The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-01-02
GREER COUNTY.
THE GOVERNOR WRITES A COMPRE-
HENsIvE LETTER, SHOWING UP
SOME ADDITIONAL
FACTS.
Texas Claim in the Territory in Dispute
Renders II Necessary That the Mat
ter be Acted Upon Promptly.

pl1DS llSelI'
Hon. Sam. W. Lanham, Washington, D. c..
My Dear Sir-In reply to your re-
cent faver requesting such additional
relating to the claim of
Texas to Greer county as | might have
il in my power to contribute, beg
first most respectfully to express my
great satisfaction at the indication that
the two houses of Congress are desir-
Gus of settling this complicated ques-
ton in a spirit of fairness. In this
you have the cordial sympathy OF the
great mass OF our people, irrespective
of party affiliations. The history OF
this controversy runs through many
years, and it has remained in all rea-
son long enough a subject OF discus
sion to be set at rest by the earliest
and most authoritative action. The
present condition of the territory in
dispute, its prosperity and tranquility,
renders it peculiarly necessary that
this matter should be acted upon
promptly. Believing our claim to be
founded in law and justice, we ask only
q trial Of the issue before a tribunal,
which by the character of its compo-
sition is prepared to give an impartial
hearing and a just judgment, to which
the parties in interest can go with
fair and equal assurance of justice,
and by which all the facts, and the
case on its real merits, can be fully
and speedily investigated and de-
termined. 1t will be observed that
the Twenty-frst legislature in recent
session, as an expression OF their will,
provided q simple, direct, as well as
conclusive method, of similar import
to the bill which you had formerly in
troduced in congress authorizing and
directing the president and governor
acting concurrently to designate a
board of arbitration as tribunal of
last resort both as to facts and law;
vested with the power and means to
pass judicially upon the question in
volved, and while they doubtless be-
lieved that from none other would we
be so likely to obtain decision which
would be accepted with such unques-
tioning and general acquiescence, yet,
l do not think our people would dis
trust their right, or feel more insecure
in the supreme court OF the United
States open to a proceeding under the
strictest legal scrutiny. This method
would prove more expensive than the
plan You advocate and which | am in
clined to indorse. | now beg to in
vlte your special attention to the fol-
lowing facts, not because it is eX-
pected by any means to influence the
conclusion to be reached, except as
they may be legitimately considered
as tending to throw additional light
upon the situation of affairs in the
territory in dispute.
Greer county was created from Clay
county in 1860 and organized in 1856.
1t is rich and fertile section, peopled
almost exclusively by settlers from
the northwestern states, lured by the
exceedingly favorable terms held out
by Texas to purchasers of her lands.
But their prosperity is greatly retarded
bp the uncertainty surrounding their
homes. 1t is thoroughly organized as
one Of our counties; courts are held
therein at stated periods for the adj
Indication of rights and the preserya-
ton OF life and property; it is COM
ponent part of a judicial, representa-
tive and senatorial district, and as
signed by Federal statute as one OF the
counties of the state to the northern
judicial district of Texas and Yeti is
not the least of the just complaints
against further delay in determining
Its ownership, that the state, while
exercising n nominal jurisdiction, is
precluded from the full enjoyment OF
that proprietorship extended over
other portions of her territory; and II
the legislature enacts law; If the
governor enforces it, if the judge upon
the bench renders q judgment; or II
the sheriff levy an execution execute
writ, serve u summons or make II arrest
all acting under their official oath
they are momentarily liable to come
into collision with the Federal au'
thorities, and one of its citizens, upon
any pretext, may be dragged to the
bar of distant and unfriendly court
claiming jurisdiction over it as part
of the Indian Territory, and there sub
iected to vexation, expensive and pro
tracted litigation and heavy damages
This is certainly a very satisfactory
state of affairs, and is likely to bring
upon all concerned train OF evils
the magnitude of which it is difficult
to conceive or overestimate. Mangum
the county seat has population o.
something over 200, and the tota
vote cast by the county in the last
general election was 347. The as
sessed values of property in 1887 was
81, ITO, 266; in 1883, 81 ,205.732; and
1889, $1,6S7 1927. Lands assessed IL
acres 1850. General average value
$l.76 per acre. There are reported
277 farms with 6,649 acres in cultiva
ton, which yielded in 1888, product;
to the value of of $l04 ,437, and theil
wool clip amounted to 10000 lbs.
valued at $1,000. The county in
debtedness is $l3,522.35. In 1887 81
her school population received iron
| tho animal annortionment XSOl, In