Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-11-27
KLEBERG WOULD
CLEAR BANK OF
ROOF BRUSH
SUGGESTS STRIP MILE WIDE AND
ALSO CONCENTRATION CAMPS TO
PUT DOWN BORDER RAIDS.
ST LOUIS NEWSPAPER WRITER
GIVES IMPRESSIONS INTERESTING
TO RESIDENTS OF THE BORDER.
(By Clair kcnamore i'll the ST. Louis Post
Dl-patch.)

by Clair kenamore III the ST. Louis Post
Di-patchl
Brownsville, Texas, Nov. l3.-
OF the many plans suggested for set
Ting the troubles of the Lower Rio
Grandc country, the most attractive
seems that offered by Robert j kIcbcra
manager of the Sana Gcrrudi> ranch al
king>villc in klcbcrg county.
lie would establish martial law in the
district covered 10y the Plan of San
Diego" and require every person to give
an account of his comingS and goings
such rs were unable to, he would gath
course al be AxNicanSi he would gath
or ia concentration camps along the
river from Rio Grandc City ID the Gulf.
about 100 miles. There he would give
them employment in clearing Il zone :,
mile wide from the river nOrthward and
he would build road along the edge of
the clearing for the use of the military.
The vegetation along this zone now il
principally prickly pear. whi"h spreads
wonderfully and grows six to eight feet
high: mesquite and innumerablc other
Semitropical plants. which make the
underbruSh almost impenetrable for
American soldiers The Mexican band-
it>. with a lifelong training in this
brush and knowledge of the paths. seem
to 20 through il at will
The bandits. after raid or train
wreck scatter and melt into the brush.
make their WAY to the river and escape
fnr the American soldiers are forbidden
To- follow them across the river. III the
territory mile north of the river were
open. il would ~ palrcllcd and il would
take i wcll-mounted bandit To escape
the American cavalry dav or night.
H. +. Noakum whom kleherg has in
tcrcStcd in the plan. estimates the work
would cover $1,000 acres and cost about
800 600. Possibly 10 per cent Of the
ground il now cleared.
The application Of martial law t.
this district j. held I'd ~ the only way
out by possibly 80 per cent of the in
habitantS. both American and Mexican
and that the condition demands immedi-
ate and thorough adjustment. no one
denies. Martial law would permit the
soldiers 10 search houses and take M
the McXicanS arms.
Since July. - Americans = III nf them
SoldicrSl have been killed and more
than that number wounded. The number
of MeXi"anS killed probably cXcedeS 200.
Reports and rumorS Of varying degrees
Of authenticity drift into civil or mill.
tarv headquarters. but Il strict tahula
tinn j. impossible. Ii H. customary a.
bury the victims 0n the spot. after an
attempt ut Identification and thoSc
killed i'm the brush are not found until
the buzzardS show the way.
Strange aS il may seem. the present
condition. whi.h i one approaching ter
ror. was brought about IN the enforce
mcnt of the laws Since the Mexican
| War. when this territory became Amcri
can. the laws have been diSrcgarded. u
the satisfaction of all. For the Texan
everything dates hack To the time whcl
Texas was Il republic. There were giants
in the world those DAYS and various ~
them cot their reward EVAN Cameron
a Draw Highlander. took his when Ia
tore the bandaec from his ewes before (;
firing squad far down in McXp0. ant
facing his cXecutioncrS. himself gave th,
command To fire The SouthernmoS'
county. and hot bed of trouble j. namct
fer him.
| IN Cameron county lived H. a. Kin.
and for his services 4 grateful republic
gave him wide lands farther north
/ These are now the Santa Gertrudi:
ranch. and there. like u feudal Baron
he lived. and his widow lives now. agc'
81. Klebere county was OF the ranch
Y for ID extends over more than Il million
acres. Before the railroad was built 4
\ Brownsville through the ranch. klrbcr:
I the manager of the ranch and King
son in law. never e'cctcd y Justice Of th'
peace in the county. There WAS M
need. The laws of the ranch were il
effect and they were oheyed. The raIrl
administered the high the middle jus
tice and the low. and there never wa
appeal The labor was all Mexican. I'm,
still j.. There are not - negroes in tn
whole district from the NucccS to tn
Rio Grande.
old Texans. who regard MANY Men
lean ~ children or ip"omnetentS. hav
ALWAYS winkcd ~ petty thcftS and Their
were no big theffS in the second tier 2
the counties. but IN the counties .
Starr. Hidalgo and Cameron. cattl
thieves WORKED for years gaining i'm
mnitv bv nolitical power The Mevb'an
have ninc-tcnihS If tho votes AMI the
are voted freely. candidlv. rs unit y