The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1875-04-17

lrftOW tUIrys liy u law u
tho lmc Legislature yon will h,
mIlcd upon or the first Monday II
August ucxt IN vote for three dolo
Hatos from this Senatorial district
composed u Inrnul, Elli3 anC
Dallas counties, to It State Conyen
ton, IA frumo aud submit 10 III,
people Tor their approval, II ncW
Constitution for our state.
At the request Of II Iargc number
Of the people Interested am II can
didntc for scat in that body; and
cXpcctiug to address The
people throughout the district be
fore the election, | deem IL just t.
them rs well rs myself, to lay before
them u brief statement Of the views
entertain on the subject ] wish tt
dodge no question, but to state tho
same views TO the people in cacl
county and each precinct, deeply
realise the grave responsibilities IN
VOWED in the formation Of II consti
tuition for the people Of great and
free state, under which our children
are to live after we shall have
passed away.
The present constitution was
formed in 1869, by convention Of
men who did not represent the great
body OF the people, They were
elected when thousands Of our best
citizens were Observation-Disclosures
the angry passions of the war were
still bitter, and when the people who
made TcNas u prosperous country
were still regarded by the trium'
phant party in the war more MS
conquered subjects than tree-born
fellow. citizens. This constitution
is wholly untitled to our condition,
and has fastened on the state abuses
expenses, coniusions and, in me
cases corruptions, from all of which
il is cur interest to escape, In 1896
and again in 1913, the people of Tex
us, through delegates of their own
free choice, made good constitutions,
under which we had good govern
ment. low taxes, happiness and
prosperity. We can again do so
fellow citizens, in 1873. All that is
necessary is an assemblage Of hon
est, capable men, who understand
our condition, past and present, and
who are in sympathy with the great
mass Of honest, producing men
who desire the general welfare, love
free institutions, and have no fellow
ship with combinations to enrich
the few by expressing the many
mon who understand and cherish
the great principles underlying the
works Of our fathers in founding
American free, representative gov
eminent. In so far as God has
given me capacity, backed by e
large experience in tie affairs OF
our state, seek to hr, however
humhIy, such II man.
The only objection TO this con
vcn,ion, worthy Of Il moments con
sidcration, is that Of expense, and
this has no foundation in fact. On
the contrary, we save expense by
making II Few constitution. AS il
is now, we have II session Of the
Legislature every winter. Under a
new constitution we shall get rid at
once Of onc-half this expense by
going back to our old plan of one
session every two years, The
Legislature consists Of one hundred
and twenty members in all, with
about thirty five clerks and en-,
ployccs and sits about three months
on an average, at II cost OF about
100000 for pay and mileage,
besides $50, 900 to $40, 900 for print
ing. This convention will consist
of only ninety members, with not
over ten clerks and employees, and
ought to perform its labors, at the
outside, in fifty days, and | think
in forty. It's cost for pay and mile
age at fifty days will be only about
10000, showing direct saving
every other year of $4,000 per
diem and mileage, and $1,000 for
printing-total, SlO0,00O--not Tor
one year, but for every alternate
year in all time to come. ] take il
for granted, in viow Of all the fore
going facts, that ninc-tcnths of all
the people who desire justice, with
good laws and low taxes, will vote
for the convention.
The people are entitled to know
what candidates propose to do, il
elected to the convention. Having
nothing to conceal, | will briefly
state my views.
| am in favor of taking our long
tried and excellent constitution OF
1915 and making it, so far as it
suits our present condition. our
organic law. The changes made
necessary by the results OF the war
and the enfranchiscment Of the col
ored population, must necessarily
be fixed in it as they are in the
present instrument. Additional
clauses must be inserted to meet the
changed condition of the country in
regard to railroads and other great
corporations, whereby the purity of
and the liberties of the
people shall be preserved against
the seductions, corruptions and dan.
gers attending vast mOneyed COM
as illustrated in the Credit
Mobilier, the Pacific Mail subsidies
and divers other gigantic schemes
which have brought shame 90 the
cheeks of every honest American.
north, south, east and west. To this
end hold that no taxes shall be
levied on the people, in time OF
peace, except what may be ncces-
sury for the honest and economical
of the government
that the money Of the people in the
state treasury shall never be appr0
priated to individual. corporate or
associated bodies, by way of subsidy
Or otherwise--and that no money
shall ever be appropriated except
in accordance with express provi-
sions of the constitution and pre-
law. These points being
well guarded in the constitution, we
shall hear no more of lobbyists and
Driberies in the enactment of laws
by our legislatures. Corrnptionists