The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1873-06-28

lllhl NOT onlA tue tulloIlu llulNll llN
but all Others In attendance, VIII re-
ceiVe n warm welcome from our up
country friends --Grmes County Jour
nal,
Internal improvements = uhiironds-
Democratic Policy Of Texas.
Tho Democratic party, as national
organization, was never opposed to M
tornaf Improvements. II Is u great
mistake of our Democratic friends that
true Democracy requires them to op-
pose all progress In this direction that
ii should be left entirely 10 individual
eXertions, and that il Is wrong for the
general and state governments to cN-
tend any aid for the internal improve
ment of the country, 1t Is true that
the Democracy OF the early times, being
strict constructionists, oppOseda sweep
ingsystem ofinternal Improvements on
the part of the general government, as
being stretch of the powers granted
under the Constitution, and liable TO
great abuse. But no doubt existed rs
to the power Of the general govern
ment to make appropriations for I'M
proving our harbors, both on the seas
ami the lakes, rs well as the more I'M
portant manageable rivers, Mr. Cal
noun, the very head Of strict constluc-
lionists, in the first great commercial
convention, held at Memphis, contend
cd for the power Of the general gov
crnment to improve the Mississippi riv-
or, calling il u great inland sea"
Every Democrat, in those days, admit
ted the power Of the states over inter-
nal improvements there was no ques-
ton of that-and many Of the
States took up the matter warmly and
energotieally, and incurred heavy debts
in the construction of canals and other
improvements. And the most Of these
States were under the control Of the
Democracy greater part of the time
when these things were done. Old
Democrats remember this well, and
are SURPRISED when some of our mod
ern ncwlight Democrats dcnounce all
State aid to internal Improvements rs
lmdemocratic and attempt to read the
friends OF railroads out OF the Demo
cratic party. Why these men are not
well up in political history, they had
better become moro conyersant with
the doctrines and past doinSs of the
party they profess to belong TO-
before they undertake to ostracisc
men. to say the least, as pure
and patriotic rs themselves, II
they did but know it, they themselves
are the heretics or dissentcr5 OF their
party. As such we would treat them
With kindness, and endeav0r to bring
them back to the true old Democratic
faith of the fathers. The Democratic
marty of the Union would never haze
remained in power rs long rs it did,
had il been opposed to a ludicious syS-
tenn of internal improvements, and the
Democratic party of Texas would be'
rent into fragments, and become an
EASY prey to the Radicals, or some mon
erel. half-brced concern did it attempt
TO set itself up against all progress, and
ignore the vital interests of the state.
But il will do no such foolish thing. Ii
will continue the policy inuguratcd by
some of its wiscst and best men. What
has that been? The granting Of state
aid in the way of lands, rCscNing the
alternate sections. If we can get the
desired railroads built by doing this,
we shall be doing well. 1t is idle to
talk about squandering the public lands
and robbng the school fund-this is
dcmagoguism. The lands are worth
less, or nearly SO, without railroads.
Half the lands, with the railroads, will
he more valuable than all the lands
without them. Instead of loss, il
viii he an actual gain to the state. Is
this throwing away the lands to the
railroad companies? Not SO. And is
the school fund robbed by actually in
crossing the available fund, as will be
the case when the railroads are built
aud the State filled up With enterpris-
inc, industrious immigrants? Non
sense.
All parties and all interests will be
benefited by keeping up the policy
which has heretofore marked the Dem
ocratic party of FcXas. We want no
new plank in heDcmocratic platform,
and we want no old plank taken out to
weaken and upset and overthrow IL.
As for money subsidies, they are of
Radical invention, No sound Demo-
crat goes for them. The Corsicana plat
form denounces them--thc Democracy
are II unit against them. Az for the
money subsidy, granted by the Radical
Legislature to the International Rail
road, that Is matter for the courts 20
decide. 1t should moi 90 into the
Democratic Convention, and the sub
iect should have no place in the DEM
ocratic platform. 1t tho courts decide
the bonds, TO be issued under the char
ter, to he Il legal debt against the state,
they must be recognized as such, and
there must be no party contest about
them. The road, as already built, is 4
good thing for the state, and its com
pletion through the capital to San An
tonic and the Rio Grande will be II still
greater good, and the company whc
accomplish all this should he treated
not only with justice, but liberality
We think the next Legislature will be
able to compromise and settle this mat
ter to the satisfaction of all parties -
democratic Statesman.
BH 90 uE "a "a