Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-04-21

| Icoufd refer you to other states that have
| pFospered under the influence OF a commission;
but II is sufficient to point out one. Situated as
Texas is, containing an area OF one hundred ana
| seEenty-six million acres of land adapted to
horticultural, agricultural and pastural products
ana pursuits; possessing unlimited ores and
mineral wealth; with all the TIM
| Der, fuel, and building material demanded by
| the extTavagalt wants of proud people; having
10 all the competing markets OF the world over
the natural and great highway OF commerce, re-
moved as she is so far from the markets by all
ran routes, she is peculiarly surrounded ana
situated as an independent state, capable IN
all things, of controlling, with Justice, fairness
and hberality, ell of her domestic and internal
affairs even to the regulation and control OF the
traffic rates of her railroads to the end that no
part or portion Of her public or people shall SUI
other. Let her see that our railroad rates
are adjusted 1Pon basis OF equallty ana
justice, to the end that our producers,
manufacturers and merchants may be placed on
an equal footing with their rivals in other states;
and the world may stand witness to her people
entering the field OF competition with alacrity.
where they will remain triumphantly with con-
summate success. Justice and not protection IS
they viii prove equal to the demands ii the
tempting arena where the survivor, unhampered
oy schemes OF fayoritism, receives his due re-
wa1d.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Our constitution declares that, ga general
diffusion of knowIedge being essential to the
people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature OF
the state to establish and make suitable pro
vision for the support and maintenance OF an
efficient system of free schools
The constitution also directs that the legisla-
ture shall provide means from sources pointed
out by it ''to maintain and support the pubic
less than six month of each year.
II I am elected governor ! shall
use ,ay an , Legitimate exseutys aonstiG
ton fully complied with. If the people, in
adopting that instrument, did not mean what
they said, they ought not to have made such eX-
pressions 1 voted for that constitution, and in
principle, sentiment and action Endorsed 1t. 1t
reasonable to suppose also th indor. ed
it and meant that it should be obeyed:
The present term of our schools lasts only about
four and quarter months. | believe that by
recovering lands illegally held from the state,
properly utilizing the public domain and close
ly collecting what is due from delnquents, the
free schools can be maintained for six months
in the year in most efficient style with
out:much or any increase of taxation. And II
my, fellow citizens, the funds cannot be OBJ
you now that / shall not hesitate, If am elected
governor, to recommend and urge the leglsla-
ture to increase the tax. for that purpose
The education of the rising generation is
now imposed upon US as duty. IL
is declared by fundamental law to
be necessary for the preservation of the liberties
and rights of the people; and all patriots should
respond with slacrity, pride and hberailty 70
such demands. In this connection 1t IS
the principle and pohcy OF the
proper and Just maintenance OF the
State university and the agricultural and Me-
chanical college, in addition TO our other educa-
tional institutions. Texas, in her rapid strides
towards leadership in the Federal union, cannot
lose sight of the Importance of having the alma
mater of her future statesmen, scientists and
men of arts at home under her own wise ana
judicious control. Since my three years resi-
dence at the capital have known many young
men in rags of poverty side by side with
those more fortunate, to graduate from our uni
verslty with dlstlnctlon anu high hon0is. o eT
has often occurred at the Agricultural and Me-
chanicaI college. By the facilities afforded the
poor and the rich in these institutions, endowed
and sustained as they are and ought TO De, clear
of favoritism and discrimination, they shine
abroad among the ambitious youths of our COM
mon schools and lead them on, making higher
of life possia!s to them all Jealoasly
they should be fOstered and encouraged, and
the blighting influence OF preJuolce shoel0
never hover near them.
LAND CORPORATIONS.
Our constitution further provides that, ''per-
petuities and monopolies are contrary to the
genius OF a free government and shall never
be allowed. This provision was aimed at cor
porate power in all respects, but especially at
their ownership of lands. Under our present
laws land corporations not prohibited nor
are they expressly admitted, though they are
operating in state by kind of license and the
law of comfy to an alarming extent. They control
and own about one-fourth of all the lands within
the state. When title vests in them, Ss Ehey live
on forever, it becomes PerPetulty. In TINS way
the evils of the English laws OF primogeniture
and entailment, so distastetul to Americans,
will be surpassed by corporate estates.
T a9ss e4 Pac! G e eaa R5toperE q IN
monopoly, Many of them each own and now
have exlnsive possession and enjoyment Of over
600, 900 acres of land in one body. Go into the
far West through some of the richest counties of
our state and you will find great Pastures
and corporate estates wired in and
their management committed to agents;
their titles in aliens, English lords, syndteates
and n anH That ne uarde we'll its n
stitutions with respect to the rights, liberties
and privileges of the free people that COM
trolled now for pastural purposes,
will soon be in demand for settlement. AS
time goes on, within a Few years, as tne demand
for homes becomes stronger, these Princely es-
tates will be cut up into small farms and rented
or leased and operated by foreign peasantry, un-
congeniaI to our people and under the absolute
control Of men who do not understand
nor respect the principles of our
Voters and cast their ballots as freeEnen accord
ing to the will of their landlords and rulers.
In this way the era is not far distant in Texas,
if this condition of affairs should be permitted
to continue, when our people VIII De met in
their councils by representatives of English
aristocracy elected by their serfs and poems
While we have the power in the legitimate exer-
else of our rights as citizens, it is not well not
to overlook matters of such serious Importance
and threatening to the wea[s Of our
of landed monopolies and estates in
perpetuity, created AID run for serfs
and slaves but is one of freemen
that should be controlled in all things by and
for them AS the title to land is concentrated
into the ownership of the few, in that proportion
patriotism is destroyed. The greater the num-
Der of homes the larger the number OF patriots
Deprive our people of lands and they
become tenants subject to the viii
of those who own their homes.
In time they grow poor, diseased, degenerate
and servile When that period is reached the
underlying principles Of our government win be
only known from the blotched leaves of history,
and the theughtless, indifferent people of to-day
viii be condemned by the mourning mil
lions who bear their names. eau
tiously obsc.ung vested rights and
principles of Justice, if am el1cted your COVER
nor shall favor and insist upon the passage OF
laws that will prohibit the further operation of
land corporations and to limit the tenure of title
in those now owning lands in this state. With
in limited period of years they can sell their
ladds receive their money for them and
90 elsewhere if they choose to hold
estates in perpetuity. Such laws will net
interfere with the sub division and sale of the
lands by the corporations now in existence, nor
with the ownership of such zeal estate as is nee
essary for the purposes of other private CORPORA
tions whose objects are not the ownership of
land.
CONFEDERATE HOME.
IN the,censecrated caronet of sorrow, worn by
the :. Offspring OF Peace" is interviewer affc-
tiouate memories that cleave to the names Of the