Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-18
TILDEN'S EXECUTOR.
A Desire to Have Hin Hunted Up and
Nominated.
Judge Wheeler's Candidacy A Brief
Sketch Of His Life and Public
Services.

Correspondence of the Gazette.
BAIRD, June 14.-"They say Tilden
is politically dead. am hunting for
his executor. want to vote for him. F"
The thought contained in this ex-
preston epitomizes the unspoken re-
grets of Democrats all over the land.
If the party has the grace to know its
hour, the Chicago convention will not
fail to utilize this spontaneity of
popular feeling by selecting a
candidate in acknowledged sympathy
with the governmental methods req
resented by him. The party should
put itself upon the country squarely
upon the issues of reform and tariff
for revenue only. The Democratic
party is practically a party of free
trade, or 1t is nothing-aut Caesar aut
nullius. We have important state
issues involved in the coming canvass,
but. compared with these, they are but
as dust in the balance.
The disposition of the school lands
is here, as elsewhere, the absorbing
question of the hour. 1t is to-day the
sick man" of Texas, and the political
Swans of the state are studious
to find aud administer the heal.
ing draught. May Esculapius
aud all his ministering gods of the
healing heart grant us safe deliver
ance from the hands of the ouacks
who are vending their nostrums up
and down the state. The views of
Judge Wheeler. rs given in the re-
Gently published interview by the GA
ZETTE's attache, are Endorsed by the
best thought AMONG the parties most
nearly interested. The frequent men.
ton of his name in connection with
the office of attorney-general by jour
mails and public men in other portions
ct the state. together with almost the
unanimous Endorsement he has re-
ceived in this section. has drawn these
view into the arena OF discussion.
known in Western and Northwestern
Texas than Judge Wheeler Having
knowledge of the salient facts in con-
,nection with his public ca.
reer. give brief sketch
for the benefit of those in East and
Southeast Texas to whom they may
not be familiar.
Thomas Benton Wheeler il native
of Alabama, from whence his mother,
his father having previously died
emigrated to Hays county, Texas, in
1854. He lived there until the begin
ming of the war, occupying his time in
attending the schools of the neighhor-
hood and laboring on the farm for the
support of his widowed mother He
was opposed to secession, making his
first public appearance in a speech ar
ratn att,e~ ft,n. oil Of
ever, when the war trump called the
young men of the South to arms. he
oheyed the summons with alacrity.
| rising from the ranks to the captaincy
of his company. Removing to Austin
after the close of the war, he was
elected to the office of county, attorney
of Travis county, from which position
he was removed contempora-
neously with Gov. Throck-
morton as ian impeachment to
reconstruction" He was three times
elected mayor of Austin. each time by
increased maiorities, and was the in
cumbent of that position during the
critical and trying period known Ia
Texans Of that day as the "Coke Davis
war" His efficiency in quelling mobs
and giving general peace and quiet tc
the city was made the occasion of q
series of complimentary resolutions by
the assembling legislature. In 1877 he
resigned his position on account q
falling health, and removed to Brock.
inridge, where he has since resided
He is now closing his first term of foul
years as district Judge.
The prominence given his name IL
the result of a spontaneous popular
choice, with which the politicians have
neither art nor part Should he b,
placed upon the state ticket, the bal
and the people will part with him will
regret; hut its well wishers will fee
within themselves all the presages q
victory which come from the candi
dacy of a man who has never know
, defeat. In his position of attorney. gen
, eral. If assigned thereto by the choic,
Of his party, the actual settlers of tn
, soil would feel assured of one vote o,
!, the land hoard in the interest of SAT
conservatism.