davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

AN oUTBURsT of southern feeling
was evoked by the closing sentence of
an address delivered by Gen. Jubal A.
Early before the Association of the
Maryland Line in Baltimore on the
evening of Washington's birthday,
and by the spirit in which it was re-
ceived. Il trust" Gen. Early,
that every faithful soldier of the
army of northern Virginia is
ready to exclaim with me:
If l ever disown, repudiate or apollo
gize for the cause for which Lee
fought and Jackson died, let the
lightnings of heaven blast me, and
the scorn of all good men and true
women be my portionr The Balti,
more Sun remarks that at this senti'
ment "the hall roared with wild
cheers, which. coming largely from
his former comrades in arms, remind
ed the nearer of that inarticulate bat
tie cry with which the Confederate:
were wont to advance to the charge ;
score of wears ago"
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE frequency with which the plea
of insanity has been used to success
fully defend the basest criminals calls
for some sort of correction, and many
of the state legislatures have devoted
earnest attention to the subject. The
California legislature has just passed
a bill providing that a murderer who
enters plea of insanity shall first be
examined as toinsanity alone, without
regard to his crime; and if the court
finds him sane he shall be tried fol
murder, the false plea entering as an
"aggravation of the otfense." But il
the plea of insanity is sustained, the
defendant shall he sent to mad
house by the court, and never re
moved unless his sanity at the time
of the murder is proved. Then hi
shall be tried on the original charge.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

roads it is not fair to estimate the
value of lands granted now that the
railroads and immigration have blest
them, but by what they were worth
when they were offered as induce
ments to capital to construct the
roads. If railroads, money and enter
prise have added to the value of the
lands owned by the railroad compa-
MES, so they have those owned by the
state and individuals. Millions of
acres of land to-day are paying taxes
that had remained "staked plains" and
unproductive as to state revenue to
this day. The state is building very
fine and large state house now, and
paying every dollar of it in land. Who
and what makes those lands such
illegal tender" that contractors will
accept them in payment for so SPLEEN
did a structure as the new state house
is to be?
There is nothing, therefore, in what
the state did to encourage the build
ing Of railroads to warrant the regu-
lation of the railroads by law.
If it be said that the roads in Texas
were charging more per mile than in
older states, the answer is plain one.
When the population to the square
mile is very large, thereby furnishing
a large passenger traffic." as well as
freight. railroad companies can afford
to carry both passengers and freight
at lower rates than when the popula-
ton to the square mile is less. In
the older states there will be four
families, at least, to the section of
land, while in Texas there are often
four or ten or twenty sections of
land to one family. The plain,
| common sense view of the ques-
ton is, the time has not come
for the legislature to interfere
with the railroad traffic of this
country. There is already healthy
competition among the railroads
which will annually increase, while
it is to the interest of the people in
every part of this commonwealth to.
have the railroads lengthen their
lines and strengthen their stocks"
Let the railroads alone. They do not
eXpend dollar or build mile of road
that does not, by its reflex action.
benefit the people of the state. No
state in the nation ever had so many
miles of railroad built in so short a
time, or so much railroad that cost
the citizens so little money. If At
were the right thing to do to unite
capital to build railroads by land
grants it is also right to give theW
chance to mature and develop eif
enterprises. 1t is daily becolhng
y matter of interest and self4pro-
ction for the railroads to build
branches and lines where they cannot
obtain additional lines because they
have lines that need feeders, and one
line must control business or it will
fall into the control of a rival; and
from this healthy rivalry and cOmpe-
tition every interest in Texas will
reap a benefit. l once lived in what
was large commercial city in In
diana, where two carpenters Of
limited means set up planning m i'll.
The smoke, shavings and noise an
noyed a man living near, who went
to the mayor with complaints. al
WISH" said the mayor, "that there
was a planning mill on every other lot
in the city, and business to support
them" Texas needs many more
miles of railroad, and a great many
more people to the square mile.
SENEX
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08
The Railroad Question from the
OIdar Sfafas Ctandnoint

