Public land and the settlement of west Texas: The Texas Free Grass debate, 1884 -- 1887

详细信息   

• 作者：Brown ; Benjamin L.
• 学历：Master
• 年：2012
• 关键词：Social sciences ; Biological sciences ; Debate ; Free Gr
• 导师：Smith,Sherry L.
• 毕业院校：Southern Methodist University
• Department：History
• 专业：American history;Land Use Planning;Range management
• ISBN：9781267867582
• CBH：1532126
• Country：USA
• 语种：English
• FileSize：605378
• Pages：110

文摘

The Texas Free Grass debate was a three-year contest that took place between 1884 and 1887. Often overlooked within the state's history,it presents a prime example of the contention surrounding Texas' administration of public lands. The debate began after the eighteenth legislature passed a new law,providing that public land allocated to the permanent school fund could be leased. This new bill,known as the Lease Law,sparked an uprising from a group of citizens known as Free Grassers. Free Grassers shared a vision of what constituted the best use of land. The Free Grass vision championed the small farmer as the vanguard of civilization,who would spread democracy as he moved westward. They believed the new law allowed cattle ranchers to lease,and control,massive tracts of public land in west Texas. Free Grassers feared,however,that the state's new leasing policy would prevent the spread of frontier farmers and settlers from moving west because "cattle barons" would now be able to lease and fence millions of acres of public land that settlers intended to purchase. During the debate,the Fort Worth Daily Gazette emerged as the most vocal Free Grass newspaper within the state. The paper fervently promoted the Free Grass vision and kept the presses hot for nearly three years. Although the majority of the state supported the Lease Law,Free Grassers had resolute faith that it could be repealed. However,the movement failed to achieve any legislative success. In the spring of 1887,the twentieth legislature passed a new land bill that reinforced leasing and provided even more incentives for wealthy individuals to lease public school land in west Texas. With the passage of the 1887 Land Bill,then,the Free Grass debate permanently subsided. The movement's failure can largely be attributed to the amount of money and influence wielded by leasing advocates to shape land policies tailored to their specific interests and needs. Public land policy in the decades following the Texas Free Grass debate reveals that moneyed interests have consistently been able to influence legislation regarding land laws,so the debate falls into line with this larger pattern. Although the Free Grass movement failed in the end,an examination of the debate reveals that a handful of citizens saw a different future for west Texas and made a valiant stand to fight for their vision. Free Grassers contested legislation and battled for statewide reform. In the past,historians of Texas land policy have assumed that there was little debate about land legislation within the state and have neglected to explore all aspects of policy formation. This thesis is a small step towards filling that void.