The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-05-02

force maintained, in order to restrain
Dallas, ensure order on the frontier
and assist unworthy and incapable
sheriffs is great source of calamities
to industrious taxpayers. The Cover
nor wields great influence over Legis-
lature, as we have seen when each
Governor manages so to use the Office
that he may glide greasily into the
United States Senate, but if the people
of Texas propose to create q proper
government aud administer it wisely,
they must primarily send men of good
morals and good sense and cultured
| intelligence to the two branches of the
Legislature. The woes of towns, cities
and villages, now advertised for sale for
taxes, are due mainly to the fact that
Ignorance and denagogism constituted
, governing force in the constitutional
convention. The amount of local taxa
ton is fixed by those who pay no
taxes, and in all local offices they are
supreme whose business it is to steal
enough to pay the cost of votes pur-
chased in securing an election. For
voters of such votes we are indebted
to horrible Rutabagaism which
shrewd, sharp lawyer used at will in
the Constitutional Convention. If the
people wOuld have public burdens
lightened they must amend the Con-
stitution and send men to the Senate
and House who cannot be compacted
by an old curmudgeon like johnson,
of Collin, and voted by him as
shrewder man than Johnson directed.
Here were three grades of decency and
Intelligence, for the presence of which,
in the Constitutional Convention, the
people were responsible. At the bot
tom were four or five negroes and
whites, and then came the Rutabagas,
their allies, dominated by the burly
old five-per-cent. -per-month delegate
from Collin, ana the pretty pyramid
of mixed knavery, shrewd demagog-
ism, and CHASTITY stupidity was upheld
ana kept in shape by an adroit, am
bilious lawyer. There was harmony
and wisdom and lofty, honest patriot
ism in the convention made impotent
for good or evil, save to the extent
that it gave comeliness and shape to
the instincts of tramps and of the
caadiHe.
Lessons inculcated by these facts are
too fearful and recent to be forgotten.
Their simple eloquence is heard in the
wall of taxpayers coming up from
plundered, impoverished towns and
cities of Texas. The story Is read in
all its truthfulness in efforts made
by the people of wrecked corpora
tions to diYest themselves of the
forms and facts of once most
valued local freedom and local gov
ernment. The effect should be
seen in the election of members
of the Legislature who will have the
moral courage to stand up before the
unwashed mob, even in the foulest
purlieus of the worst governed and
most terribly taxed town or city in
Texas, and declare that corporations,
eSised simply for the purposes of tax
alton, should be governed by those
who pay taxes. When this principle is
established dwellers In towns and
country will begin to discover the fun
damental blessings of good govern
ment. The country feeds and main
tains the town, and burdens of towns
people are added to the cost of goods
and groceries, and the country and The
towns should cooperate In reforming
thoroughly the abuses of corporate
governments. Candidates for the Office
of governor have little to do with this
question and so eagerly do they seek
votes that they will never dare to dis
cuss it. But members of the Senate
aud House have to deal with it direct
ly and there can be without it no bene-
ficent reform effected in the govern
ment of the commonwealth. The very
class that would oppose changes here
defined would multiply offices and sim
ecures. These are people who create
offices, the incumbents to be maintained
by thieving systems of perquisites to
be psii by widows and orphans. Gov
ernments and offices in the eyes of this
potent class, so much dreaded by
demagogues, constitute scheme of
taxation by which taxpayer are to be
pluudered for the comfort and agran-
dizepent of those who pay no taxes.
But we only proposed to say to the
true people of Texas, who sustain Its
government and bear its burdens, that
everything is involved in The wisdom
and honesty of the two houses of the
Legislature. If they be faithful to the
people, the schemes of a designing
Executive must fail.