DIR. Sabin, the southern correspond
ent of the Indianapolis Sentinel, now
in Texas, in a recent number of that
paper, says:
The legislature of the state is now
wrestling with the railroad question.
A few years ago the state made some
splendid investments in railroads by
granting lands to railroad companies.
1t has been said "Texas has been very
liberal to the railroads." The fact is
she has been very liberal to herself on
the railroad question. Her wealth
and population have been increasing
at an unprecedented rate of immigra-
ton that never would have occurred,
never could have occurred, but for
the construction of railroads. This
decade is witnessing a development
in all the elements of wealth and ma.
terial prosperity that is without a
parallel in American history, and
because the railroads are, in CON-
mon with all other local inter-
ests in estate, deriving some benefits
from this incoming population and
their labors and investments, the leg
islature thinks they ought to be regu-
lated, forgetting that ninety per
cent of this prosperity results from
the railroads themselves and six per
cent of the remaining ten from the in
creased energy and activity resulting
from the introduction of new methods
of business and improved ideas result
ing therefrom.
Besides the tax derived from mil
ions of dollars Of railroad property
made elsewhere and brought into the
state and the productive farms, the
'road-beds" of all the railroads, there
have been values placed upon and
added to the unproductive lands OF
the state that have made them yield
an annual tax income even If their
owners in many cases were nom
reaidents-
q s.aatin0 what the state has
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE Charleston News and Courier
says the summing up of the results OF
the Charlottesville campaign by
Gen. Fi'2hugh Lee contains some
very fine touches of quiet humor over
Hooker's famous order. His closing
eulogy on Stonewall Jackson was
an eloquent tribute from "a gal
liant and able soldier to one of the
great military geniuses of all history
The lecture was, in a word, an able
military criticism of a great CAM
paign, vivid description of interest
ing movements, and a splendid tri-
butte to, the skill of our leaders, and
the heroism of our men which emilia
zoned charlottesville on the tattered
battle-fag of the army of northern
Virginia,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE Republican thinks there can
be no doubt that Sam. Randall's goose
is cooked. The forty-eighth congress
will have to organize on the tariff
issue, and Randall's protection ears
stand up too prominently for him to
be regarded as fitting ornament in
the speakers chair of the next house.
Carlisle will guide the deliberations
of the house, Morrison lead it to the
right sort of tariff legislation as
chairman of the ways and means
committee, while Randall will be
assigned to the mission for which he
is best fitted as chairman of the ap-
preparations committee. There will
be great reduction of taxes and
Randall will find big job in cur
failing the appropriations so as to
keep the government expenditures
within the limits of the reduced
revenue. That is a work which he is
more competent to perform than any
other man in the country, and it is
the best of good luck that the De-
mocracy can spare him for the chair.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE STATESMAN is very uneasy
about Gov. Ireland and the peniten-
tiary lease. That's right, be sure and
steadfast to the governor for there is
still another vacancy in the Office OF
colonel of the militia.-Caldwell
Register.
And now the STATESMAN does
want to know where it is. Here
comes the Caldwell Register intimat-
ing that the STATESMAN truckles to
the powers that be in hope of reward,
while the Austin organ charges the
STATESMAN with opposing the gov
erhor because of lack of personal re-
ward.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

PARNELL in late speech in pcrlia-
ment had the hardihood to strongly
denounce the English method of en-
forcing law in Ireland. He charges
that the government by its course in
cites lawlessless: that when the peo-
pie see that juries are packed and
that judges are turned crown prose-
cutors, all natural sympathy with
"law and order" is destroyed. This is
where the government made its
gravest blunder after the Phoenix
Park murders. Instead of treating
this crime as an individual act or the
act of a few lawless men, and appeal
ing to the better sentiment of the
people to aid in bringing the crimi
mails to justice, it was Immediately &C
cepted as pret0xt for the harshes
measures of forcible coercion directe'
against the whole community, ant
Irishmen were almost forced into pal
liating assassination in their natura
resentment against tyrannical enact
ments. 1t is stated that ther
are only two modes of gov
eminent possible in modern time
"a military despotism, which recoe
nizes no such things as popr
lar rights but maintains quit
by brute force, and civil ordt
that rules by law and by the popl
lar respect for law. 1t is not possibl
to combine the two, and this is VIII
England has so lamentably faile
through all these centuries to accom-
plish anything in Ireland. There
enough respect for law to render mil
tary rule impossible, but too little
establish an efficient civil govern
ment, and the only result has been
drive the Irish people universally
look upon "the government" as the
, enemy and feel no interest in mai
tanning its authority.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE rumor is revived that Senator
Cameron will resign at the close OF
the present congress, and turn his at
tention to railroad direction. Came
ron is sick enough of his own ma
chine, as it has become too rickety
and too costly to be run with either
pleasure or safety, and he would dc
himself great personal and bushes:
kindness, and probably as great a pc
htical kindness, by resigning; but hi
is of the class that "few die and none
resign" and we doubt whether any
thing less than u cabinet portfolio
Icould now tempt him to leave the
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

