The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-01-02

surved 300 leagues provided for by
previous enactment. Under provi-
sions of the act cited, Greer county,
when it became organized as one OF
the counties of this state, applied
through its proper officers for the
allotment of county school lands, and
on the 18th day Of July, 1887, received
patents for four leagues or HIP
acres of valuable land, situated in the
county of Cochran, and the commits
sioners' court of Greer county
has sold this land, and the
people of the county are now
enjoying the proceeds in the nam
tenance of their public schools. Again,
under the laws of Texas authorizing
the various counties OF the state,
through their commissioners courts,
to erect public buildings and to issue
bonds therefor, Greer county, through
its duly authorized officers, issued
bonds, and with the proceeds of their
sale have erected their public build
ings. The bonds thus issued were
placed upon the market and sold as
negotiable paper, and are held by va
rious purchasers.
The principle of the homestead
laws, as you know, was planted on
this continent by Spain and Mexico.
From the earliest times they promot-
ed the settlement of their distant ter
ritories by liberal grants to those who
would undertake to improve the lands.
New Mexico, California and Texas are
covered by these concessions, and
while in the earlier history of the
United States settlers upon lands were
treated as trespassers, finally, however,
as settlements advanced into new
states and territories containing pub
lie lands, this harsh system was modi-
fed and eventually abandoned, to be
succeeded by more liberal legislation
embracing the presumption and home
stead laws followed by bounty land
grants, and grants in aid of internal
improvements and education, and for
long number OF years at nearly
every session of congress these grants
were made until the entire country
west of the Mississippi river
has by occupancy and settle
ment been redeemed from savagery
and even now, when it is urged upon
the floors of congress, that the middle
of the continent and in its richest part
surrounded by states, there exists a
country known as the Indian Terri
tory, larger and more fertile than
either of the great states of Illinois
and Missouri, occupied by a handful
of Indians to the exclusion of all
settlers; where can aristocratic bar.
barians monopolizes its imperial
dominion, and there is under consid'
Grafton by congress, an effort to force
these Indians into reluctant sale OF
large part of this territory to the
United States at great cost to Its
public treasury, in order that this
section held in such close imitation OF
oriental exclusiveness, shall be made
to give away to the advancing steps
of civilization. Surely in a contest
which seeks still further to swell the
extent of this barren and unproduc
tive waste, by tearing down churches
and school houses, banishing settlers
und destroying their hard earned
values at the expense of Texas, one Of
the integral factors of the Federal
Union, whose interests are so inseper
ably interviewer with the interests o.
other states that whatever affects hel
must, in some degree, extend to them
Surely under these circumstances she
may rest easy in the faith and assur
ance that each member OF congress In
selecting a proper tribunal to release
this country from its present uncer
tainty and apprehension by a prompt
determination of the mode in which
the pending issue shall be decided
will hold himself in the attitude OF
just and impartial judge rather than
an opposing party.
am very respectfully,
L. S. Ross, Governor OF Texas