The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-09-29
To the People OF Bexap County.

Some two months ngo | announced
of Bexar county. This was made not
subject to the action OF any convention,
committee, ring, faction or party. 1
thought the time had come when the
people In local and county affairs were
determined not to be controlled by con-
ventions, rings or committees, but were
firmly determined and felt themselves
fully competent to select county officers
without the aid OF deputies, wire work
ers or small politicians.
Acting upon the belief that this was
the almost universal sentiment OF the
people, | made direct appeal to the
people, asking their suflrages alone up
on whatever merit or qualifications /
may have for the office of District At
torney. Since my announcement two
parties have kindly volunteered TO Sc
lect the county officers for the dear peo-
pie. One Of them, the Democratic con-
vention, which assembled at Turner
hall, on the 2Gth instant, claim that they
alone represent the people, and that any
other party who pretends to do so is
fraud and n cheat. The other is a COM
mittee, compos ed of Democrats and Re-
publicans, who style themselves the In
dependent party. They propose to select
for the different offices such men as in
their own sovereign and infallible judg-
ments should become candidates and
no others.
D.. -
being rings. Whether both of them are
guilty OF the charge or not, do not pre-
tend to say; Of this the people must
judge for themselves. In speaking of
my being n candidate some of them re-
marked you are not In a fix to become
n candidate. l asked them why? Am
not competent to fill the office? Oh,
yes, said they, to be plain, you have no
money to put up. What sad comment
Is this upon the corruption of the times
In which we live; rs American citizens,
should we not hang our heads in shame
when we talk about the purity of the
ballot box and hear such sentiment ex-
pressed as this In plain language. Worth,
talent and qualifications weigh nothing,
but money alone can buy an office.
fear what these gentlemen remarked is
too true, but hope, for the sake Of the
perpetuation OF good government and
free institutions, all honest men will
scorn the idea. If such is the case, let
every honest voter at the polls say
"dOwn with fraud and the use OF money
In elections" | wish 1t distinctly un-
derstood that | am not the candidate
Of either party.
The Office of District Attorney Ia n ju-
dlcial and not political office. 1t is one
of the most responsible and difficult
offices there is to I'LL. 1t requires years
Of experience in the practice of crimi-
nal law. The District Attorney must e
able to cope with the best talent ut the
bar, and the whole of that bar are near
ly always arrayed against him; he has
no friend to support or encourage him;
he must stand or fall on his merits alCnei
L shall continue to be candidate until
the race is run. My platform is this:
Let the man who is best qualified to fill
the office of District Attorney be deter
mined by the people ut the polls, and let
every man run who wants to.
If elected | will do my duty; If de-
feated l will bow respectfully to the will
of the people in whom alone all power
rests. am respectfully, your obedent
servant. M. G. ANDERSON.