The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-05-01
SONS OF TEXAS +!
THE PATRIOT VETERANS PRO.
CLAIM THEIR OPPOSITION TO A
DIVISION OF THE STATE.
And a Noble Organization
Adopts the Motto "TeXas
Indivisible Forever

DOIu III duo VI Chcto,
there are men to be found whose in
corrigible love of notoriety, coupled
with an overweening vanity, plunges
them into doctrines and beliefs, prin-
ciples and utterances, which nothing
but wilful blindness or imbecility can
Justify, and which only ambition or
self-interest can actuate. Take the
old cry for division of Texas for ex-
ample. There are individuals who
favor this wild policy for no other
earthly reason than to have them
selves talked about, and there are
others who seek the disintegration
of our empire state merel y
as stepping-stone to their
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. When
the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, some
months since, visited this section and
received at the hands Of the people
everywhere reception of which he
might well be proud-a reception that
did him far more honor than it did to
the moral instincts of the state-the
only return he could afford to make was
to publish broadcast his "unalterable
| impression" that the best interests of
Texas demanded division of our ter
ritorial boundaries, and that the
1
should not be allowed to stand in the
way of this imperative desideratum.
Aud so with others who are as indit-
lerent to the wishes of the people as
Beecher. Even the illustrious
| solon who is known to
fame as Rutabaga johnson"
to halve up with his political hatchet
| &La Iorl1xy IanooiT1 which
ton once exercised such benign sway,
and in whose destinies the "Old A.
calde" took such a stirring part. There
are many Others who entertain sim
liar insane notions, and as "fools rush
madly on where angels dare to
tread" we suppose the crop of that
Ilk will never become exhausted so
long as office seeking "sore-heads" are
to be found in our midst, or addle-
headed statesmen fail to receive from
the people of their respective localities
that reward which unadulterated ego
ism alone entities them to.
| Hearing that the question of
the division of the state re-
ceiVed signal consideration at the
recent meeting of the Texas Veteran
is 'Ociation, in Paris, a representative
| Of THE STATESMAN resolved on OBJ
tanning the inner facts relating to the
matter, and to this end interviewed
Mr.. Robert Price, Of Burnet, on the
| question:
Reporter Price. 1 understand
the matter OF dividing the state re-
ceived some attention from the vet
Grams at your recent meeting in Paris
Mr.. P.-Oh, yes; we had that ques-
| h. 10 &
faith to tell you that the veterans of
Texas unanimously repudiate it. No,
sir; the men who fought for the liberty
and rights of this imperial territory
are not willing to see the fruits of
| their valor bartered away and parceled
out to political charletans. The vet
Grams never fought for any particular
portion of the state. They fought
for ALL Texas. and am at a loss to
know, if division took place now,
what portion of the land freed from
Santa Anna and his myrmidons could
be called Texas? You can put it down.
sir, that so long as a member of the
"Old Guard" remains, and SO long as
our children revere the teachings in
stilled into their minds by the veter.
ans, Texas will remain as it is to, day
grand and indivisible! Let me tel
you that even now a movement is Oh
foot in this state to guard against any
division, and ere long an organization
known as the "Sons of Texas" will
make itself felt from end to end of the
old republic. That organization viii
be exclusively composed of the sons Of
Texas veterans and natives of the
state, and guess it will be sufficiently
strong, and its object sufficiently sa.
cred land patriotic, to discourage all
attempts at ACKNOWLEDGMENT, no mat.
ter from what quarter they may man.
ifest themselves. This proposition OF
dividing Texas crops up with singular
regularity whenever our prominent
politicians become enamored OF
a particular "hob5y," but the
veterans, like one man, have
always sat down on it, just as
they did at Paris the other day, and
just as they will continue to do Sc
long as such suicidal policy is dared
even to be whispered in any part OF
Texas. Our watchword is: "Insep
arabic, our principle, Omitted we
stand, divided We fall" 1t is the
glory Of our comrades that they risked
their lives for the common veal OF
this entire state. They fought to give
freedom. and prosperity, and home
steads to all; and now, as then, we are
| opposed to monopolies of every kind
and nature. We favor every enter
prise calculated to advance our mater
ial progress. We favor the construc.
ton of roads and bridges, the erection
Of educational Institutes, and the
building of railways, but we are thor
Oughly opposed to the granting of
land subsidies either for railroad ex-
tensions or improvements. We do
not propose, by the adoption of this
policy, to plant OF grow a cudgel
with which corporations may here
after mash our children's heads. Mr..
Price, in concluding his interesting
interview, gave as. a further reason
against the division of Texas, that in
Case at any time in the remote future
there should be a disruption of the
union, this state would be able to
proudly stand alone, and demand its
independence.
With the veterans opposed to the
realization of Beecher's prophecy. and
with the "Sons of Texas" ready to bat
tie for the integrity of the state-with
four-fiths of the people opposed to the
designs of the designating element,
and patriotism and tradition cement
ing In a glorious whole every rood of
ground embraced within the lines of
our princely coniines-we need have
no fears for div ision of Texas, and
the child is not yet born who will wit
ness such an untoward event.