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


Sovereign law, the states collector viii
Ger thrones aud globes elate,
Sits empFess-erowning good, repressiuE5n
and copious showers of prosperity Will go-,l
on US from every land and every cline.
Special to the Gazette.
TAUsTIN, Tex, April Is.-Like many 5tf..
distinguished meu in this country, James
Hosg, present attorney-general state OF Iezs.
comes of Scotch-Irish descent, his moths, b.
longing to the old Scotch family of McNss,
on arriving in this country the family settle. II,
Virginia. The parents of James Stephen E-,s
immigrated to Eacogdoches county, Tex. !
1899. James 5. Hogg, the lathe,
having previously married in Tuscaloosa. Al
Attorney general Hogg was born 40 Rl,s
Cherokee county, Tex, March q, lN5i, ana a
therefore thirty years of age. His ml,as,
died during the war His father telI while -5-l.-,
Ector's Texas brigade of Confederate IN ,-.
great battle of COTinth, Miss. The son vas -
an orphan boy at the age OF twelve The va.
ruined the property interests re; o+a o.
the present head of the law department Of lie
state government began life ct fifteen wi.lul
nickle, experience and but few friends ami bad
to perform manual labor as means o.
livelihood. But in those early years G.
future lawyer showed that indomnIta1s v
and emery, that has since distinguished hin /.
official life.
but few aids and his first know
ledge of the various branches was ob-zlE
in the school at Rusk. He Is eupha-lca..7!
self-made man. Before the age OF twenty Nf
Hogg acted as printers devil. Learning o..
printers art, he made his way mp % .-s
editorial chair, having founded and for Ss7s-
years successfully published the Lougr57
News, which was subsequently removed q
Quitman, Wood County, and the name cLs1s.
to the Quitman News.
Mr. HOgg's editorial career, though successful.
f'e4v-a
stFeWn with privations and hardshIPS But.
wag during this struggle for a start in life .-l
he found time to study law, which BE-
read Gead four Tvsr years Sugv fgT'ng and ms og
In his legal and in his literary aCCu.reLs-.s
Mr.. Hogg is also self-made man, and 1y be
sheer force of natural abilities worked his Ws7
up 10 leading position ar the East 1e&as oar.
Mr.. Hogg entered on the practice oL 10
law in 1874, and at once acquired
a lucrative business, and during the same per--
IN 1870 the young attorney was married 90 5..a
Sallie Stinson of Wood county. Mr.. HJgg bee
came in 1856 the nominee of the Democrats
state convention for this important 0fl,s T..
attorney general, and was elected by the sans
colossal majority as the other Democrat NOM
nees. During the performance OF the duties
his office which he has admiulsJered IS
il has never been done b5ioe
Mr.. Hogg's leading and domicant ideas aa
been, not to destroy corporations or c0rporI=
capital nor to uselessly harass or cripple them,
out 10 protect the people dAaluSl L4l1 S-r-s
of that combination which destroys comqr.t
ton. An analysis of his course shows tll
wherever he has struck blow :
has been in behalf of the people q
has reached to his present position from tie
lowest round of the ladder. After his electloln
the Office of attorney general his first official a.
that called public attention to his VIZ
orous and aggressive administration Of rs
functions was the dTummer's tax case
which was finally carried up t" the supreme
court of the United States, before whech algl'
tribunal Attorney General HOgg appeared u
person and whose terse and p0i1.s-
speech on that occasion helped to give hin
the national reputation he now possesses.
The next official act that Tiyeted the eyes o. ts
people on the attorney general was his assali
upon the Texas traffic association or pool,
which all the railways of the state were comol1s-
In October, 1877, Attorney General HOgg, IL BE-
trict court of Travis county suit Tor IN
junction to dissolve the pool ny:
was held contrary to the consul ls.ll
and laws of the state. Judgment in favor oti1s
state was obtained April q, 1855, which vas
affirmed on appeal by the supreme court On De-
cember p: following. .,.-----,..--..
moval and disappearance of the pool bsyeal
the borders of the state. The fol-
lowing summer witnessed the des.rlc5
ton of the insurance trust which hai
formerly controlled the business under the name
and style of the Texas UNDERWATER assoc
ton, which Attorney General Hogg's cons1Ele
ton and determined enforcement o.
the antitrust law passed oy '.7
dissolve under threats of the penalties
The effect has been lowering OF lnslIAl.s
are protected from the freezing out process q
the larger ores. 1t was contended the exec
ton OF the law as regards ms ~
would drive the companies out oil vac
state. On the contrary, the number dong ol''
ness in the state has since increased non
eighty to over 100, as shown BY the TeCo.-I
in the insurance department a. A1sN.
Attorney Gen sral Hogg likewise brought -.
against several railway companies for forteita'
of char, including the international anu uIsS S
Northern, which had the effect OF the IOL.,
more strictly complying with their agIe5ln me-
with the state and putting their roadoeds lu syo-
condition, building new and better uePO's go
The great, most important and sensations - -
for recovery Oflands from corporations " IS ~
Val Verde case. In this, Attorney u5A1 "a
Hogg, on behalf of the state, sued .-'
Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antoll0 re-
way, now a part of the Southern F4't-
for a comparatively small amount OF lanl, ~
the principle at issue involved not less thAI
20, O00, 900 acres scattered throughout the s-15r
This suit was brought In March, I9s2, A. IN IN
Verde county, where the land lmmedla.5t' +,
volVed was located, but was Subsequent, y.
consent of both parties removed 70 Travis lol. =
In the spring of 1888 in the district CO-.' -
Travis the case was decided IN favor OL -
state, Judgment was reversed by the stp.sI--s
bourt at the last Tyler term, IL being no-A-.. a..
fact that Chief Justice StaytOn, one Of the NJ
profound and ablest lawyers IN the state - -
scented. Subsequently Attorney Genera! A.s9
entered a motion for a new hearing and the, 81
gument made by him which has ALREADY Dssl
published has been generally regarded Dy ls4- -i
lawyers as one of the finest ever az ~. ~.
before the supreme court of Texas. At tas
writing the motion is still pending before ~ ~.
august and final tribunal. The Vol PeTde 80 80
was brought on the ground that Dy n.
constitution OF 1876 one hall
public domain in addition to ss e.
alternate section given to and located oy =,
railroad companies since its adoption " "
At very low estimate, had y.
suit been decided for the state, aoo-'
SIS 600 900 in value would have added TO tne ~
manent school fund of Texas. Attorney GEM +,
bringing this suit, it being aL5ssa
that it tended to unsettle ~ gu,
and create doubt abroad as TO Texas lang? =
general. But it was q constitutional ques-s.
hanging over the titles of twenty million &C..
and the attorney general has said 1t was O e.