The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-13
The fee bill was expressly and
dccisiveiy Endorsed by the people
in the recent election and any Inn
pairInent Of It's provisions would
be met with Just condemnation. :"

legal restraint. Already mobs are begin
ming to redress other grievances than as
saults, and unless the evil lb arrested the
tone and strength OF our institutions Will
be impaired. The laws passed in 1897 on
this subject were drawn on two broad
lines, the Immediate and speedy trial Of
all cases OF assault upon females and the
removal from office of officers who under
any circumstances permit prisoners to be
taken from their custody and executed.
Formerly II was urged with some plausl-
bility In extenuation OF mobs that they
were the outgrowth Of the delay OF the
law, but this is removed by this statute,
for indictment and trial are us speedy as
practicable with judicial machinery. AS
the act has only been In effect about one
year no distinct opinion based upon Its
operation can be safely expressed. Doubt-
less 1t has led to greater vigilance by peace
officers and unusual efforts to protect
prisoners. Only three Instances have been
observed since the statute became opera
tive where persons were taken from legal
custody and mobbed. In one OF these the
officer resigned. another is under investi-
CATION and the third is OF such recent &C.
currence that no action has been taken.
LAND LAWS.
There can be no question OF the wisdom
and efficacy of the land laws enacted. AS
o great relief to the State, avoiding the
necessity Of countless suits to forfeit titles,
as we'll MS tending to force prompt pay
ment OF interest, office forfeiture of land
sales made by the commissioner of the gen.
erai land office for non payment Of inter-
est have been validated and that officer
was authorized to forfeit all sales OF land
HERETOFORE made by the State under any of
the various acts OF tho legislature, for
non payment of interest. The inestimable
valuc of quiet titles In the process and
development OF the State, especially where
1t may be accomplished without surrender
of valuable public rights, was recognized
the valuation of sales of detached ana
isolated land. the location of Confederate
certificates and the location of railway
certificates where the land has passed into
the hands of actual settlers and bona fide
purchasers. Improvement In the law reg
ulating the sale and lease OF school land
and other public domain, while adhering
to the policy Of disposing of the land TO
actual settlers has been conspicuous and
the law admirably administered by the
commissioners The law OF 1895 reduced
the price OF pasture land to 81 per acre,
leases to cents per acre and interest to
per cent per annum. The act of 1897
among other things authorized reclassifca-
ton and reduced the price of agricultural
land from SO to $3.50 per acre. The un-
DERIVING policy of tl,cse statutes Is to end
State ownership of land as soon as prac-
ticable, which will promote the develop
ment OF the western part of the State, put
the land on the tax rolls and invest the
fund for the benefit of the schools Prior
to the passage OF these laws purchasers
and lessees were rorfelticg their slaimNand
defaulting In the payment of interest in
extraordinary numbers, while since then
forfettures and defaults have greatly de-
creased and both sales and leases rapidly
multiplied. For the year ending August
l, 1895, the snles of school land amounted
to 209,94s acres and leases to 1,712,s0l acres,
while for the year ending August 1, 1896.
the sales amounted to 1.l796iT acres and
tho leases to 5,12f.967 acres For the two
years ending August 81, 1896. the sales
were 1,453.a9S acres and the leases 6,201 ,S71
acres. and for the two years ending Au-
gust 81. 1898. the sales were 4,53S6 13 acres
and leases a,70o,097 acres. The recommen-
dalton OF the commissioner of the general
land office that lands which have boon
recovered by the State in legal actions ag-
gregating 100000 acres should be placed
on the market by proper legislation should
receive immediate and favorable atton-
ttOn