The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-06-21
JUDGE IRELANDs VIEWS.


this article is perhaps now the most con-
spicuous and probable candidate of the
democratic party of this great state OF
Texas for governor, general desire
exists everywhere to know his
views upon the various questions
of interest to us as citizens. Much
confusion sand many contradictory state
ments have been made as to Judge Ire
lands political views and tenets, and none
of these latter, until within the last few
days, have been generally or accurately
known. At last he seems to have appre-
ciated this fact and has given expression to
them in published interview He has
unbosomed himself with reference to the
university and public schools, the
pardoning power, the revenue, the rail-
roads, Judiciary, public lands, frontier pro-
lection, finance and other minor matters.
The paramount question of all Others is, oil
course, the railroad question, and on this
subject JUDGE IRELAND says that our rail
road system ought to be carried out to COM
pletion and made as perfect as possible.
The roads should be made as subseryient to
the interests Of the people as possible, with
due regard to the rights of the railway
owners. While guaranteeing them every
right TO which they are entitled, they ought
not to have a single advantage over and
above the rights of the citizens. Laws
I. 10 trnl n
manage them, but in such a spirit
Of justice as to avoid the neces-
sity of the general government
taking charge of the matter JUDGE IRELAND
thinks that ourjudiciary system is radically
defective and ought to be so remodeled as
to enable the courts of the country to
transact the business. In what way the
system should be remodelled he does not
suggest. He characterizes the present
mode of disposing of the public lands as
preposterous and declares that what is\lelt
of them should be husbanded for the eddca.
ton of the youth of the country. No lands
belonging to the state or controlled by ii
should be sold but to the highest bidder
after due notice of the sale by advertise
ment and after having fixed minimum
price. The Judge declares the free-school
system part Of the organic law and al.
firms therefore that it is the executives
duty to carry the law out in good faith and
to the best of his ability. So with the uni
versity, which he says should be organized
and put in operation as early as possible
AS to the hammer of its endowment or the
time for putting it in operation, he does
not say, but states that these are questions
about which men will differ. lie is pro
nounced in the statement that the state
ought not to purchase It's bonds not due
which are selling at heavy premium, and
thinks that we ought not to collect more
revenue than is necessary to carry on the
state government. The pardoning power
ought not to be used to annul
the laws, and the criminal laws
ought to be rigidly enforced. juror
IRELAND speaks pointedly on the
penitentiary question, and insists that con
victs should be kept within the prison walls
and punished by constant confinement
there. 1t would seem from this, of course
that he is positively opposed to hiring out
any convicts, and intimates that no matter
what the cost, the penitentiary is the only
place for them. AS to frontier protection
the judge believes that we should first de.
mand this of the Federal government, and
failing there, the state should vigorously
protect itself. He is for pushing forward
aud completing the new capitol as soon as
possible. He advocates tariff for revenue
only, the abolition of the national banking
system, the precious metals of the country
coined and made the money thereof, and il
paper money is to BIO used, only gold and
silver certificates issued by the
treasury, based upon coin therein. lie fav-
ored the incoming of immigrants, but was
opposed TO appropriations for the purpose
OF bringing immigrants to the state, as such
course would be violative of the constitu'
ton. These are briefly but correctly the
views of JupGE IRELAND on these leading
and more important questions now affect
Ing our welfare and attracting attention, as
Wa CLEAN them from his interview, and are
the only ones touched upon by him. We
have thus summarized them that our read.
ers may SEQ at glance the positions which
this candidate for gubernatorial honors at
their hands occupies. His enunciation of
his views was exceedingly terse, but it is
possible therefrom to see exactly where he
stands.