The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1906-02-03
STATE LAND OFFICE
eaE. 6IlBEAT's ANNOUNCEMENT Fun
LAND COMMISSIONER
OUTLINES OFFICIAL POLICY
mfin1s Rapid Sales h htns R-iIaers IS
he Quickest War 10 Realize
TOT The School Fund.


Office, subject To Democratic primar :
les MIR. Gilbert says
In asking the Democratic nomiua-
ton for Commissioner OF the General
Land Office l do so as man asks
employment expecting and Intending to
DO good service for the compensation.
While the salary OF the office Is an
object I am not unmindful OF the high
honor implied In the selection by my
party and by my state for such a po-
sition. So fl may be said In brief:
desire the position for the salary, APP
preciating the honor. and for the good
that I can do For. In this position,
feel that as much or more good can
he. accomplished for the mass OF the
people of the state (those who most
need ~ than in any other position ex-
cept that of Chief Executive. All the
public domain having been sold and
the University lands turned over to
the control of the University Regents
only the public school lands remain
within the jurisdiction of the Land
Office-and yet the working force and
expense OF that department is greater
than ever before
think ii is but just and mild
criticism OF the land office to say that
the administration of the school land
laws has been improbable to the
school fund and unsatisfactory to the
people. A few men of large wealth
have acquired immense bodies OF both
timber and agricultural lands, at a
small part OF their value, in direct OPP
position to the policy OF the state. |
which opposes the acquisition Of large |
bodies of land. while the poor men |
have much trouble in finding small |
tracts for homes. | DENY that this is
a fault OF the law; for every statute
for 25 years has urged the sale of the
land to homeseekers on long time at a
low rate of interest. While any man
IN any vocation has legal right to
buy all the land he wants, it is never
theless true that public policy opposes
and democratic government discourages
large land holdings as inimicaI to the |
welfare of the country. The Federal |
Congress only recently voted down an |
amendment to the national land law
increasing homestead pre- emptions
from $50 to $40 acres in the pastoral
regions; but in Texas the recent re-
vision of the land law increases the
amount OF school land which may be
sold to one person to eight sections
II land were not SO easily procured
in large bodies for investment by those
who already have more than they can
ia ha6 of
land. even a quarter section and were
aided in the improvement Of the home
and surroundings, convenient schools,
goods roads etc, we would soon wit
ness the happy and prosperous condi- |
ton of capital bidding for labor in !
stead of labor bidding in competition |
for employment by capital. A great !
opportunity has been lost I'm Texas to
do incalculabe good for the human
family. but even with what is left of
this great landed wealth there may yet
be accomplished n work in homebuild-
ing which would be the wonder and
admiration of the world.
As to my platform T pledge myself
II elected. to carry out the intent and
purpose of the law and policy OF this
state for more than a quarter Of a
century: to dispose Of the school lands
as rapidly as possible to homobuilders
and to get just value therefor, leash. 2
only those lands unsuited and rnde,
sired for settlement. until such time as
they would be desired for homes.
In the last annual report OF the Com
missioner ] read some very good Gree
ommeuasuons- which r promise
elected. to execute. and NOT go pass %
to ry -uH.e74or COZ tho Legislature Tw
Of these suggestions I quote.
Provide adequate means whereof
tae fair value Of the lands may be ha
by sale nr leass" tH4 .Thr INw H ur
fa;r lu requiring fhe Commi sioucr
sell and lease IBu1 yor lts fair mark
value without offering hiu gueIa
means t1 that euf" Or the present pr
visions for $50 .re..1 n.'E ar.u
with s. U1H st.H fHr travelling H
persee auH $500 '0r travelling eVuana
30 thr CorwlsaI.Hrr H continued
promise NOT tn plead Inability H.f
10 The voYk would personally eH
fbs western country enough I. H.
fhN NHfu# ~ fNF ."IN|r "" MI.
know tiIt rre field accents ar. rHff
~ ami ~ffi sivutf Iafnf frr.r vn
weald mot ser mrs .eisr .H4
1en- than Hz sblus snI rbea r.est Pa
= fawtWaHte eith t.r 0afA Eu.
also personally vitIt ana .rsne.f p
timber lnHs I'm Fast TtyaF. suB An
rnrnesf - ~ondf rs HuI ts'le- U
fhe uuB~t s ssid fsF UH ~I .
ant 60 are. nsIs rHr Hr..t..rI .f
actual worth
heii-te fHaf ,br taH3 #'uau l-a.a
sauuia 3o uarw fHan merely pass ul
application a. tssae ar es w. h
vsrf inpartauf HrHHifU HH F
80 saaprt alss##s sfsH SO siA Ai
sent 81 tne pFaus isrt ~uiea n
rasumsn ise an8 unpfasauefiVe. ar ~e
M - opsHei au fs profitable rlit
tsau bv tHr aaHBuraxTnaeut 4H3 ir
fewtaa NeHsasaner - ere state
E-s.H & .ss.H lassrasr p fNr -~sr 49,
tive 60 fM~ state MMa eHa9lH an8a