San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-08-30
AN INSIDE VIEW.


remarkable gathering. 1t was remark
able in that so little apparent prepare
ton had been made to cut out its work
by the slatemskers prior to the assemb-
ling of the delegates; remarkable In that
no leading speeches, shaping policy,
were made upon the floor Of the cOnven-
ton; remarkable IT, that no contest for
leadership or position on the ticket
divided even for an instant the har-
mOnious feeling that prevailed from
beginning to close; remarkable in that,
while the colored delegates were large
ly in the majority, they refused every
place offered them on the state ticket
and made white nominations exclusive
Iy; remarkable in that no one "ran"
the convention. but that its policy
and proceedings were naturally, neces-
sarily and gradually shaped by the evo-
luton of circumstances. 1t was a con-
yention in which, at the beginning, moth
thing was known and very little pre-
diCted concerning the ending. 1t was
the most harmonious state convention
in its spirit aud speech that was ever as
sembled in Texas. The color line was
drawn very sharply in the opening OF
the convention on the vote for tempo
rary chairman, but the withdrawal OF
the name of l. W. MadarasZ from the
contest, so soon as that fact was fully es-
tablished, and that gentleman's motion
TO make the election Of his cOlOred rival
unanimous, broke the color line so COM
pletely that it was never more thought
of i'm the convention. so soon as the
newness wore of, and the delegates had
grown acCustOmde to the situation, their
real spirit came to the front, and it was
at once apparent that genuine repuD-
liCan sentiment peryaded the cOnVen-
tiOn. There was developed, very early
in the proceedings, a universal hostility
to all attempts at gag law, and an in
tense jealousy of every movement that
was not thoroughly understood, lest be-
hind it there might Turk the shadow OF
the fellow who had an axe to grind. There
never was state convention held IN
Texas, or outside Of it for that matter,
in which so little self-seeking was APP
parent. The sentiment was so general
that the time for takinga new departure
had come, that old factions must die, that
everything which stood in the way OF
the perfect unifcatiOn of all wings OF
the party must be buried beyond the
power of resurrection, that there was
no withstanding it, The man who was
suspected of desire to rule was de-
thrOned by the very suspicion that such
desire was entertained, and it mattered
not who he was. The convention did
its own work on the floor, and this
naturally occasioned some confusion,
particularly as the body was not gener-
ally versed in parliamentary usages.
The convention had no use for commit
tees to shape its action, and the great
est surprise of the two days session was
the unanimity with which the platform
was received. 1t was so evidently de-
ltTmluhllOD W W
ciples Of the party and resume its work
of legislation for the masses, that no dis
senting voices were raised against it.
The sentiment of the convention was
overwhelmingly against prohibition
amendment, though some individuals
were in favor Of submitting such amend
ment to the people on the broad ground
of testing the sense Of the state on that
question. The convention took repub-
lican ground on all public questions, and
most emphatiCally entering its protest
against the prevailing democracy, de-
termined to take the field in Texas and
make its headquarters in the saddle
until the state shall be redeemed from
the misrule which has characterized its
government under the democratic ring
masters.