The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-06-19
The state Convention.

ON> =,
slider some important matters con-
nected with it, and which it may
serve well, or an unwise policy pre- :
vailing, may fatally injure or severely
cripple. For several years, there has !.
been a feeling of hostility to bossism
growing up in the party. When
the state was finally redeemed in
'73 from radical rule, a sense of
grateful relief swept over the
people, and the natural gratitude
which they felt toward the men
who headed the revolt, and in
whose persons the relief came, in
duced the masses of democracysI
to generously give up to their keep
ing, much more than was either safe
or desirable. This is proven by
the absolute slavery imposed by the
leadership ever since. The feeling
among the masses which produced
this natural and simple confidence
was a correct and manly one, and it
evinced, in very forcible way, the
the utter, frank and generous charact-
er of the masses Of Texan democracy;
and it ought to have induced CORES
ponding feeling of generous forbear-
ance on the part of the leaders. But
has it? There is no impartial OBJ
server, who has given the subject
the least attention, who cannot see
that this generous confidence on
the part of the people has
been met with cold selfish
ness, a greatness which has produced |
in the graphic slang of the day
a ''tiredness" which promises serious |
and fatal results, if the Houston con-
vention does not pursue wise. |
conservative and concilliatory policy.
The ruthless and selfish leadership not
only parcels out the party patronage
without consulting the masses, but it
assumes to lay violent hands upon
the most venerable and useful rules
and laws governing the party exist
ence. To serve a present purpose
they tear down the monuments Of the
past glories of the party. Vandal-
like. they burn and destroy the history
made by the Texas democrcy that some
compact concocted at Washington
might be carried out to the letter,
even over the vigorous protests of
majority of the party men at home.
We have schisms, divisions and par
ties inside of our party lines, and
these will inevitably produce mischief
one of these days. A close race be-
tween and independent democrat and
the regular nominee will grow out of
the condition we have named, some
day. When it does we may expect to bid
i, IL long farewell to democratic ascen-
dency in Texas, whose democratic
majority is only superior to that of
other states, as is her vast extent of
acreage. We can not afford to jeopar-
die or hazard this to serve any one
| clique or interest in the party, and
yet that Is just the hazard we are TAX
ing, and foolishly and needlessly too,
at that. There is no necessity for the
course. There is every reason why it
Q ought not to be pursued further. This
thing of parcelling out the honors and
, patronage of the party among a cho-
sen and favored few has done more to
weaken the organization, to destroy
: the enthusiasm of the people and to
: insure, foment and pereetuate discord
than all other causes combined. Even
the gravest mistakes in politics are
trivial and unimportant when COM
> pared to this selfish appropriation by
the few of the honors and considera-
: lions of all kinds which belong to the
party in common.
A new deal all round is the only
q thing which can save us from ulti-
y mate disintegrat1on. The democracy
of Texas is the most patient long.
suffering, the most devoted and I'M
t selfish body of men in the union, of
: similar extent in numbers. Had they
s not so been, open revolt would have
been experienced long since. Some
a system of party compensation must
q be devised at Houston, or instead OF
o healing existing wounds, they will be
infamed and new ones created which
will never heal even under the most
5 slillful party treatment, and an ounce
: of preventive is so much
better than whole ton OF
cure. The generous sacrifices
so long and so freely made by so many
illustrious democrats cannot longer be
;, ignored and passed over in order to
heap favors upon men no better in
any way than the others, and who
s are immeasurably behind them in the
e worth of party services rendered. 1t
4 is out of the original conditions OF
dissatisfaction at the distribution OF
party patronage that The ranks of in
v dependentism are recruited from time
I to time. Its most dangerous strength
: comes from soreheaded democrats and
these have powerful sympathy
reaching entirely under the the whole
party structure. A course might be
entered upon which is calcula-
: ted to heal all breaches an soothe and
allay all feelings and apprehensions
; as to the future status of the party as
a whole, or of prominent individuals
5 connected with it.
' Above all things, the Houston con-
Q vention, if it would hold the masses
( of the party true to their eolors, and
their confidence in the perpetuity of
the party and the party's policy and
principles, 1t must not tamper
with or abrogate the two
thirds rule. The policy may suit the
bosses, but the masses of the people
of the party will not tolerote it.
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