Canadian Free Press. (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 7, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 5, 1887 Page: 5 of 8
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tion to the l)iíl I might now be enabled
to respond to the call for relief which
conies from Crosby, from Hale, from
Hardeman, and from your own Pan-
handle and many other counties
where settlers are now raising their
roof trees in uncertainty and planting
fields they fear may not be their own.
This appropriation would have return-
ed to the school fund seven fold before
many days. Would not this have ben-
efitted the actual settler? Would not
I his have hastened the settlement and
development of the country?
You are right in saying that it is
believed that 1 "saw and learned
enough"1 in my recent visit to your
section to induce me "to clasp hands
in trying to secure an early settlement
of tiie country, etc." 1 have always
sought an invited the assistance and
co-operation of mv fellow citizens
throughout the state in the adminis-
tration of this law. With feelings of
the deepest gratitude 1 have read
scores of letters evidently written
from motives of patriotism ami full of
valuable suggestions, advice and in-
formatioii, and breathing such a spirit
of sympathy and friendship as to make
me feel as if I were a member of a
great family (or party if you will) de-
voted to one common purpose—the
development and glory of Texas. To
what family <io you belong?
I also saw ami learned enough in my
recent visit to confirm me in tne belief
that the administration <.i the new law
has been wise and benilicent in its re-
sults thus far; and 1 must assure you
that there has been no deviation or
shadow of change from my original
intentions as to how it shall be exe-
cuted. 1 say this in view of the fact
that you insinuate, and certain others
in reach of your influence are per-
suade:! to believe and spread the im-
pression that 1 "saw and learned
enough" in my recent visit to the Pan-
handle to be affected; that you had
moved m time to rescue the actual
settler and preserve his rights from
destruction. Who constituted you
his champion? You of all men. Do
you think that you can make him
believe that Governor Ross, would
conspire with any one to deprive the
settler of a single right? Governor
líoss, who has been his consistent
champion, who has risked his life so
many times defending his humble
home? lit- must be a new comer in-
deed in Texas, whom you could per-
suade into this belief. L)o you know a
settler who has been wronged? Do
you know one who has been deprived
of a single privilege contrary to law?
Do you know one who has been "dis-
eretioned" out of a single right? If
you do. 1 would be glad to hear of the
case. I would be glad to assist you in
righting the wrong if within my pow-
er under the law or within the reach
of my "discretion."
It is immaterial now whether you
demanded or only suggested in your
letter to the Governor tTiat an assur-
ance be given "that actual settlers be
allowed to purchase their lands at the
minimum price iixed by law." I am
willing to admit that it was only a
suggestion, and the Governor shares
in my regrets that it cannot be given.
\ ou might have mentioned in your
letter to me while d.tailing my legisla-
tive labors and influence that the very
liist time I had the honor of appearing
before your committee, and was invi-
i r
ted to give my views on land matters,
that I requested that the Legislature
should fix absolutely the price of all
kinds and classes of school lands. In
this case my influence was insufficient.
It is due to the "generous public" to
whom you appeal, that I should state
briefly what interpretation has been
given those parts of the law in contro-
versy between us. Section 3 provides
that '"the Commissioner of the General
Land Office shall cause all the lands
belonging to the several funds named
in this act, which may be in demand
for immediate settlement, to be care-
fully and skillfully classified and val-
ued/1 etc., and further on "that he
shall cause such classification and val-
uation tp be made of the remainder of
such lands from time to time as the
same may come into demand for act-
ual settlement," etc. From this it is
perfectly plain that classification was
not contemplated except of lands in
immediate demand for settlement. It
was discovered before the law took ef-
fect that it would be impossible to de-
termine what particular lands were in
such demand. It was also apparent
that a systematic classification of the
whole of a given county at one time
could be done with much greater econ-
omy by the agent already in the field
than by sending him hither and thith-
er according to demands strictly im-
mediate. Ilence it was concluded to
classify in this way. Was this an im-
proper use of "discretion?" You
complain that leases have been made
in advance of classification. Is it not
clear that the law contemplated that
this work should not be finished for a
great many years? It is very certain
that a great many years must elapse
before these lands will all be in de-
mand for settlement. Section 14 pro-
vides that these lands shall be leased,
etc. Section 15 prescribes how appli-
cations to lease shall be made, and
provides "that the Commissioner if
satisfied that the lands applied for are
not in demand for purposes of actual
settlement, and that such lands can be
leased without detriment to the public
interest shall notify the applicant in
writing that his proposition to lease is
accepted," etc. I beg you and a "gen-
erous public" to accept my assurance
that every application received up to
this date has been submitted to the
test of this provision and accepted or
rejected accodingly. Awards have
been made for periods of from one to
five years. A reader of your letters
wouid infer that a system of wild,
reckless, indiscriminate leasing had
been indulged in. regardless of every
consideration of conscience, duty or
the public Interest.
'Tis true that comparatively few ap-
plications to lease have been rejected,
This naturally follows from the fact
that few men desire to lease land in
immediate demand for settlement,
when they know that said lease is lit-
tle or no obstacle to settlement under
the present rules of classification.
Your remark on the subject of illegal
enclosuaes required no notice in this,
as no allusion was made to 6hen in my
former letter. The penalties therein
referred to attach to line-riding as well
as to fencing.
The classifiers now at work are re-
quired to report all cases of illegal use
or occupancy of school lands, and I
assure you that the proper steps will
be taken promptly when the proper in-
formation is filed.
Your appeal to a "generous public"
is my apology for writing this letter.
As it is interested and by you consti-
tuted judge between us. I thought it
proper that it should have a full in-
stead of an ex parte statement of facts.
As the actual settler forms a part of
said public, I thought it due to liim
especially, that he should know more
about his champion than was given in
your letter. And the county and dis-
trict surveyors of Texas, a numerous
and influential part of the public,
should know who was their friend, the
defender of their rights and privileges,
at a time when friends are needed.
This is my last open letter, Mr.
Browning, on this subject. You are at
liberty to write as many as you please.
I am persuaded this "law which we
have been discussing will work much
good for the whole state. When the
school lands shall have been sold under
its provisions Texas 'will have been
peopled. No more purchasing with a
promise to settle; no niore "staking
out" of seoiions to get bonuses from
bona fide actual sett lei's. This vicious
system, which might have been con-
tinued under your bill, will turn over
to speculators and non-residents no
more counties like Wilbarger, Harde-
man. Jones and Fisher. And I think
that the purchaser under this law when
he has occupied his dug-out for three
years and begins to feel like his home
is his own. will not forget to be thank-
ful thankful that somebody had power
and influence to defeat a bill which
would have required him and three of
his neighbors then to swear that his
improvements were "worth not less
than $500." Respectfully,
R. M. Hall,
Commissioner General Land Office.
Dealers in
Rii)é \kJ irjes ar)d
LSlCJUOPS.
Only Pure Goods kept
in stock.
Imported and Domestic Cigars i special!),
Only place in the city that keeps the
world-famous Schlitz beer.
MAIN ST., CANADIAN, TEXAS.
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Harm & Ludwick. Canadian Free Press. (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 7, Ed. 1 Wednesday, October 5, 1887, newspaper, October 5, 1887; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth183619/m1/5/: accessed April 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hemphill County Library.