The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-07-10
The Governors Powers.

The Governors Powers. a.
eI
OF course every body knows what u
he official duties of the governor are; ST
knows what his powers b
re as an officer; what he can, and b
that he cannot do. Almost anyone d
, competent to perform these official u
uties, and with good secretary and .
few personal attendants about him, a
yery ordinary man indeed would soon I
earn to sign official papers and get
through that sort of thing with credit
20 himself and possibly honor to the
state. But is this all? Is the COVER
nor no more than mere bureau Of
ticer? Does he count for no more
than a mere clerk, the mere official
head of the govern
ment? Are not his views and policy
of worth? Can they not be stamped
upon the public economy? Are his
messages and recommendations only
matters of course; so many words to
till up certain space with? Is this all
Is this why the people should always
select their wisest and most states
manlike men for this position? Texas |
has had, and is having now, entirely
too MANY Of those wooden-tobacco-In- |
dian-figure-headst cat the head Of her
affairs. The time was once when 1t
did not matter so much. 1t is so no
longer. We have here a state
whose interests are too grave
too important, and too rapidly
increasing and unfolding to
permit, as to daily with either down.
right incompetency, or skillfully COW
cred and concealed mediocrity. 1t is
broad comprehension, manhood and
accomplished craftsmanship, united to
far more than ordinary ability, that
we need at the head of affairs now.
With this sort of an executive head,
wise policies will be evolved, and they
| will be intelligenLly and successfully
urged, and finally completed. Wise,
wholesome laws will take the
place of weak and hurtful enactments,
The duties and responsibilities of the
governor of commonwealth are no
little like those of the captain of a
ship. The captain sees everything.
is over and above all; inspires here
warns there, and commands impera-
lively in another place. If he is a
good sailor, a skillful navigator, a
good executive officer, his ship is in
excellent order, and ready at all times
for any duty necessary to be per
formed. If he has an eye to order
everything is in its place, and all is
bright, strong, clean and always ready
to perform it's Office. So, too, OF the
governor: If he is an accomplished
officer all departments of the state
government are well in hand, and all
duties pertaining to the public service
well and truly performed, and in the
very nick of time. The legislature viii
not fritter away its time in construct
ing laws for the veto, or only to show
how wide the mark they can be
thrown. The governor of a state has
the same influence, if he is a strong
wise and efficient man, to shape anC
direct the public policy in his owl
state that the president has the cours'
of the national affairs when botf
houses of congress are in accord with
him. In Texas, since Houston's day
we have had little Of that sort Of in
fiuence. Coke came nearest to it, anC
the old alcalde, while far off in this
respect, was still immeasurably su,
perior to our present executive hea(
as provident, watchful, careful ant
skillful executive. Mr.. Ireland, it il
true, called the special session. LII
had occasion for it. 1t was demand
ed, and there are few men who eve
thought to blame him for it, until i
, turned out that executive incom
potency and bungling made the extra
session mere farce-so far as tn
needed legislation was concerned
and made it the trysting time of tn
politician who drew glittering bill
! and urged them in flowery speeches
while fence-cutting went on, value
, tumbled and the people grew NOR
and more heartsick as the days reelet
off. A mandy, pointed and positive
course on the part of the governor
and from those apparently incongru
Gus conditions peace and order coulC
have been evolved without the demon
alizing waste of time which ensued
The fence-cutters would have beer
stamped out instead OF being permit
ted to wear out, wear out their maligr
energies and quit their fell task OF
the A1exanderian principle, because
there were no more fences to cut.
Emergencies like the dhe referred tt
are those which try the weight an6
force, no less than the value Of the in
telligence of the executive head of the
state government. So long as every
thing runs along in a smooth groove
and there IS no trouble any body VIII
do; but when men band for wal
against the majesty of law, when they
are bold intelligent and lacked by
money and power as the fence-cutters
were, then a man indeed, is needed in
the executive chair, man with intel
ligence and craftsmanship to plan, and
nerve and will force to execute. Then
craftsmanship, and not mere trickster
ing political adroitness is required
Then it becomes absolutely necessary
and we must have it. This is why it
is unsafe to place weak, incompetent
and narrow viewed men in the posi-
ton, and this is why Mr.. Ireland
should now be permitted to retire to
the cool shades of Seguin. and the
walks of life in which he won fame
and money ere vaulting, Overlapping
] ambition tempted him to aspire to a
place which imperatively demands a
higher order of ability than he posses
ses, or can ever reach no matter what
experience he may have in this way in
the future.