Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-01-29
Mr.. Hancock and the State Admi7if-

Mr. Hancock and the State Admris-
tration.
The right of fair criticism oil paoRe
mon and measures is not TO be with-
held. BY the expression of honest
feeling upon the policies of the admin
istration public officials may gauge tne
current Of public sentiment and gnlde
affairs of state in consonance with
what appears to be the desire OF the
nublic. whose servants they are. But
every criticism is not an expression OF
public sentiment One swallow does
not make summer neither does one
harsh structure upon a Responsible
public officer indicate general feeling
of hostility to prevailing measures.
The masters of politics know how to
manufacture goods to order, and
give out that they are rejecting public
senti,Ne nt when they are ehdeavoring
to create n false feeling to sustain selfish
and Questionable designs. OF late
such subterfuges have become well un-
derstood, and reading men take them
at their actual value.
Certain acts of the governorof Texas
and with the governor is included
the entire Democratic Administrations
of the state-have failed to accord with
the wishes Of leading politicians. This
has induced their resentment and or
gauized the creatures of hostility to
the administration, with the COM
mon object Of antagonizing and
defeating that administration. II
is needless to ask what are
the grounds OF this oppOs itiOn,
for they are various, from the
anger OF the disappointed spokesman
and discarded "boss" TO the we'll
grounded resistaRee of the
sincere advocate of diverse
measures tothose upheld by the adj
ministration They have infinite re-
sources OF strategy, for they are di-
rected and disciplined by skilled
manipulaters of politics. The me-
dunn OF the ''public interview Is
their latest resort to blast the admins
tration. The instrument used is one
of no less power than Hon. John
Hancock, congressman from this
state, who, in conversation with the
representative of h0stil @ newspaper,
used the following incorporate and
censOrious language toward the gov
ernor in relation To his course upon
the fence .cutting troubles.
II believe that II n statesman was governor
the disorder would have been killed before II
became dccp-Tooted. The adiu antgeneral OF
the state I'D more 10 foster and encourage
ience-cutting than any man | know or II
Eeems that the executive arm OF the govern
ment made no Ell ,rt 10 prevent the spread of
tle disease. IL grew, strengthened and be.
came more dangerous right under the eNecu-
tive eye The reward OF - offered By tho
governor for the conviction OF ieneecuttor
was absurd. Why. sir, Il was q mild hint
To the fence-cutlef that he had n fIiend at
headquarters"
And further, when questioned as TO
legislative measures.
"What lid you think OF The Terrell billie"
II was IN hopes that the legislature had
sense and Patio Ism enough 10 pass n. IL
was the bIondest and most comprehensive
measure offered 20 the legislature TO remedy
The present eyil,'
Wewish TO say TO Mr.. Hancock, as
q friend, that the course of his past po-
liticnl career should have taught him
that nc cannot stan d the loss of many
friends, and his common sense must
convince him that such language us
this toward the COVER or of Texas aud
the legislative representatives of the
state must cost him many n fax orable
follower. If the action OF the governor
was 80 inefficient and feeble, Mr.. Han.
cock, who condemns that conduct
should not have let the opportunity
pass without suggesting what he would
have done had he been governor. He
would, IL seems, have increased the re,
ward for fenee-eulters This Is q
statesmanlike view, and worthy of its
author. suppose he should have Put
the reward at 5000, would il have stop-
ped fence-cutting? The extreme pen,
atty, so far, that has been given fence
cutter, when caught, was n fine of $40.
me enterprising nipper, for whose de
lection, under the ideal Hancock dis.
pensation, 5000 would have been paid
could reveal himself, pay his fine o
so or $40, receive his reward ont
pocket the difference $3.50. The
remedy would have been effective
clean up the state treasury and max,
1encecutting the most profitable bust
ness IN the state. His reflection upop
the good sense aud his questioning OF
the worthinesso Of motives of the lerisla
ture that defeated the Terrell bill can.
not be justly characterized with less Sc
verify than TO denounce il as unworth,
Of the man who gave it utterance
The bill was debated In both houses
and every point Of strength and weak
ness shown up, and upon q direc
issue between its friends and enemie,
-pe,ween men who honestly SUP
ported II Us offering solution of ex.
lsting troubles, and It's opponents who
AS honestly believed II TO be the mean,
Of aggrayating fence-cutting disorder,
MI WAS irretrievably defeated. And
mr., Hancock, speaking us the mouth.
piece Of an Observation-Disclosures cabai
de clares this to be lack OF good senss
and patriotism. 49, 's"s'
Mr.. Hancock IL eutitled To his opin
ION, and others are Justly entitled /
the L.emory Of 1t. There Ia a future
MIR. Hancock has lent himself 10 Ia
enemies OF the state administration
and he cannot complain ii the friend
or Gov. Ireland aud the legislatul
treasure up the memory OF his insul
and In the Impending political cam rs
leach him the meaning OF Ter fdlioui