The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-06-25
THE MAN WITH A HOE
"KiI1 Him, but Tomorrow There VIII
Be Two of Them.

BE Two of Them.
An incident of the cattle boom Of
fifteen years ago that is illustrative of
the spirit of the times was the $1,000
banquet at Dallas, Texas, at which 500
Of the cattle barons were entertained.
Everything was of the best, says the
Butte Miner. The champagne was from
the vine-clad hills of France, the fruit
from the valleys of California. The
cattle owners lauded and complimented
each other, grated about their successes
and sneered at the Legislature and the
National Land Commission. Especial
ly did the newspapers, which had criti-
cised their highhanded usurpation of
the lands needed for agriculture, come
in for criticism, and at last the only
newspaper man present was called on
for speech in reply. A Governor of
the Lone Star State, who had once said
that the State did not want immigra-
ton was POSTMASTER and he prefaced
his Introduction of the journalist with
some sighting remarks regarding the
press. Angry at the light in which he
had been placed the newspaper man
replied:
"Gentlemen: You may sneer at the
settler whom you call a 'Nestor' and
may consider yourselves safe from all
injury at his hands, but let me tell you,
you are not. A man with hoe has
poked his head over your barbed wire
fences. You may kill him, but to-mor-
row there will be two of them, and
40 obi Tond thof will
produce 500 worth Of wheat cannot be
kept for the pasturage of $5 cow. In
a few years the man with a hoe will
have you on the rum"
The cattlemen laughed and consid-
cred it fair hit, but they did not think
the speaker meant it or that he told the
truth. But he did, and his prophecy
came true. No other such banquet was
ever held. The 'man with a hoe" car
ried pair of nippers in his pocket and
with them he cut the strands of fence
with which the great cattle ranges
were inclosed. The cowboys could Lot
prevent him, and the laws could not
keep him out. All over the great ranges
of the far West, where, sentry like, the
herders rode through long days and
nights, are now farms, homes and vii
lagos.
One of the stories regarding the reck-
less extravaganza of the cattle owners
is that told by Col. John Britain,
Texas capitalist and officeholder in the
old days. He had come up the trail
to Abilene, Kan, and was gazing on the
wonders of typical cattle town, where
the cowboy was getting rid of his years
earnings in q single night and having
what he designated as a royal time.
Two cattlemen had returned from New
York, where they had been living off the
fat of the land and loading themselves
down with bric-a-brac and good whisky.
"Jim," said John, ''thats mighty fine
watch you have there"
"Yes," replied the other. 81 got the
ticker at one of the biggest stores in
New York. 1t cost me lot Of money"
"I've got a finer one," said John calm
ly pulling an inlaid chronometer from
his pocket.
81 guess not. What did it cost?"
"Paid 1925 for her, spot cash. What
did yours cost?"
"COSC me S0lO, Sdl0 the OIueF SrdcS-
fully, as he put the timepiece back in
his pocket.
His friend was much chagrinel at
being beaten at his own particular
game of display, and stood holding the
now despised watch in his hand, looking
it over and thinking. Bracing up, he
finally drawled: "Well, there amt
much difference between 'em. I'll bet
you a dozen steers that 1 can throw
mine further than you can yours"
Everybody laughed and looked at
Jim. He took in the situation and le-
piled: "I'n just go you one on that"
They went into the street, followed
by the crowd, and, taking aim down
the street, sent the handsome time
pieces spinning, to be smashed into
worthlessness on the road. Jim won
and went back to the Alamo saloon and
set up the drinks. "a few months af-
ter" said Britain, ST saw them again in
Abilene. They were so poor that each
wore a long-winding Waterbury and
hung on to it with both hands for fear
rh 70 or, tho Aoorv