Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07

of the adjutant general of the state. The
rangers are very carefully chosen. for
they must act almost wholly uponS their
own Judgment They are as nearly abso-
lutely independent as 1t is possible Tor an
organiza ton of men to be.
There are no reviews, encampments nor
drills. and, above all, no politics. no favor
itism and red tape. The ranger en-
lists for two years with the understand
ing that he may resign at any time he
feels that he doesn't like the work and
the knowledge that he will be put out II
he fails to do his duty. He is given a
commission Winchester rifle and a Colt s
45-caliber revolver, which are his universal
warrants and the only ones he ever re-
quires. He Is assigned to camp in some
place where he Is most needed and left
there until his presence is required else
where.
Immediate Response.
Meanwhile any citizen who needs the pro-
lection of ranger may wire to the nearest
camp The rangers response to the call Is
immediate. without any formality what
ever, except to wire the adjutant general
his new address, he throws his saddle into
the baggage car of the first train that
comes along, grabs his Winchester and is
off to the point to which he has been called
When in his Judgment his duty has been
fulfilled he returns to his camp
The only further formality observed Is to
make out a detailed report to the adtutant
general once a month. telling how his time
rangers travel in pairs. and If reinforce
ments are needed they call not upon the
adjutant general, but upon the nearest
camp. They go in pairs because they are
usually called where the local peace OFF,
GERS are unable or unwilling to do their
duty. which means that there may be some
shooting. If ranger gets killed as some
times happens, his murderer is not likely
to live long.
Not Abandoned to Crime.
1t should not be inferred from this that
Texas Is abandoned to crime and outlawry.
On the contrary there are fewer crimes
against person and property per thousand
of population In Texas than in New York
city. Texas, 1t should be borne in mind.
embraces one-eleventh of the area of the
United States, or six times the area of the
imperial commonwealth of New York. and
these thirtytwo picked men perform only
special services over this vast territory.
These special services are becoming more
and more rare, and as consequence the
character of the ranger force is changing
to something like that OF a detective squad
For instance, some two years ago a man
and his two adult sons were taken out one
night and hanged in San Saba county.
They were peaceable, laW-abiding citizens.
a couple OF rangers quietly dropped into
the neighborhood a day or two after the
crime had been committed. Within week
they had secured evidence on which six
men were arrested and promptly sent to
the penitentiary for life for the hanging
They had merely taken a dislike to the
murdered men.
When the rangers find an incompetent
sheriff they try to secure his removal and
have the office filled by one of their own
number. There have been a number of
these ranger-sherifs and they have invari-
ably made fearless and efficient officers.
So notable have been the achievements
of the Texas Rangers that within the past
two years New Mexico and Arizona have
organized ranger forces which carefully
copied the Texas model. But in New Mex
leo the efficiency of the force was crippled
by permitting politics to influence appoint
ments. In Arizona former Texas Rangers
were secured as nucleus for the force and
results have been more satisfactory