IT Is A FACT not to be disputed
that the steward of the lunatic asy-
lum is a poorly paid public servant.
His position is one of very great i'm
portance, and the trust confided to
him is great. Some years ago this
officer was paid 500 per month; now
he is paid SO. while his duties have
been trebled. The present incumbent
is a competent man and a faithful ad-
herent to duty, and his time is wholly
given to the state. Increase in his
salary, we are satisfied. would be at
tended with increased benefits to the
institution.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

ANOTHER governor gone. This
time it is Alexander II. Stephens, of
Georgia, whose life has been a phe-
nomenon for over quarter of a CEN
fury. Through all his long life he
has been wonder of physical weak
ness and mental power combined. In
him it was mems sana in corpore sano,
but nature seemed determined to
prove through him that great intel
lect was by no means dependent upon
a powerful frame. Mr.. Stephens was
one of the greatest men that ever liv-
ed in this country. He has served
Georgia in one public capacity
or another fer fifty years
Engaging early in life in politics, and
being successful in the giddy arena ne
was ambitious always to mount. Be
fore the war he had served the state
many years in the congress of The
United States, but casting his for
tunes with the southern states III
became vice-president of the southern
, confederacy, and in this capacity wa
by no means in harmony with Presl
J dent Davis upon many most impor
tant state policies. He was notabl.
= in favor of capitalization at a tim
t when all was evidently lost; and ha'
r his policy succeeded the south woul'
: have been saved some of 1T
g woes and vast deal of propert.
Y and dependence. He was a states
1 man, preferring honorable submis
: sion to defeat at the mercy OF dis
$ honorable foe. After Georgia wa
: reconstructed Mr.. Stephens wa
o again sent to congress, and there h
: remained until few month
o ago, when he quit Washington t
o become the governor of Georgian
r Evidently he had lived for lifetim
l. upon political excitement, and whe
at last he had substituted for storm
political life in the federal capt.;
II the quiet life of the governo
L the physical being was denied thu
) upon which it existed, and he passe
+ away. He was probably the mos
/ wonderful man of the age in whic
S he lived. He died at the age of SCI
:. enty-four, without descendants, bI
U with all the people of great stat
bemoaning his end.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

SUReEoN-GEN. BARNES, of the
United States army, reports that the
whole number of Confederate prison
ers taken by the Union armies was
10000, of whom $4,000 died. and the
whole number of Union prisoners
taken by Confederates 10000, OF
whom $1,000 died. If this statement,
which purports to be official, be true
IL per cent of the Confederate prison
ers died and per cent of the Union
prisoners died; and there is an end OF
the unjust charges so long made
against the humanities of southern
people
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

IT appears that good many sena-
tors want to go down ignobly as sup
porters of this outrageous contract
regarding penitentiaries- The leases
are not good until the legislature rati-
Ties. and yet there are those who
would make binding thing that is
absolutely disgraceful to the dignity
of Texas reflection upon the honest
purposes of the state government
should the senate perpetrate this out
rage, the house win be ioof b,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08
Tariff for Revenue Only.
memphis Avalanehe.l

The signs are plentiful of the rapid
disintegration of the Republican par
ty. There is no harmony and no great
leader. The administration has nc
party influence and there is no rally
ing point. Before the next election
it well disappear as party organiza-
ton, and the fragments will be gath
cred up by the two wings of the De
mocracy that are fixing for fight fol-
and against a tariff for revenue
w
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

SINCE the first of September last
the state has disposed of 2,lS5,OOO
sores of the public school lands. One
fourth of this was taken after the
legislature met and before the lands
s;ere withdrawn from market. Com
kaner Walsh. says that a large
I3liantfsy of this was filed on long ago,
and that fear of legislation caused
persons to rush in and make first
payments.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE Austin STATESMAN takes it
very seriously to heart that Gov.
Ireland does not leave the executive
chair and go into the legislative hall
and attempt to dictate to members of
the legislature how they should vote
on the penitentiary lease. The
STATESMAN wants Ireland to play a
part that led Charles the First to the
fold.-Houston Age.
The Age unwittingly treads on
dangerous ground. The STATESMAN
does not want Gov. Ireland to leave
the executive chair to use his in
fluence around legislative halls
for or against any measure; and it
especially does not want him to use
his influence with legislators to
secure ratification, nor to attempt to
influence the course of a paper against
settled convictions in relation thereto.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

