The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-24
Positive and Negative.

|
his day why John Ireland should .
nave another term, or what he has '
lone to entitle him to that distinction, q
you are met by long statement of
possible evils which he has not hurled
upon the state, but the record of bene- ,
fits conferred is short and easily told.
His partizans esteem him great man
and worthy of reelection because
while he has before him deficiency
of nearly million, it might have been
two, or three more. That while a
great many fences were destroyed, yet
more might have been cut. That
while the extra session failed meas
urably to meet public expectation
yet it might have been much worse.
That while the governor lost his head |
at the stockmen's convention, yet he |
might have gone still further away
from the proper position. So it is all |
through the list. No single claim is
made for positive good conferred. He
originated no single line of policy
which has borne good fruit or which
even promises it. No manly rugged
sentiment has come from him or owes
filial duty to him as governor of
Texas. The record is long amending
blank. Nowhere is seen the evidence
of the slightest departure from the
dead level mediocrity of the
man. No single flash Of genius
relieves the dead grey OF
MEDIOCRE, plodding, everyday hum
drum routine business of the state
administration, and his term has SO
far been crowded to repletion with
opportunities of no ordinary character
In his place, little "By the Eternal
Jacksonianism would have come in
: very gracefully, and the claim for re-
! nomination and reelection would not
; have seemed so impudent, so unfoun
= ded, so utterly grotesque, as it now
most positively is. In regard to the
r great fence-cutting horror, he stands
: about as the physician did who claim
q ed merit for not interfering with fine
lie constitution, which finally mastered
= the disease. That phrensy wore itsel1
= out. There were no more fences t,
n cut. All the private animosities ha
y, been gratified and the fire went out ne
= cause the fuel was exhausted, and nc
because Governor John Ireland, tn
,R great governor of the great state c
Oh Texas, had met it with the invincibl
= power of the state, and conquered
= as Jackson would have done. Thel
let may be great merit in this sort {
negative policy which relies upon tn
wearing quality out of which tt
: public patience is constructed.
1F The cash balance is gone and mer
is claimed for him because he did NJ
M steal any of it. We give him flu
he credit for the forbearance which tn
- sort of thing indicates 1t is gre;
r thing these days of almost univers
1. peculation, corruption and dishoI
esty to say that with full treasur
: laying invitingly open to him he di
= not lug off single dollar. There
merit in the thing, we grant, grea
og merit, but we submit if it is gre;
enough to entitle him to hold the GO
no ernorship for two years more. A
there not other things necessary
- Would it not be better if he could tie
us something about the mysteriol
nimbleness of that cash balance
OF getting away and hiding itself
promptly and so completely, especis
ed ly as there has been no Il
up in receipts, no falliI
off in amounts and
perceptible orknown increase of legi
mate expenditure. 1t may be clail
t a ed that these inquiries are impude1
So they are. But people who p
taxes have a right to know what d
0 position is being made of the none
1t may be impudent, but it is al
sh- very natural, and the only wonder
that there hasn't been a far great
!, racket kicked up about it than the
has been. The patience of the peoI
is wonderful.
as Search the entire record of the Of
cial career of this man and it is
mn where relieved by the exl
bition of even a CLEAN of m
mentary activity and manline
ny 1t is only because, opportuniti
rs. to do more injury were not pushed
nd they might have been. While t.
IA public service has exhibited all the
palpable evidences of extreme las:
tude, want of nerve and tone, the p
90 vate political fortunes of the MI
" John Ireland present no such appea
ance of neglect. They have be,
er- pushed with extreme energy. MAJ
big men cavil at the lack of the usual e,
dences of political skill, but we are
the habit of sizing such things up
IN la results, and upon that rule, we shou
~ say that good deal of acumen b
iie been displayed. Llt is no SLOUGH
lot work to hold a position fl
is in the eyes of two million
TX and half of intelligent people fl
two years, and yet come out whel
IN Ireland has, and with the record
IN dead failure behind his every impo
,st tant public act.
One cannot help regretting that tn
sort of energy and tact were not az
n piled to the public service as well
- to that of his personal fortunes. A
- Houston in August, we will have
taste of its effect upon the temper q
a the democracy, and it will be curiou
W to note if the suspicious of the peopI
n have been aroused, or if they still bt
Up lieve that the sage of Seguin is a yer
table political Moses, come to lea
the democracy of Texas into the prom
u ised land flowing with milk an
K honey.