The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-27
FrOthy.

The News article of Friday morn
ng against the two-thirds rule is, If
weaker than any of its PIE
lecessors from that paper. We can
1ot denominate it in title any more
and truthfully than to dub it
sfrothy." The News has a bad cause
and seems to realize 1t, and Its blows are |
worthy of attention only because OF the
animus behind them. We could well
afford to ignore the assault entirely
were 1t not for the fact that many
men have formed the habit of follow
ing sound, rant and fustian rather than
reason and common sense, and for the
further fact that silence is considered
as assent in such cases. The
STATESMAN would discuss the merits
of any question with the News. We
have fairly met what seemed like
reason In the fight it has advanced,
and 1t has advanced nothing other
than seeming objections to the rule.
1t is SO easy to call principle which
gets in ones way, q superstition.
Many men have holy horror Of su-
perstition, who are at the same time
unable to see that the use of the word
Is not argument against the bene-
ficent two-thirds rule. The News has
regularly sprung this question at
every state election which has oc-
CURED since 1870. The position II
took then 1t takes to-day. Its argu-
ment is the same. With the News
steadiness to either convictions or
principles Is "dry rot" time-worn i"
and the like. Indeed, q party organi-
cation which would hold that paper to
any especial line of policy other than
that which favors disintegratlon
would speedily become irksome and
its extensive vocabulary would be
ransacked for terms descriptive of the
irksomeness Of the restraint. BY
implication, at least, the News places
itself In the ranks of the progressive
influences in the party. God save the
hopes Of any party whose progress
iveness Is fashioned upon that of the
News. One may get a very definite
idea Of its progressiveness when he
recalls the fact that last year 1t sup
ported Tom Oehiltree, a republican,
against George Finlay, the regular
nominee of the democracy. Are DEM
ocrats willing to trade the wholesome
restraints, Of which the rule In ques-
ton is one, for this sort of progress !?
The News is happy in the choice of its
words always. but when 1t denominated
such policy, the red flag Of progress 1t
was surprisingly appropriate. 1t Is
indeed fitting that the symbol Of rsvo-
luton should wave above such de-
claration as this. Nothing will be
more wildly appropriate until chaos
adopts standard and that the
News will reach for very promptly
There is charm In the tWo-thirds
vote, which, Of itself, they say, has
prevented schism and disruption of
conventions. Three-fourths would, II.
there Is any principle in the two
thirds rule, be as much better than
two-thirds as two-thirds is better than
one-half, and nine-tenths would be
vastly better than three-fourtts."
This Is the way the News meets the
accepted history of the two-thirds
rule. "They say" only what history
says, and none know this better than
the News. 1t has prevented schism,
disruption and independent ardor, and
here Is where 1t becomes "dry rotted,"
Bourbon" and "decrepit" to that won
derfully devoted democratic &? paper.
The true meaning of the last claim in
the excerpt above Is that II simple
majority is meritorious, no majority
at all is better. This inverted sort of
reasoning is vastly popular with the
News and Its followers. 1t would see
all rules abrogated because it esteems
the two-thirds bad one, and by its
own reasoning, no rule at all Is far
better than any. Rules are very irk-
some to those who are determind not
to live under wholesome restraints.
In politics, the News occupies the
same position that the outlaws who
find the rules Qaws) of society irksome
and unbearable. The News charges
that the men who are battling IN de-
tense of the twe-thirds rule, opposed
the principle of free public education.
How falsel But one example need be
given. 1t holds Ex-Governor Roberts
up as an illustrous example OF the
men of progr-=s in the party who
are arrayed against the two
thirds rule. Has the News forgotten
his early position on the subject of
free schoolsf The age Of the democ-
racy sustaining the rule cuts but lit
tie figure in the matter. else such old
life long democrats as Roberts, Stock
dale, Greer, Terrell and Col. Swain
would add little to the weight of the
column.
The connection between the idea of
majority rule and the course of pub
lie education is not clearly made, and
we are in doubt as to which idea this
great modern exemplsr of tho beau |
lies OF the majority rule in political |
meant to convey. II one
were to size the advocates of the |
rule up with its opponents, we
10 not believe the difference in |
mental or moral stature would be so |
overwhelmingly in favor of the ma
ority men as the News seems to
;hink it would. We refuse utterly
he conclusion arrived at by the
News. that the advocates of the re-
ention of the two-thirds rule are
lon-progressionists or repressionists.
1t Is so natural tor the News to
neer at the "backwoodish mossback-
SIN" Of democrats. 1t does not startle
me to have it Islander the democracy.
nd aharno fhok h4 -.-k.. l