The civil war left Texas under changed conditions. That and the Mexican
wars had determined its boundaries, however, and it rapidly filled up
with new elements of population. Broken soldiers, outlaws, poor
immigrants living in bull-wagons, poured in. "Gone to Texas" had a
sinister significance in the late sixties. When the railroad got to
Abilene, Kansas, the cow-men of Texas found a market for their stock,
and began trailing their herds up through the Indian country.
Bands of outlaws organized under the leadership of desperadoes like Wes
Hardin and King Fisher. They rounded up cattle regardless of their
owners' rights, and resisted interference with force. The poor man
pointed to his brand in the stolen herd and protested. He was shot. The
big owners were unable to protect themselves from loss. The property
right was established by the six-shooter, and honest men were forced to
the wall. In 1876 the property-holding classes went to the Legislature,
got it to appropriate a hundred thousand dollars a year for two years,
and the Ranger force was reorganized to carry the law into the
chaparral. At this time many judges were in league with bandits;
sheriffs were elected by the outlaws, and the electors were
cattle-stealers.
The Rangers were sworn to uphold the laws of Texas and the United
States. They were deputy sheriffs, United States marshals--in fact, were
often vested with any and every power, even to the extent of ignoring
disreputable sheriffs.
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