NoBoDY THOUGHT of a lease OF
penitentiaries for oyer five years
before this wonderful conditional con-
tract that has been entered into; and
even then it was never supposed, with
the increasing value of labor, that
able-bodied men would be sold for 62
cents per month. when, for the five
years preceding, they had been dis
posed of at 1901 per month.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

A physician in Preston, New Jer-
sey, has presented the following bill
to the city: ITO breaking up the
ravages of diphtheria by showing it
to consist of a few ounces of foreign
matter in the blood which can only
escape through the pores, $500; to
lowering the death rate of the city to
the extent of 538 lives in two years by
means of circulars, letters, cards and
tracts, showing what fever consists
of, $1,000; to stopping ravages of
smallpox by showing that 100 cases of
il can be expelled from the blood by
the vigorous action Of the pores, pro-
dnced by hot tea, $500. Total,
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

fisherman Courier.I

While the advertiser eats and sleeps,
printers and printing presses are at
work for him; trains are bearing his
words to thousands of towns and
hundreds of thousands of readers, all
glancing with more or less interest at
the message prepared for them in the
solitude of his Office. No preacher
ever spoke to so large an audience, or
with so little effort, or so eloquently,
as you, gentle reader, may do with
the newspaper mans assistance.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

SPEAKING of bearing stocks of syn
dictates, and seeing from the quota
lions of the stock board that
certain Texas railroad stocks
have materially decreased in
value in the last few weeks, can
1t be possible that the same two per
soaages who were hob-nobbing in a
southern state, east of the Mississippi
river, and south of the Ohio, are play
ing a quiet game in Texas? If so, il
is wondered how much will be made,
and among how many fellows profits
will have to be divided.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE FATE of the railway assess
-ment bill in the senate should be
taken as no reflection on the chair
man of the railway committee of the
house The bill provided for a
special board of revisors, when the
constitution is specific that the re-
vision shall be in the hands of county
commissioners. The senate is a body
of lawgivers well versed in law, and
no sooner did the bill come before
them than it's constitutionality was
apparent, and therefore it was de-
feafed-
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

ATTENTION is called to the article
taken from the Christian Observer,
published at Louisville, Kentucky.
Heretofore this paper has been an adj
vocate of legal prohibition, but a
damper has been thrown upon
its sentiment in relation there
to. 1t discusses a subject which
has had its effect upon
the sensibilities of more than
one editor. Nothing can be more
hurtful to the cause of temperance
than the gross woman lecturer, unless
it be the preacher lobbyist. They
both constitute the very embodiment
of intemperance.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE Comte de Chambord is win
ming popular favor in Paris by having
Ddistributed among the poor Tree
bread tickets, bearing his coat-ot-
arms. The plan works better 'h''n
plon-Plon's posters.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

INDIANA, like New York and Ten
nessee, understands the viciousness oil
\ the contract lease system, and the leg
islature is taking hold of the ques-
ton with the purpose of placing the
state. as it should be, in full control
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08
REPRESENTATIVE STAeNER di,

REPRESENTATIVE STAGNER did
not invoke the spirit of "martyred
president" but the genius of live
one, to aid him in his argument in
favor of the Chenoweth railway bill
He called the attention of the house
to the fact that President Arthur, in
his message, had said there ought to
be railway legislation, and that ought
to make the eighteenth legislature
tumble to the proposition. The argu.
ment of Mr.. Stagner is simply stag
rerinp
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08
Should Not be Allowed.

1t is to be hoped that the Chenoweth
railroad bill now pending in the legis-
lature will fail to pass. The bill has
some good features, in trying to regu-
late freights, but it is sadly faulty in
permitting determinations at COM
peting points. The supporters of the
bill say its provisions make freight
charges so low that railroads will not
want to, or cannot afford to discrimi-
nate al competing points. This, of
course, is but theory, and its correct
ness will have to be proven by time,
should the bill become law. Rail-
roads can do some apparently
strange things in low transpor-
tation, when it comes to handling
through freights; consequently, if
rivalry should incite them to con-
tinued discrimination at competing
points, then many towns near such
favored points viii necessarily be
greatly injured by higher freights
and consequent loss of business. Such
possibilities to injure should not be
allowed by law.
The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-08

THE printer who published that tes-
timony for the railway subcommittee
advertises copies of the pamphlet at
one dollar each. Anybody can go
up TO the legislature and pick a copy
ont of the waste paper for nothing.