The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-05-12
THE 10TH DISTRICT.

series OF congressional districts to suit hand-
full of democratic politicians in and out Of the
legislature.
The 10th district, in which we live, is simply
an enormity,-it has destroyed to large ex-
tent the commercial entirety of San Antonio
and its contiguous territory.
1t cuts US off from the sea coast, and from
the Rio Grande border.
1t narrows the limits Of the district to the
very border of our county line on the south
ward.
1t is tortured into incongruity by the little
pig-tail trust that is given it to link the coun-
ties Of Travis, Williamson and Bastrop to it.
There is no excuse for this gerrymander.
The tenth district could have been squarey
and evenly carved from territory this side the
Colorado.
There is no use trying to dodge the fact that
our commercial entirety has been ru:hlessly
dsregarded and broken into.
1t is not of so great importance that con-
vention-opprovedd dem ocrat goes to congress in
order that the prestige of the party be main
tanned, as that the material interests subserved
by such representation is properly repre-
sented.
1t so happens that our commerce is woven
in on national politics, that San Antonio, be-
ing an important commercial, business center,
handling the products of large area
of growing country, and dependent upon main
tanning way clear to the sea coast as we'll as
to the frontier, we desire to have our interests
preserved in representative Of our own chos-
ing.
Schlecher defeated Ireland because the re-
publicans of San Antonio did not want an en-
envy to her commercial interests to represent
them in congress. At that time there was
democratic majority in congress but the peo
pie Of this city and the west knew it to be 10
their interests to elect a man who was only
democrat in name and not in action, because
we needed the friendship of the administra-
ton, which was republican, to foster and pre-
serve the army to our frontier, as we'll as to
cover our section with its fri ndly care.
But now we need in far greater measure
man not only in harmony with the admins
tration, but in harmony with the republican
majority in congress.
Mr.. Epson has manfully faced the opposi-
ton of his own party and voted for protection,
but Mr.. Epson has cut his own throat, politi-
cally, by doing so, and the new district in
which he lives will lay him on the shelf
But the interest Mr. Epson ventured to de-
fend, despite the edict of his own party, can
not afford to rest its security upon a candidate
selected by party which furnished but one
vote from Texas in favor of protection, and it
was but bare no." it carried no force with
1t. The party of protection in congress is al
so he party that is contending for fair ballot
and an honest count in the south,
and yet we find Mr.. Epson registering his vote
to retain Chalmers in the shoe string district
of M ,ssissppi with a majority of thousands
against him. Mr.. Epson hopes by this vote
to reinstate himself with his party, but it is a
vain hope; he is already denounced as
Yankee and republican in disguise. And in
any other district than the old 9th he could
not touch bottom in race for congress. We
believe Mr.. Epson sincerely attached to his
party, but we also believe that he feels that
he is confronted with duty to his district that
has overpowered his party fealty.
In the new deal our citizens must look to
their interests. They have been gerryman-
dered at the dictation of handful of schem-
ing politicians, and every interest efecting
their material welfare made to bend to the
imperial dictates of democratic political wire
workers.
Now let the 10th district rise in its dignity
and throw overheard its enemies.
Let it send a republican to congress, and
thus conquer the situation - thus preserve to
itself, and to its allies on the sea coast and
frontier the favor of the government-the favor
of the majority in congress, and the admins
tration.
Year after year have the people been told
that the democratic party would ascend to
power. 1t is now rerograding, losing power,
and when "a comes about it will be still
defeated national party. Parties are only use
full to promote the national welfare. The
democratic party serves as an opposition, but
let the 10th district be selfish enough to let
the rest NJ Tevac h,rDich tba r.; C,,I avo,or1a