The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-06-15
THE GALVESTON NEWS ON JUDGE IRE
LAND.

We felt that the dead calm in the Irelant
canvass would soon bear tokens of storm
and at last we see the first rifles on the quie
waters that tells us that the bark of the would
be governor must be strong one if it rides thu
horses in safety to the governors haven
The Galveston News, the weather vane of tn,
democratic party, has at last veered arounc
to an opposite direction than that to which al
the little democratic weather vanes were point
ing and goes about dissecting Judge Ireland
in a very cool but effective manner. The
News has found out which way the vino
is going to blow,-the cat is going to jump,
etc.
Of Ireland, it says:
Judge Ireland has been more or less in pub
lie life for some years, having been a state
senator, and on the district and supreme bench.
So he is not without a record of public service.
1t is not known, that he has ever held any
office that would practically or exclusively
| test his qualifications as an executive officer.
Although it can be said that he has filled high
| judicial positions with no discredit to himself,
and that he is considered lawyer of decided
ability, and has character for firmnesS ap-
preaching obstinacy; yet these are not the
| qualities that make up first class executive
officer. 1t is well enough that governor
shall be good lawyer, and it is proper that
he shall have frmness of character, but
there are other equally essential qualifications.
The man who is to be governor of Texas
should not only be fully identified with her
Interests, her people and her laws, but he
should be withal man of enlarged views,
and in full accord with every wholesome i'm
pulse and aspiration of the state and people in
the direction of progress. Is this true of
Judge Ireland? Whatever may be the fact,
instead of being regarded as man of liberal
views on questions Of state policy, he is re-
gressive in his ideas 1t is charged against
him, that he is opposed to the railroad inter-
est Of the state, large and growing inter-
est, and in the proper development Of which
the welfare of the state is indissolubly in
terwoven. 1t is also urged that he is an
tagonistic to the establishment and ade-
quate endowment to the state university,
the establishment and fostering care of
which are enjoined by the organic law, and
by the edict of the last democratic convention.
But even admitting that Judge Ireland of all
others is the best qualified man to be called to
the executive chair, this time, the question oc-
ours, is he an available candidate for the
democracy to put forward! 1t is not to be
disguised that strong effort will be made this
fall by the element opposed to the democratic
party to defeat the ticket; and, in many re-
spects, the opportunity seems suspicious in
that regard. AS stated before, Judge Ireland
is not without political record, and the rec
ord is not such, it is believed, as to commend
him as a party standard-bearer in this emer-
gency. That he was identified with the know
nothing movement in this state some years
since seems not to disputed, and this, together
with his acrimonious, and, as some thought,
factious and designating opposition to the
lamented Schleicher, will not serve 10 give
him strength with the foreign element, ond es-
pecially with the Germans, who constitute
a large vote, and may in close
contest hold the balance of power be-
it is urged that his connection with a
celebrated land-ofice case during the admins
ration of Governor Hubbard will handi-
cap him with great many, Notwithstanding he
was representing the private interests Of a
client. And by others, strictly within the
party lines, it is an objection that he is not in
harmony with the friends Of Senator Coke,
who are by no means a small following in the
democratic party. 1t should cut no figure in
the case, they argue, that many believe that
Coke dissembled and forfeited his pledge to
Ireland not to interfere with his senatorial as
piratons. The fact is, the people believe the
senatorial Office not to be a matter of bargain
between individuals, and it does not help
Judge Ireland to say that he was a party to
such scheme, however much it may be
claimed that Governor Coke deceived him.
1t simply demonstrates that both were schem-
ing politicians, though Coke was the shrewd-
er or the more fortunate of the two. Bnt to offset
these elements weakness as party candidate
tits insisted on behalfof Judge Ireland that he is
a western man, a favorite of the west, and the
west ought to have the nomination in the due
order of things. This proposition is fallacious
in principle, and is not true as a fact; but if
the principle were admitted, that the Office of
governor ought to be distributed to the Sec
tons of the state by turns, it might be pertin-
emily asked, when did north Texas with its
teeming populati N, or south Texas, have the
honor of this distinction? However this may
be, there are others equally worthy in the
west, with the distinguished gentleman, and
who would not carry into the canvas the same
antagonisms which exist against him. 1t is
believed that one could easily be named who
would be stronger in the west than Ireland,
and who, endorsed by the west would GER
tainly be stronger in the state at large.
What we object to in all this is, that we had
picked out Ireland as the easiest man to whip
in the democratic party, and now the News,
in behalf Of some great big body or other,
dra VIC his record IN him