The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-08-14
The Texas Machine.

The Texas Machine.
Take the press of Texas, especially
the democratic press, and we will
place it against the press of any state
in the union for the heartiness and
JUNCTION of its condemnation of ring
and clique morals; and yet,
strange to say, there is no state in the i
union so thoroughly and completely
under ring domination as is this |
blessed Texas of ours. The papers, |
apparently, cannot or will not see
that there are ten, or at most twenty
five men in this state who parcel out
Its patronage as absolutely as though
they owned the entire state and peo-
pie, and from their decision there is
not the hope of successful appeal.
This ring influence does not alone
exist at Austin, or any other single
point in Texas. 1t is as wide in its
sweep as on the boundaries of the
state. 1t contemplates in its opera
lions only its own members, recognize
ed and approved beneficiaries. All
others are sedulously excluded from
all benefits and privileges other than
those of voting and working for the
machine. The Texas ringsters
are virtuous, honorable men,
and they inveigh against and
affect to cordially dispise all
such combination, which is prob
ably genuine, but it has never a
thought or purpose which travels
out of the charmed circle for one to
share its benefits. This ring does not
contemplate alone the actual disposal
of patronage, the vulgar offices and the
like. 1t forms, controls and di-
reefs the policy of Texas. The
legislature makes laws, the governor
approves or vetoes them, not upon
their own merits, or his apprehension
of them, but as the ring directs. 1t
is the closest of corporations, and its
councils are never betrayed, except
when some poor devil is s1de-tracked
without his own consent, or, over his
own vigorous protest. Then the
public has chance for a glimpse at
the internal machinery. Though
usually that is so brief and
evanescent as to afford but very
little idea of the real machine
or its dreadful power over the
manhood of the people. In ev-
cry county and in every precinct the
ring has its petty benefciaries
and its papers. These get the prom
ises and the help. The papers slavish-
ly support the doctrine of the ring,
whatever that may be, and by all the
methods usual and common to ring
organs, work upon the people so that
an apparent expression of popular
will becomes perfect cyclone before
the pecp.e have grasped the smallest
idea of either its significance or its ul-
innate purpose.
John Ireland is to-day the fruit,
the offspring politically of this combi-
nation. Without ability, without
FEASIBILITY, without experience and
without a single quality out of
which to construct a leader, he
is at the front and held
there simply and only by the power
and will of the ring. Ireland was in
the line, within the swoop of the ring
and was taken in not upon his merits
or fitness to enjoy its good things, but
because he happened to be in its path.
He has proven lord to it, rather
more indeed, than has been found
either pleasant or profitable to carry.
They would gladly unload him but
that cannot be done without an ex-
posture which would be awk-
ward, and there is nothing left for it
but to give him another term as gov
ernor, and finally push him along to
Maxey's seat in the senate. Does
any sane man doubt this asser-
ton? If so, will he please point
out to the audience what was
at the bottom of his selection
the first time, or what he has done
during his first term which entities
him to this second almost unanimous
nomination? This, too, in the very
face of the fact that he is to-day not
only cordially hated, but actually de-
spised by four-ffths of the democrats
OF Texas who have come in contact
wi b him, either as man or as an Of
ficer. His administration has exhib-
tied only the pulling weakness of
utter and abject political infancy.
| Nowhere is seen a single stroug
or manly sentiment, idea, Pur-
pose or action. 1t presents
only a pitiful record of incompetency,
of yascillation, uniformed purpose and
nervous fear Of political consequent
ces.
Each gay provides its own poll
cy. Yesterday is no indication for to-
day, with Governor Ireland. 1t is all
hap-hazard, all guess work. He may
be pro-lease to-day, but tomorrow
anti-lease, free-grass and for the fence
cutters. His official record made in
the last two years warrants this state
ment fully and completely. His whole
administration stands unrelieved by
single flash of genius, by single Wig
orious. outright manly or Independent
action. 1t is the same level dead
wall of inanity, of purposeless weak
ness and inertia. There has
been no vigor, no strength, no wise
or precient policy, and the strangest
thing about it all is the ambition to
succeed himself in the very face of
this tremendous failure.
The machine does thus warp men.
1t places such men at the front, and
so represses the manhood of the party
as that it supinely bows to the Dehest
to retain him in power, when by all
the rules he has sacrificed the original
consideration upon which he was
elected. This Texas machine is now