The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-14
THE TEXAS LAND QUESTION

| tneTeOi uurinS the session OF the twenty
fifth legislature. has favored The Post cor
respondent with the following interview
in which he treats Of land legislation a
length and clearly points out the man.
mistakes which have been made therein II
Texas:
There are few questions OF more vita
Importance to Texas, and no question 81
nearly affecting the material prosperity o.
West Texas as the land question.
There are few questions about which the
average Texan knows less, and no question
he is not more willing to investigate than
the land question.
IL you viii nsk the average Texas lawyer
TO explain to you the salient features OF the
laws under which the greater part OF our
public domain, which has been nomnally
sold. has been disposed Of, he will very
frankly tell you that 1t lis In great mess,
and he can not tell you except in very
Indefinite way, what is the attitude Of
either the State or a purchaser from the
State when sale ie made.
After having given some considerable
time during the past fourteen years TO a
study OF our land laws, while living almost
in tho heart OF the territory affected bv
those laws. the writer confesses he Is often
confonnded and makes no pretensIons to
knowing IL all" There are. however,
some features of our laws which so outrage
every sound business principle as to arrest
the attention of the most casual reader
The question of how best to dispose of our
lands is after all a purely business one, and
to properly solve the question REQUIRES no
extended knowledge OF law.
Under our present policy 1t is not only
possible. but probable. that the State OF
Texas 100 years hence Will be as extern
sively "in the land business" as 1t lis today.
1t ls generally conceded TO be the wise
policy for the State to sell her lands and
aunt the business, but to sell them only 10
those who will hereafter bring her perma-
nent and continued prosperity
The last democratic platform declares:
The democratic party will continue
It's well established policy OF disposing
Of the public school lands of the State
10 those desiring homes. so as to pro-
mote, as far as practicable. the settle
1nent OF the country and its speedy de.
velopment; to this end and that the
school fund may be more speedily in
creased from that source. we favor such
legislation as VIII facilitate the sale of
school lands, rather than the indefinite
perpetliation of q lease system.
Texas democracy therefore is pledged to
policy Of absolutely disposing of our pub.
lie domain.
Perhaps the most senseless of all provis.
ons in our land laws, from business
is the one permitting pur-
'haser. so called, to buy the public domain
pon long time tforty years.. without re.
niring him TO pay any more of the prin-
ipal Except the ne-forteth, which he Is
equired to pay at first), until the expirn.
lon of the forty years. The State only re-
uires him to pay annually The Interest,
nd he may pay the other or not as he
hooses.
II is contended that the State has no
eed for the money. and therefore II is
etter TO get annually the interest, which 8
available, rather than to- draw out of
REGULATION and store into the vaults of our
tate treasury so much idle money. This
Jay be true. in measure. and yet expc I,
enco has already demonstrated that the /
tate OF Texas can never finally dispose OF !
er lands. so long as this provision is re. !
iined in our laws. This will be manifest, ! !,
> a business proposition, when carefully :,
ihsidered, In the light of what has al
lady actually occurred. Some years ago ;,
ie legislature reduced the price OF our
ioile domain from ~ per acre to sl50. and r
per acre what was the result? All y
rose who had in years previous purchased >.
~ per ache. having paid only one-for- IA
eth down. did what self interest dictated :,
r.. they forfeited their lands (by refusing =
pay any more INTEREST," and then pur. "
msed under the new law. at the reduced y
nee only those who had been so unfor- 10
nate as to have paid on their lands more =
10 |
consequence. The theory upon which we .
we proceeded in giving forty years. time u
that the poor man can pay as he makes ~
e money, along from time to time dur y, ~
inc forty years. as Ii may suit his con- =
hlence. But In this way, under the ac. .,
al workings of the lay. the State sets a ~ .,
emium upon failure TO pay any OF the H.
incipal, by reducing the price of the -,
ma, ana giving the man who has paid ~,
lhinB except the one-fortieth an oppor. ~
hiy to subsequently get his lands ~
eaper than the man who has paid too 49,,
zen OF the principal on his purchase, 10 ",
IKE IL profitable TO forfeit and repur- y,
ase' While we may heartily favor re. o.. oe
e.lon N the price of the lands Ii is ~
Vertheiess manifest injustice to a pur- =,
usef' VINO years ago. along with his a.
lghpor, purchased adjoining sections O.. n.
9 auai'ty and location. to pay out his ~
Won, IN good faith, and then have his W
$3.50 'S''N'N his iauN hDu tlIDer IN his
n name or through another repurrhasa
one half the former price. The one can OF
MS land Mt the cost price paid By the of
ef and make 100 per cent by the opera. ~
H. But, gays one, the law viii not per.
lands to be forfeited and repurcha ed hu
'eiSi al the urigiuai price. Time will nat on
consumed TO show how there are mora so
Us than one to do thing" II can moi Inn
urohase my son may buy as an Original a..
rehaser' and 1t suits me Jus, as we'll. ,e'
'ow' let us suppose that thirty yeara lea
zee we conclude that all the hest lands ma
fken, and we proceed to reduce tina to
Oto 20 cents per acre 1.-THE actual yalne Z
much OF ID What would be the resultY COZ
cry mothers son. or his son. or h,s PFC
er or his cousin or his aunt would for. Gle
all the lands sold for forty years prior me
reto TO them or their vendors nnd rs run
ehase at the reduced figures. and taka be
'her forty year tenure on his holdings ORG
''"ss' raj
gam the State CT Texas will lease such nor nor
ner lands as are not In immediate de- ss,i
hu Tor tue purposes OF actual settle VIII
nj tha |