The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1880-03-11
whArJUDcE BALLINGEn SAYS.

And now, after the "progressives," !"
through Web. Flanagan, a Republi-
can, who has the backbone to let his
sentiments be known, have suggested
Judge Bsllinger as a proper man to
lead the combination game against
the Democracy of Texas, this
same Judge B4llinger has gone
and knocked their pretty plan
into pI. He has been interviewed by
Galveston Meas reporter, who was
thunderstruck that this great jurist and
statesman did not believe as does the
NeUs and ex-senator Grain and W. a.
FL. Miller and the rest of the inter-
viewed. But the Ne1os asked for Judge
b B,llinger's opinions regarding the
Roberts administration, and here is
what he says:
You are extremely mistaken. Texas
haa has an honest, patriotic, wise,
thoughtful, hard-wolking, economical
Governor at the head of the state gov
eminent. regretted to see him leave
the Supreme Court bench to become
Governor. As chief Justice of our Su-
preme Court the lawyers of the state
felt confidence and respect for him,of
the most exalted character. In that
place his usefulness was very great;
the other was an experiment. But, of
all the men haYe known, I believe
o. NJ. Roberts is the most unselfish to
respond to what he believes the will of
the people. In other words, the most
genuine Democrat In its best sense.
Satisfy Judge Roberts to-day that he
could do more substantial service to
the people of Texas by being captain
OF ranger company on the frontier,
or justice of the peace in Smith
county, and believe he would step
down and out and into the minor place
willingly and gladly. Ambitious to be
useful, snd not without his share of
vanity, he is as free from self-seeking
and as disinterested and sIngle-eYed
in his view to the public good be-
lieve the most so of any man l have
ever known personally, and in my read
ing of public men, remember no one
would place above him in disinterest-
edness. Giving up the place of chief
justice with better. salary and cor
genial duties, which he had every as
surance he could hold for life, he be
came governor to be of service to Texas.
He has an experience, wisdom, earnest
ness, purity and fidelity to the dis
charge of duty from which the best re-
suits will be realized by the state
which can come from an Cffice with so
little real power as governor. He is
charged with not being progressive
enough. think this is said with very
vague and loose ide Is of what constitutes
real progress. Ju lge r 3 id, a Is, first,
to p, ace our state affairs on sound bs-
sis; bri ig expenditures inside of reve-
nues; not only provide for our public
debt, but for making the state govern
ment cash, psy-as-you-go business,
and so adjust our abounding resources
as to put US out of debt, and keep US
so, and that the surplus from the pub
lie lands and the extent of taxation the
state will submit to can be reliably ap-
piled to public education and the de-
velopment of the state. And this Is
real progress. l don't believe there is
a man in the state with more earnest
| desire for the education of all the
states children, white and black, than
Judge Roberts, or for the filling up of
our unoccupied lands with population.
But we hsye, in the first place, to be free
from financial embarrassment, and in
the next place to try and reform the
great defects in our state government
without the terrible experiment of an
other constitutional convention.
don't imagine Judge r perfectionist
on these d lfficult subjects. The state
may contain wiser and better public
counselors and servants, bu, l don't
know who he is or where t. look for
him, and yielding to no one in deep
desire to see the state progress, and
progress rapidly-progress not alsne
for my children but for me-to enjoy
the benefit of it's progress myself 4
shall conceive it to be blessing that
our state aft lirs can have at the head
of them the wise, level-headed, zeal.
Gus, honest, faithful, hard-workiDg,
brave old man who is now our Cover
nor.