The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-06-05


4 u IL oc.ptk. lne I'lillce ali
ci slas,ile oi Texas sfili adjrart ~
It tns been n session nearly dre MONTHS
Hci iths anlinga great dealoi complain
AGAINST a Tor &c time spelt and De l.tile
done IS alleged 81 people at distance
from tie capitc who were not aware q
Ell ti.e dialeclti4 81 ne situation, We az
firm without hesitatsoa that, On tho whole.
tie Thirteenth Iegisletllre has done welt
and deserve the commendation 81 lie pee
PIE Of Texas When ali It's acts shah b.
published. AMI It IS apparent What las l.een
accomplished, there viii be, We doubt ~,
a general expression Of appreciation. The
Woadcr viii then be how. under the cir
cnnlstanees, 50 much Of good was effected
and 50 little wrong dore. It's MOTTO be ex-
pecied that any body Of men, however wisely
selected, acting IN a legislative capacity,
viii never err, viii DO everything to perfec-
ton and receive Universal appreciation The
hest OF mortals are fallible. and occasional
errors arc the lot and evidence Of humanity.
We think the present Legislature hiss erred
in only one important matter, and about
this, we confess, there may be AN honest
difference OF opinion. We think it should
have arranged. if possible. the difficulty
with the international Railroad, and settled
the disputed matter of the bonds. We
think it was unwise to openly indorse the
conduct Of the Comptroller in refusing 70
sign these bonds and allow them to be IS
sued forthe amount Of the road constructed
The legality and binding force Of these
bonds IS mattcr now for the courts
to determine, and we understand that
the. ablest opponents Of the international
Railroad charter, Judge Smith, Judge
Ireland and Others, do not hesitate to avow,
that, II these bonds are declared legal BIZ
the proper tribunals, they win be in favor
Of their payment. No prominent man has
openly declared for rcpudiaiion, Al
thoughtful men admit that, Tor the honor
and credit OF the State, This must be
avoided: thai, in fact, We cannot afford 70
rcpudiatc- lit would be too costly, the State
and people would suffer in every way too
much ly it. We had better endure the
wrong perpelntcd by the Twelfth Lcgisla-
ture, than to cndeavor 10 right it by such
means The State would lose more than
sc. OOO, 600 by repudiating the international
bonds, should the courts affirm their legal
lily. VIC must not become a lay word and re-
proach at home and abroad. We must raise
the unsulied standard OF Texas alolt and
defy the criticism and judgment of the
world.
And now, having veutured to call in
question the action Of the present Lesisla-
ture in this regard, we intend to express
frankly our opinion with regard to the con
duet of the International road The char
ter, as it passed the last Legislature, should
never have been granted The people of
Texas were not in favor of money subsidies
to raii-pads, however much they desired
their construction, and they are not at this
time. As in the case of the Texas Pacific
road, the right to change the bonds into a
land grant should have been reserved. The
granting of lands in aid Of railroad con-
struction was settled policy of Texas.
This a large majority of its people have ap-
proved and stiH sanction The charter,
then, of the international road was not in
with the viii Of the people of
Texas and none understand this better
than the owners and managers of this road.
Under the peculiar circumstances with
which this charter was obtained, the Presi-
dent and directors of the road should
have been willing, from the first, to
accept a reasonable compromise from
the State of Texas It would have
been greatly. to the advantage of both par
ties. But did they exhibit any willingness
to compromised We understand they did
not. On the contrary, they preserved an
attitude so bold, arrogant and defiant,
that great injury to their cause resulted
thereby They insisted on nothing less
than the very letter of the law, no matter by
what means that law was passed for their
benefit. This was all wrong, and they win
soon see, if they do not now, how greatly
they erred-how widely they mistook their
own interests. shonld they succeed in |
getting all their bonds. by the aid of the
courts. they viii be unable to sell them to |
any advantage, while doubt remains of
the Willingness of the people Of Texas to /
pay them or the interest thereon.
But, we have not space for further COM
ment We think both parties have erred,
and we regret exceedingly that this trouble
some question was not settled before the /
of the Legislature. AS it is,
however, ell we can do now is to keep IL
out of politics, and prevent its breaking up
the Democratic party.