Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-05-25
RITUAL WORK.
The Brethren Being Instructed
Into the Mysteries.
UNSETTLED LAND TITLES.
Difficulties Arising from Inadequate Surveys.
Condition of Panhandle Lands.
Claim Jumpers and Interesting Squabbles
Over SectIons-The Loose Action
About Notaries Public by
the Late Legislature.
UNSETTLED LAND TITLES
THE MYSTERIES OF THE ORDER.

Special to the Gazette.
AUSTIN, TEN, May a4-While the polit-
lcal outlook is promising enough for fun
ahead, and plenty of it, the situation at
present Is particularly quiet. Ii resembles
nothing so much as a calm at sea when the
wind has died away and the waves are at
rest. The only intelligence of any political
activity that reaches the capital is an oc-
caSlonal announcement of an Alliance evan
gelist addressing the farmers at Pumpkin
Hollow or Buzzard's Roost The sub
treasury organizers are at work without
doubt, doing what is termed ritual work.
that is, going about instructing the breth-
rem of the sub-Alliances in the mysteries,
signs and passwords Of the order. That is
the ambiguous giving out that we are
favored with. The managers are evidently
preparing for the fight that is TO come next
year, and are hard at work repairing their
fences, filling up the gaps and stiffening the
backs Of the shaky. OF course this is all
being done on the quiet. The world will be
kept in the dark to the very last moment if
possible by the suh-treasury leaders con-
corning their plans of reorganization.
When they have their forces thoroughly
modified, drilled and educated, they will
show their hand, but not before.
In view of their activity, it behooves the
Democrats to get move on them, and
ORGANIZE FOR THE FRAY.
The formation of Democratic clubs should
be begun as soon as possible, and the pre-
paratory work of the coming campaign ini-
tiated. It may turn out further along that
the formation of clubs at this early stage
would be regarded as SuDertluouS. That de-
ponds on the size and character of the crops
harvested. If good, rs now promised, there
will be but little trouble or dissatisfaction
among the farmers. If poor, then look out.
In the latter event, the managers will have
a much priced leverage that it will be hard
TO overcome. The best safety lies in fear.
There should be no trusting in fortune.
That tickle jade is notorious for her rascally
tricks.
The secretary of state is in sea of
trouble, all owing to some more OF the care
less and slip-shod work rushed through at
the latter end of the legislative session.
Over 5000 names of those nominated by
the governor as nOtaries public We're sent
to the senate Il few days before adjourn
ment. Whether all were confirmed or not
is not known, as confirmation took place in
executive session.
When the senate adjourned sine die two
clerks were delegated to make out a list OF
the notarieS for the office of the secretary
of state, being allowed pay for five days
work 1t is said by those informed on the
subject that the two clerks hurried through
their work at a rapid transit gait, complet-
ing it in two days However THAT may be,
names, it is said by the secretary of state,
ARE OMITTED ENTIRELY,
names that were sent in by the governor,
and many others are misspelled fright
fully, so that frequently there is no telling
who is meant. The matter is causing the
Office infinite trouble, there being about
five hundred names either omitted or
wrongly set down. In order TO ascertain
whether he may by proper proof showing
that a given name was confirmed Dy the
senate, restore it to the list, the secret airy
of state has requested an opinion from the
encouragement on the legal point in
volved. The secretary is inclined to the
opinion that the list of notaries as COR
firmed by the senate is in the nature of a
bill and there is no going behind or no cor
recting it. If that opinion be adhered TO a
good many wOuld-be notaries public will
get left.
There is also trouble in the land office
from i couple Of causes, to-Wit: the school
land surveys and the county boundaries.
In each case contests and disputes of every
Imaginable sort are being thrown in upon
the office, contests arising chiefly in the
Panhandle and West Texas. The re-sur-
vey ordered by the legislature and made
four years ago by the railroads i'll order to
correct previous bad job, was intended to
throw the excess where more than $40
acres were surveyed i'll section, on the
school land section. mat was the lnten-
ton of the legislature, as the chief clerk
in the land Office states. But this, which
was meant to be correction, was so i'm
perfectly or unskilfully done that hundreds
of settlers who bought school land under
the original survey now find themselves
partially or entirely on railroad land and
vice versa.
There is also good deal Of botheration
from what are called the
in the Panhandle. This is how that game