWo-yearS resi-
dence in the Panhandle has proved to my
that living is as easily made
here as in any other part of the state.
What we need and want are actual set
Tiers and more railroads. If DR., Tolar
would visit upon himself the plaudits of
his constituents, 'tWell done. thou good
and faithful servant, - and cause mis-
memory to be called blessed - LET aim
battle for the settlement of unoccupied
ands; otherwise, his name is Dennis. -
JAMES LoGUE.
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