Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-22
THE CITY.
rnE LooAL ,,AmnAInn

MONOPOLY SPEAKERS AT WHITE sRT-
ELEMENT.
Last "Wednesday night large number
OF people, including many ladies, as.
sembled at White Settlement school
house to hear discussion OF the political
Issues. There were present Mayor Broiles
and W. +. Tanning, champions of the
Dark-Lanternites, and Judge G. G. Cum
mings and Drew Pruit, Esq who repre-
scented the Democracy. Mayor Broiles
made the opening speech, stating ia sub
stance that be was true Democrat and
his party were the representatives OF the
Democratic party, that the opposition
party had made departure from Demo-
cratic principles, and they were the ones
that had gone astray. The city had always
been arrayed against the country, aud
the corrupt town ringr had ruled long
enough. They must and would be put
down in the present election.
Judge Cummings then took the stand
He told In very earnest way what the
Democratic party had done for the coun-
try; how our representatives 10 congress
had always been the champions of the
people, and in every instance had With
their voice and vote opposed monopolies
That the only safety Of the people was In
the Democratic party. That Mayor Broiles
and all the true Texans had voted for the
constitution authoriDg the legislature to
make the land grants TO railroads, which
the doctor and his colleagues now de-
nounce in such bitter terms He said
those people who are being led sstray
now he feared would be enemies TO the
Democratic party in the future, and
might In the end disrupt the grand
old party which had been so
true to the people. There was
disruption Of the Democracy in 1861,
and we thereby lost the reins OF govern
ment, and he never wanted TO see that
fearful ordeal repeated that ersued from
the division of our Democratic party.
Mr. flaming was the next on the pro-
gramme, and spoke for one hour. He is
rather fluent talker, and has all the
imaginary misdeeds and mistakes OF the
Democracy down to Aue point; he ar
ralgued 1t for everything that was indlf-
ferent and bad; defended the strikers and
rioters In the late unpleasantness of our
city, denounced the Democrats who Gin
pursuance to the summons from the coun-
ty and city ofllclals) bore arms to pro-
tect the property OF the railroads and
put down lawlessness, and yet Mr.. Fan
ming told the people he was in favor OF
upholding the law ana preserving the
peace. The peace officers Of our city were
charged with being very corrupt; that
they arrested one class for money and an
other for glory. The town ring, he said
was composed OF twenty-seven lawyers,
the bankers and few other men; they
| had ruled the politics of the county long
enough, and must be put out by the up
rising Of the people. Henry George was
the great champion of the laboring man II
tine East, and Mayor Broiles was the greai
| leader in the West, and that the people
would lift the latter still higher in the
future. Mr.. Tanning advised the people
! to quit both the Democratic and Republi.
can parties, which had held them in con
tempt so long, and to join the great labor
party.
Mr.. Pruitt was then introduced, ant
was ruled down by the opposition x
twenty minutes to make his talk. He
stated in effect that the calumny heapet
upon the head of the Democratic party
was uncalled for, and he did not thini
reasonable men would believe such; thai
both OF the opposition speakers claimed
there were existing many evils, but utterl!
failed to suggest one single remedy. l
was purely question OF principle tina
caused him to raise his voice in behalf o
Democracy. The Dark-Lantern move
ment was not merely local affair, con
fined to this county, but wa
political in its nature, and ex
tended throughout the state. The.
had candidate in the field TO
representative, foater, the senate
and for congress, all sailing undo
the same banner, that Of the Anti-Monop
oily party. This party was inimical en-,
antAgonistlc to the Democratic party, an(
was seeking to destroy 1t. Every blow
they gave to the Democracy redounded Il
the benefit Of the Republican party, tn
great oppressors OF the people. Tn
speaker then showed there was no sue
thing as the so.called "town ring" 70
there had been no conventions in tn
county TO manipulate; the county had al
ways outvoted the city three to two, am
every candidate had been elected by tn
voters, andi there had rot bee
a single charge against the purl
ty of the baliot-box in this coun
ty. He defended the city officer
against the urcalled for charges Of cor
ruption made by the opposition. ii
closed in en- earnest appeal TO the peopl
to stand by the party which had eve
guarded the rights of the people with un
varying fidelity, to count the cost, ant
take the wiser course.
DR.. Brolles then concluded In O re
loinder of fifteen minutes, appealing t
his people to stand by their ticket ant
they would be victorious, and then re
peated the charges against that most woe
full clique, "the town ring"