The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-03-22
VOL. XII.
THE STATESMAN AND GOV. IRE
LAND.
Especial Correspondence.l
A I-STIN MY March q

| AUSTIN, IEX., March 3, 1888.
The STATESMAN of this morning
openly expresses its hostility to Gov.
Ireland's administration. In labored
article of more than columns
length, after glorifying its own De-
mocracy and political purity, it dis
tinctly charges that 'the danger ap-
pears imminent that Gov. Ireland's
administration is drifting into more
decided form of personal government
than has ever been known before in
Texas" To anyone acquainted with
the past history of the STATESMAN
and the course of Gov. Ireland, since
his Inauguration, this gloriication of
itself and detractiOn of Gov. Ireland
will appear as ridiculous as un-
just. During the editorship of
that facile Bohemian, Dupre.
the STATESMAN was any
thing but a sound Democratic
paper. 1t advocated at times every
thing imaginable. from Capitalization
and a protective tariff down to woman
suffrage and free love. After his de-
parture for Washington city, it at
| tempted in feeble way to get back
to the Democracy, but fell under the
influence of "a certain noted political
| trimmer who has controlled it for his
own personal benefit for the last three
or four years. OF course, its columns
have exhibited an inconsistency and
unreliability not to be wondered at
under the circumstances. NOtwith-
standing its present charge of personal
government against the old Alcalde,
it openly and squarely advocated his
reelection to third term until
its secret adviser, who never yet
stuck to friend or fronted
his foe, seeing the hopelessnes of the
effort, gave the signal of abandon
ment. Then it suddenly wheeled
about and became the earnest sup
porter of Judge Ireland and.was NOR
titled" as it now tells us, that he
was repudiated at the polls by so
many Democrats" That "repudia-
ton" was mainly due to the railroad
interests in and out of Texas, which
the STATESMAN has been so earnestly
supporting ever since the private par
lor and dining car of Mr.. HoXie has
been anchored at the Austin depot.
Its "mortification" could not have
been very intense, and was of short
duration. The Democracy and patri-
otism of the STATESMAN are so
mixed up with private feel
ings and pecuniary interests that
1t is sometimes hard to dis
tingU;sh them from radical
ism and love of self. Had a certain
brother-in-law been appointed health
officer, nothing could have been heard
in the STATESMAN about the personal
government of John Ireland. The
sky would have remained serene, the
sun of Democracy in full blaze and
"the temporary abandonment of its
regular organization" now proposed
by the STATESMAN would never have
been suggested. This attack on
Gov. Ireland is without a particle of
justification. His administration, so
far, has been distinguished by pru-
dence, conservatism, sound judgment
and strict adherence to the princi-
pies and policy of the great Demo-
cratic party. The hostility of the
STATESMAN does him honor.
The above letter is taken from the
San Antonio Express of Sun
day. March IL, and it is
republished in these columns
to give our readers an
insight into the base attempts now
being made by certain enemies of the
STATESMAN to affect its standing, to
destroy its influence, if possible, in
advocating or opposing public meas
ures in which the people of Texas,
along with it, are deeply interested.
The main purpose of this letter, how
ever, is an attempt to Gre
ate disrespect for the STATES
MANS opinions on the penitentiary
leases. 1t has been intimated, in
fact, that money was paid to
secure its publication. OF course no
mention is made of the penitentiary
matter in this letter. for to do so
would destroy the effect desired for
1t. Its base purpose was to cast dis
credit upon the STATESMAN, and thus
to induce persons to accept
its sneaking and cowardly in
situations as rejecting truth,
to make infamous falsehood shape
public sentiment against the STATES
MANS integrity of purpose. Disre-
garding the personal references to Il
period in the STATESMAlS'S history
when it had employed on its editorial
staff "facile" editor statements in
relation thereto being basely false,
more immediate references will be
considered. Neither the sneaking
author of this letter, nor he
who may degrade his position by
inspiring its contents, had the courage
to name the political trimmer" re-
ferred to as controlling the STATES
MAN, for the last three or four years,
for his own personal benefit.ss We
will name the gentleman, however. at
whom this intended thrust was
driven. Senator Terrell has been the
most trusted dependence of his dis
trict in the legislature. and
being devoted public SER
want, a legislator of undoubted
ability and influence, the STATESMAN
has sustained him with will and has
three times successfully advocated
his election to the state senate. This
was enough for base ours, hang
ing about political movements, to
take hold of and to manufacture in
their depraved minds a preteXt for
charging that Senator Terrell "owned
the STATESMAN" Such a charge was
made in the last canvass by the dis
reputable agents of the opposition
to Democracy, and now this sneaking
letter-writeB and no less sneaking
hackers repeat charge which all
honest and decent men will assert is
absolutely untrue. 1t is asserted that
its secret adviser" led the STATES
MAN to oppose Gov. Roberts for the
third term, and to take up Ireland for
the nomination, when the STATES
MANS hopeless effort in the Alcalde's
behalf had failed. Judge ireland.
when he was in Austin during the
called session of seventeenth legis-
lature, was told by the editor of the
STATESMAN that the paper was ready
to and would support him for the
Democratic nomination, if he would
but take the field; and it did do so
.