The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-04-17
The Old State Ticket.

rut" system Is giving way rapidly be-
fore the enlightened sentiment which
is founded upon Garfeld's now fam
Gus declaration, "The president Is
dead, but the republic still lives"
The old idea that tried and approved
men should be retained for long terms
is an excellent one, and would work
like charm were there none but
good men found in the public service.
1t works bad, where the incumbent
happens to be man of indeciSion, or
rather negative and slow in his move
ment. The public is slow to condemn,
and it demands a positive mistake or
a positive dereliction ere it moves
with the force necessary to upset. In
this way second or third rate man,
with a well developed bump of eau
ton, may hold on term after term. 1t |
resolves itself into this, the long ten
ure is a good thing where you have
only good men in service, and bad |
thing where you have either bad or
incompetent or careless men in the
public places. So too Of the habit we
nave gotten into here in Texas of CIV
ing man a second term, whether he
has earned it or not. The prestige Of
a state administration is very great,
and with such a habit prevailing it
can reproduce itself always with but
little trouble. If its policies are
wise and just, well and good. If they
are weak and changeful, foolish and
indecisive, dangerous and distracted,
incomplete and incongruous, then only
misery can come of it. 1t seems to be
law of our political life that one ex-
travagant and reckless, or weak and
wicked administration can do more
injury than five correct and strong adj
ministrations can atone for, or neu-
tralize, work and struggle they never
so hard.
The impressions abroad Of the pres
ent administration are not favorable
to it's longevity. No great or master
full policy has been evolved; no new
or brilliant combination has been
made, but on the other hand great dis
order and disquiet has reigned. Real
values have been very seriously at
fected by circumstances which strong
executive policy would have inevita-
bly, controlled had the power been
used. Not only has it not accomplished
| anything, but it has permitted evil to
come to US through mistaken notion
of executive non-responsibility The
weak and changeful course persued
both before and after the ASSEMBLING
of the special session did incalculable
injury in giving confidence to the
fence cutters, and in sickening and
disheartening the friends of law and
order. 1t is another law of our politi-
cal life that all the factors of an adj
ministration are embarked with the
Eexecutiye, and they are tied to it,
and indorse its policies be they good bad
or Indifferent. This is also an I'M
mitigated and an undivided evil, and
it gives ground to the sweeping feel
ing which is slowly but surely rising
against the "old state ticket" The
rule which has long prevailed that all
the integers in state administration
may or must in fact agree with the
executive is very pernicious one in
deed. We can understand how linz
tied fealty should induce agreement
in offices operated by the executive
But even here, it should never be
forgotten that the executive derives
all of his significance from the people
who elected him, and the paramount
allegiance is due them rather than the
personal fortunes of the man. In the
case of the elective officers in the state
administration there can be no sort OF
doubt as to what the policy should
be. There is no rule of party fealty
or other influence which should oper-
ate to harness them to the Car of the
governor against their own convic-
lions of sound policy or the best good
of all the people. These officers are
responsible alone and directly to the
people. They can neither be dis
missed or suspended by executive
power. Nothing but impeachment
can reach them.
Of course it it is sound party policy
that the utmost harmony should
prevail among the members of the
state administration, and while we
are perhaps as strongly democratic
as any individual or paper can be, yet
we recognize higher and graver
duty-that which all patriotic people
owe to the state, to the whole people
of all races, colors and conditions in
life, and of all shades of political opin-
ions. This all officers, either elected
or appointed, must pay direct to the
people no matter if in their discharge
the personal interests of the president
or the governor suffer serious injury
or fatal setback. In and under the
mistaken idea of fealty to the per-
sonal fortunes of the executive some
good men go down into the abyss of
the popular disfavor, who otherwise
would retain the public favor and
confidence, and thus be able to render
the state valuable service after exec
utive incapacity has won peaceful
retirement for the head.
Sometimes the people do wrong in
attaching a responsibility to the men,
bers of the administration which
does not of right attach to them.
But these instances are far rarer than
those where the fault on the other ex-
treme is committed. There are many
honors attaching to political success
where it is fairly won, and on the
other hand there are many response
bilities, and upon how the latter are
discharged depends the strength of
both new and old tickets, gubernato-
rial, presidential and others. How
they are all to work out in Texas this
summer remains to be seen.
Republican Felicity.
The republican patriots are riven
| lOt he snre They are united in none