The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-02-04

! ism, officialism, localism or jobbery. There
seems to be an idea getting abroad that
Texas is a pretty big state, and that 1t
needs pretty big men to represent IT.
| This idea. or feeling, or whatever you
may call it, appears to be at the bottom
OF the Terrell boom. But, anyway, the
! boom is abroad in the land, and it is caus
| ing the machine politicians good deal
of annoyance. Here in Texas the ma
chine politicians have become so accus-
toned to running things to suit them
selves. that they display evidences
of Indignation when the people
display n tendency to attend TO their own
affairs. The politicians bargain and sell
and job among themselves. They trade
senatOrships and governorships and comp
trollerships as if they had vested interests
in those offices, and they look upon an in
clination on the part of the people to ex-
ert their own will in filling the chief Of
fees as a species of -ank rebellion. But
disease of this kind can be cured. If
the people would only decline to act as
tools and catspaws for the politicians, the
latter would soon find themselves bank
rupt. Politicians simply operate on the
negligence of the people. Popular suf-
fcrance is their stock in trade. Well, at
the present time it looks as if the people
were disposed to give the politicians va
cation for year or two, and assert a will
of their own in n way of their own. This
is a very refreshing sign. When the real
citizenship of state abdicates control of
its affairs, the state is in danger. The peo
pie should make it a sacred duty to break
up and invalidate the combinations,
agreements and plans of machine politi-
cans. These politicians always act for
their own interests. The politicians at
least that portion of them embraced
within the radius of the machine, and pro-
fessiOnally adept in controlling caucuses,
conventions and organs live off the peo-
pie, and it is the interest of the people to
curtail their power as much as possible.
SO far as the Terrell boom is concerned
it il noticeaby not receiving encourage
ment from the machine politicians. Is
this the reason why one of the brightest
weekly papers in the state the AlvaradO
Bulletin predicts failure! The Bulletin
says:
"The Galveston News will not succeed in
landing Terrell in the senate. He is an
able man, one of the brainiest in the state,
but has succeeded i'll gaining the jealousy
and hatred of the ringsters and managers
by showing his braininess and demon
strating that he is for the people and
against the corporation. The only trou-
bic with Terrell is, he is too brainy for
the average politician, and brains are Mt
discount and medocrity at "A premium.
That's the size of it,"
The Bulletin should not take such
gloomy view of things. The people are
mighty, and when they become aroused
they get very much in earnest. The News
il not trying TO land Mr.. Terrell in the
senate, it only recognizes in the light of
experience his eminen. capacity for pub
lie usefulness and explains the agencies
that are opposing him. The final attitude
of the News towards him as candidate
for the United States senate must depend
upon his final position upon pertinent
political questions of commanding i'm
portance, If the Bulletins predictions,
however, prove true if, in view of Ter
rells great abilities, mastery attachments |
and indisputable qualifications, the poll
ticians succeed in beating him will it not
be in order to inquire what the people are
here fory