The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-06-12
Fleming and Ireland.

earnestness on the question of free |
grass, which we consider little dis
proportional to its real Importance,
the statement of views in the inter-
view is clear and possibly represents
fairly the opinions held by the people
of Judge Jennings section of the
state. They are unitIzed there no
doubt, but how they would size up
with the Indifferent sections, added
to the others positively hos
tile to free grass, remains
yet to be seen. There has been as yet
no sort of test which could possibly
determine strength. However. Judge
Fleming makes fierce assault upon
his excellency, which is entitled to
some notice: Speaking of the relative
strength Of the herd law and the free
grass people and in reply to the inter
rogatory:
"How do the masses stand on this
question:" Judge Fleming says.
Overwhelmingly in favor of free
grass. The republicans recognized
this, and no man understands the SEN
timent of the country better than
Wash Jones"
"What is going to be the effect of
this issue in the state election?"
"The people are thoroughly arous-
ed and alarmed. If the democratic
party endorses the lease system, ia
Vors its continuance OF Winks at a
herd law, thousands of good Demo-
Gratis, men who have never voted any
thing but democratic ticket. will
vote against it. Such platform would
loose nine-tenths of the democratic
vote In this country. will vote the
democratic ticket as I have always
done, but I can't help understand
ing the terrible earnestness of the
people In this matter. 1t Is a question
of vital interest to them and party
lines will not be recognized"
"Do you apprehend any danger of
democratic defeat ?"
"Ireland is intensely unpopular
| here. His message to the legislature
Is regarded as a herd law document,
and his failure to veto the herd law in
| disguise passed by the special session
is severely condemned. The advo-
| Gates of a herd law distrust him, and
| his nomination would tall Stillborn
upon the party. 1t is my opinion that
| if he is nominated, only straightout
| free grass platform can save him. 1t
| would only require change of about
| twenty thousand democratic votes,
at most, to insure defeat, and unless a
| free grass platform is adopted, they
will be found in this section alone
Now this is pretty strong language.
1t Is unequivocal, plain and direct
and II 1t means anything it means
only that Judge Fleming with the
entire northwest will vote solidly
against Governor Ireland, unless the
state convention adopts an out and
out free grass platform, which it will
not do. The declaration is both an
invitation and threat. An invita-.
ton to Wash Jones to accept the
issue, make the race and stand by the
declarations Of their convention, and
a threat to Ireland and the democ.
racy of Texas that if the free grass
plank Is not inserted the northwest
democracy will vote for the republi.
can nominee no matter what may
result.
This is the most graphic and dram
attic situation yet developed in this
campaign, and it indicates that the
Elk up" system, the party proprie
torship farce, Is about played
and that it does not matter how many
senators and congressman, or how
many of the benefciaries of the politi
cal service of the state, have determin
ed that Ireland shall go down fol
another term. The people have still
some independence left, and that they
will exercise it at some excessively in
opportune moment. We can not an(
do not underwrite the free grass
theories of either Judge Fleming o.
the Gazette, and do not mean to dis
cuss their merits here. We only mean tt
show that the declaration means war
war to the knife against the governor
1t would be well indeed for the dem
ocracy were the matter settled befor,
or at the convention. If it goes over
and comes up before the people fol
arbitrament there will be found to b.
great mischief in it. The result o.
the reference to the people will b(
doubtful if nothing worse. Here
rolls up vast regret that Gen. Ros.
has SO persistently refused to permit
his name to be used. That the tor
tuous policy of Coke has been sucf
as to hold him back. Otherwise this
distressful situation had not been de
veloped, and there had been no such
evil as this threatened.
| Wash Jones is an able man. He is
popular man personally. and he will
combine all the elements of opposition
to democracy, and crytalize thelper-
sonal opposition to John Ireland. If,
to this array, is added the free grass
strength of the northwest, he will run
the latter very close, if he does not &C
tually beat him straightout. There is
no getting away from this proposition
and it will be a good thing if the
cooler heads in the councils of the
party take hold of it to the end that a
possible solution may be suggested at
once. We might as well say it now
as at any other time, we see no
other reasonable solution of the
tangle than that Ross come out and
Ireland be formally asked to resign
his pretentions to reelection. 1t has
just come to this, that the democracy,
by tieing itself to the personal fort,
unes of the governor, ruts the result
of the fall election to plain hazard
Can it afford to do thatp Has Govern
or Ireland's services to the party been
of such character as to warrant 1t in
accepting defeat in its devotion TO
him, instead of winning success under
some other democrat equally as de-
serving and of a better personal st and
ing in the party.
1t will not take THE STATESMAN a
moment to make its election on such
proposition. and make it for the
party almost without reference to any
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