The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-06-03
THE CANNON'S OPENING
ROAR.
THE CANDIDATES FOR THE LEGIS-
LATURE FIRE THE FIRST GUN
IN AUSTIN.

"Now, by St. Paul! the work goes brave
iy on Yes, Austin is in the first throes
of political canvass. 1t had been given
out the week past that one of the candi-
dates, Major Stewart, would address
the citizens from the front of the tenn
porary capitol last night, and would dis
cuss the questions of the hour with such
of the other candidates for the Legislature
as fell disposed to accept his gage of
battle.
The gauntlet so valiantly thrown down
was taken up by each of his four oppo-
nents so that from last night the legis-
lative canvass may be considered as fairly
inaugurated. The first of the speakers
was
MAJOR JOE II. STEWART,
che originator and principal promoter OF
the meeting. As preparatory, he adverted
to the fact that he had received re-
Gently some anonymous threatening
letters, and that others had re-
ceived like marks of distinction as
himself; that the object of all these letters
was the intimidation of their recipients;
that he believed they would fail of their
effect with others, as he knew they would
with him. He said for himself that he
should wage no personal canvass; that he
should stand on platform of strict per
sOnal responsibility for the manner in
which he waged his own canvass, and
should exact the same responsibility of
others. He said that there were questions of
great public moment which would demand
settlement at the hands of the next Assem-
bled legislature. The labor question was
prominent among these, and while he row
saw no exact method of dealing with it,
he believed it to be capable of solution,
and promised his best effort, if elected, to
that end. He opposed the present peni
Tertiary system, and believed cOnvicts
should be confined and put to such labor
as would least impinge upon honest labor.
He favored prohibition in principle, but
opposed it in practice, as being impracti-
cable. He aligned himself with the advo-
Gates of lease law for school lands, and
! closed with a criticism of E. L. Moore's
| legislative record.
The next speaker introduced was
EMORY W. SMITH.
| Mr.. Smith is a farmer, and drove at
once into the non-cOmmittalism of Major
Stewart, who had declined to state for
whom he should cast his vote for Office of
U. S. senator. He (Smith) advocated
and should vote, if member of the next
legislature, for distinguished citizen of
Travis county, JUDGE A. w. TERRELL. As
to the labor question, he said, that he
might be classed as laborer himself, but
that he believed capital had rights equally
sacred with those of labor. There was no
necessary collision or jar of interests be-
tween the classes. He dwelt at some length
on the wrongfulness of the present peni-
tertiary system, and thought that in no
event should convicts be brought into
competition with the honest labor of the
country.
E. T. MOORE,
member of the Nineteenth legislature,
was the next speaker. The greater pOr
ton of his speech was defense of his
record in the legislature, which, he said
Major Stewart has misrepresented.
AS to his vote on the
public road BILL he said the bill left the
question ofincreasing the number of days
to the option of the commissioners court
and to the people, and was in this respect
pre-eminently democratic. AS to his vote
on the bill known as the female clerk bill
he had voted in accordance with what he
considered right and justice, and what
was in accord with the chivalric interests
of
EVERY TRUE MANS NATURE,
and that he had no apology to make. He
believed that the capable, deserving
woman was entitled to at least an equal
chance. He also spoke of and defended
his vote on the capitol bill, changing the
building contract, and concluded with a
scathing rebuke of candidates who were
unwilling to commit themselves on the
senatorial question.
b. @. GILES,
a farmer, was next introduced. He fav-
ored dealing with the school lands by par
ceiling them out in small quantities
to actual settlers, on long time
and at low rate of interest.
He opposed the bringing of convict
labor into competition with honest labor,
and thought that the law meant confine-
ment when it prescribed that punishment.
As for the senatorial question, Travis
county had an eminent citizen aspiring
for that position, but he was opposed to
any lettering of the members of the legis-
lature by previously exacted pledges:
that times changed, and men changed
with them, and he considered it unwise to
throw restrictions in the way of a free
choice.
At this point Mr.. Moore arose to say
that he had been reminded that he had not
distinctly expressed himself as to a choice
for senator, and declared himself for
Judge Terrell.
FRANK NJ. MADDOX,
the next and last speaker, began by say
ing that the school lands had been mis-
managed; that they should be thoroughly
classified, and that the agricultural lands
should be sold and the remainder leased
to the best advantage for the
school fund. Replying to Major
Stewart. he said the cattle company
OF which he was member, paid rental
of $4,000 to the state for leased lands.
and that, too, in Greer county, strip of
territory which was not positively known
to belong to Texas. Labor and capital,
he said, were not only brothers, but twin
brothers, and they should each respect
and protect the rights of the other. He
attacked Mr.. Moore's legislative record,
and particularly on the capitol bill. He
said the female clerk bill was unnecessary,
lnasmuch as heads of departments could.
under the present law. employ all females.
If they so desired. He would vote for the
man for senator whom he deemed best
qualified for the position. and as for