The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1874-12-10


ordination Or iRfdelity to anS priuaple or
Interest OF our organization, but ! do coun-
sci vigilance inst IN proportion a. new and
increasing responsibilities arise around You.
/ equally urge your cooperation As : frs-
ternlty, and the preservation Of your indie
pendence and individ6aHt$ as citizens
Your obligation Is Patrons excuses none al
the duties or impairs none Of the privileges
Of freemen -and ssfreenen only are the ~
heralds Of civilization and Jaw" They only
can extend the domain of knowledge or
guide the eagles Of liberty In their daring
onward, upward fight to the sun.
While would countenaHce the infringe
ment of no authority, and would beg YOU
to cultivate no aspiration, would still en-
hort you to be not less wakeful in your
charge than those sleepless virgins of old
the affairs of Yesta.
As Patrons you have still the right, and
It is your duty, TO MAINTAIN the doctrines Of
local self-goyernment for which your An
glo-SaxOn p1Ogenitars have commended for
twenty centuries. You are the sovereigns.
Legislatures are but the agencies which ex-
ecute your will Corporations are but the
creatures Of your agents, and neither can
mand, your representatives Convene. your
Constitution is the guide, the, rule aud the
limit of their action, and you are bound by
no enactment IN excess of their powers. No
tranagresnon of authority, or lnhdelity- to
q trust can make the pee1niary interests OF
the few more sacred than the inherent
rights Of the many, or ETest from the peo-
pie what they may not themselves restore.
- ~
tyranny Of ''mopopOlies, y to define the
powers of corporations, and to re-establishl
the principle that governments are made
for the benefit of the governed, and that
no future creation of q legislative tribunal
shall be allowed to Cypress the people, in
whom all power resides.
You have q right to declare against the
exactiOn of tariffs which Cypress your sec
ton, and IN favor Of free exchange with all
the world. You have q right to doubt the
justice of a general levy for private bepe-
fit and the wisdom OF public subsidies for
enterprises in which the State has neither
representative control or pr0 rata dividend;
you have right to protest against the sx-
emption of bonds from taxation and the
consequent immunity Of wealth from its
just share in the support of the govern
ment, and against thel delinquency which
has suffered 81, 600, o00'Of acres Of land in
Texas belonging chiefly to wealthy nen-resi-
dents to go free Of assessment and proper
tionate burden, You have a right to indi-
cate and Insist upon such administration of
law, local and general, as will recognize
every citizen sovereign and insure justice
alike to the proudest and the humblest,
Now, without entering the arena as par
tissne, you can do all this and you can
also determine to support no man for Office
who is connected with any enterprise which
depends for vitality upon special legislation
and exclusive pFiElleges.b Disinterested par
ties are quite as likely to make equitable en-
actments. It win at least be safe to employ
them.
Now upon the eve of constitutional con-
vention redoubled yigilance may wisely be
observed. Corporations are said to be soul
less. "Unexampled generosity" may not al
ways mean s'unalloyed philanthrophy" or
be without @businessa designs "a Idiguise.
While it would perhaps be indicate to,ex-
press an opinion as to the merits of any
given case, yet it does seem desirable that
If renewed efforts are tO-be made for either
legislative subsidies or constitutional prece-
dents, the people who will have the burden
to bear, should be allowed to deliberately
consider the question uninfiuenced and un.
biased except by their own reason and
sense Of Justice. We want railroads and
would encourage them by every safe means
at our command: we should give them
rights of way and liberal charters, only
guarding against the abuse of unnecessary
privileges and the influence Of the
monster rings and monopolies that some
times grow out of underlined and unlimited
powers. 80
The question of immigration is one
Of interest, and the legislation which
shapes its future proportions should
receive ysur serious attention. The
recent influx of population is perhaps
almost without parallel, and while We
have homes and welcome for all who may
come, it is perhaps not improper that we
should determine the extent Of the induce
ment which, in corporate capacity, we can
offer. The. free gift Of one hundred and
sixty acres of land in any unoccupied terri
tory; the homestead exemption, which
secures two hundred acres from forced sale
the comparatively light labor necessary to
maintenance in this mild climate, amid its
great variety Of crops and industries, are Of
themselves considerations of much infu-
ence. And it may be question whether,
in addition 70 these, a widely circulated
official enumeration Of our entire physical
and productive resources, including meteor
illogical and health tables, together with
the reduced tranBP oftati on. rates stipulated
by our efficient superintendent, will not be
sufficient to attract all who would be use
full as citizens, and who, under any circum-
stances, could leave their homes and bust
ness in the older States. In any event the
policy of large expenditures for recruiting
on the highwsys-as for the supperof Old
and Of bringing from the faubourgs and
purEeus of great cities class which win
only renew the profession of paupers in our
midst, may well be doubted. The real in
terests Of orr peopls and the causs Of I'M
migration would perhaps be best snbserved
by q mere general attehtion to the prospec-
tive wants Of immigrants after reaching here.
Grave approximations may reasonably exist a.
TO the pOlicy 81 y hOlesAl e ii t1odncfio With
cut corresponding increase in the means
Of comfort and temporary support upon
their arrival. A commission In each county
or each Grange, 70 stimulate the erection Of
suitable tenements, and to assure abundant
supplies at moderate rates, WOuld greatly
popularize the idea of coming among as,
and prevent disappointmenfs which have
too frequently occurred. In inviting our
felloW-citizens from other States to share
our bounty and to'become our neighbors, q
hcspitable reception on terms Of equality
and friendship is implied ~. 800 I
The aubikck Of Education you VIII be
called to grapple with In all its immensity;
you cannot hide from its responsibilities Of
evade its searching obligations. The pres
emit basis Of public instruction, so infinitely
provided for in our organic law, with 81 itS
vast enginefy, its multiplied circumlocu-
tons, its regular assessments and liberal APP
propriatiens seems TO fall far short Of the gen
eral estimate ofits mission. It's past history il
replete with cause for modification and re-
prosch. aEgen thegenius and THE labofiohe
application Of IS preset excellent chief
have fsiledrtO elevate 4 % that STANDARD Of
efficiency which such devotion deserves.
No admihistratio6 of Do detective . system
can ever prove satisfactory. You, fellow
citizens, can perform no more patriotic or
valuable services than todeFise such change
a the circr nrtrrcen If n4.r r,aorIa and the