The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-12-28

the maintenance Of he Volunteer Guard an,
produces figures to show how much NOR
liberal other States have been than Texa
| IN that respect
The militia was called out but twice Il
Texas during the past year. once In Jaspe
| county to quiet some excitement occasiufies
by . supposed negro uprising. and in For
Bend county 10 guard the county jail. II
neither case did expense to the State &C
| crue, so that the sse'0 per snnurn appropri,
4 afed for the transportation and mainte.
nance OF the Volunteer Guard in cases o
emergency will revert to the State treas.
pry.
| With regard TO the encampmcnt grounds
near this city the adiutant general states
that an appropriation will have to be made
TO purchase a strip of ground on the south
ern border Of same. upon which many I'M
provements stand. II the symmetry OF said
grounds is to be preserved. 1t seems that
when these grounds were presented to the
State at an expense OF $4,000 by a COM
mi'tee OF Austin citizens, no owners could
be found for the strip In question. but that
1t was intended to purchase same should
claimants appear and ,urn IL over TO the
State along with the balance of the tract
Heirs having turned UP for said tract. and
the committee which made the donation
having dissolved, there is nothing left for
the State to do except 10 purchase IT II II
desires to preserve the improvements which
have been made thereon.
Referring to the ranger force, the adju-
tant general calls attention to the fact
that this branch OF the service has been
very active and has done incalculabe
good In projecting the spsrseiy settled sec
tons OF the State. where the local Officers
from the very nature of the conditions
could not afford adequate protection. With
about 5000 miles Of frontier, part of it
along the border OF foreign country. Texas
is very much in need OF the rangers. with
out which the major portion OF the Rio
Grande valley aud the territory adjacent to
The western line Of the Indian Territory
would become a rendezvous for criminals OF |
all classes.
The amount OF taxes paid the State BY |
counties almost exclusively policsd by |
raj gers is 1902. 9os for the last fiscal year. |
Tho amount OF school and university LANDS |
Under lease in said counties is 310s s95 /
tcres, which yield an annual revenue OF |
III go. The margin OF profit TO the les
ICES is too small 10 admit of maintaining
u armed force at their own expense fol
4 II protection. and it Is generally COLI
eded that the existence and presence OF
he rangers Is prerequisite to the leasing
this vast domain. which would otherwise
&C vacated and become non-reyenue pro-
ueing. AS business proposition, the
Anglers are good investment for the
icrk they DO could not be performed b.
our times as many peace officers, whose
aes would aggregate many times more
aan the cost Of maintaining the frontier
attalion.
As now organized tho rangers consist OF
'ar companies. commanded by Captains
ROCKS. Hughes. Mcdonald and Rogers.
hree of these companies are stationed a,
lice and one at Amarillo in the Panhan-
r. Demands for rangers have been great
than the department could comply with,
cause Of the limited number Of men In
e service. but the report Of their opera
CHS during the past year shows that they
sNeled i7S2sl miles IN scouting; arrested
. criminals: returned 1856 head of stoler, ! I
ock TO their owners: assisted the civil .
,ihoriiies in 1e9 instances and guarded {
lis In 10 instances. q
Becarse OF the limited regular ranger
rec. there hive been enlisted eighty-iwo I
ecial rangers, who serve without nav q
pm the State. but whose salaries are fuf- r
shed by private interests These specials 1
q always enlisted upon the recommends Y
N Of the sheriff and district attorney or t
me oiher officer NJ the county or district t
which their service Is called for. z