Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-02-24
THE ELEVENTH DISTRICT
Lanhsm Has Clear MsjsrIiy 6var All
Opposliian to Him Within the
Democratic Party.
Dark Horse Too Improbable to JUS
tify much Speculation,
oorresF ondence of the Gazette.

Coresr ondence of the Gazette.
BAIRD, TEX, Feb. 17.-THE GAzETTB
reporter meeting to-day gentleman we'll
posted in public mstters, and who has re-
Gently been over 8 large part OF the
Eleventh distric>, ipq uired OF him as to
the outlook OF the ensuing congressional
campaign.
"Mr. Lanham," he replied, "has SO far,
s clear majority over all opposition to
him within the Democratic party. There
are spots Of dissffection here and there,
growing out Of the matter OF sppoint-
ments to cflye; and possibly some Of the
sntis are treasuring up sgainst him the
part he took In the campaign Of last sum-
mer. But he is making good record in
Congress, Is man of mere than average
ability, has now Just reached
the point where his experience
adds largely to his usefulness,
and besides this he is possessed of con
siderable magnetism and personal popu-
larity. II the field is LETT open for 8 free
race before the people t-ere is no prooK-
oility whatever Of any prominent Demo-
crat entering the lists against him. A
ield-glass OF the largest kind fails to
bring such IN one within rSuge of the
visual organs" But suppose there Is g
convention? ga convention with the
two-thirds rule is Of course the reliance
Of the SecoDG-rate fellows, the chronic
office-seekers and the dark horses for &
chance at the plum. The man who may
be put forward to lock the convention
will, Of course, not be likely to get the
nomination; the dark horse will stand
the better chance and it is refreshing to
hear those who are plotting and hop
ing for this chance solemnly de-
claring that they are not candidates nor
has such an idea ever entered their minds
Each one decidedly prefers to have some
other fellow set in the forefront OF the
battle, as sAcrifcial Offering for the
good OF the balance. But Texas has re-
Gently had some experiences in this con-
vention business that will render the
nomination OF a second rate dark horse
no wish except for the Office, but the
people want the best man for the place,
and are not DESTROYS of swapping OF any
more men like Wellborn aud LsnhAm
for men Of the howdy stripe. In the
dark horse slate and turned the candi-
dates loose-snd the result was that the
sovereign Democrats of that district, for
once, st lesst, enjoyed the right OF elect
Ing the man Of their choice. The same
thing occurred some years ago when
gentleman by the name OF Ireland, who
was In the minority, persisted in locking
a congressional convention. he Is the
same man who was about to be elboWed
into the sea, or the Seguin river, or
something OF that sort-perhaps you re-
me mber the incident"
The reporter recollected to have heard
the name, but supposed It belonged to an
island surrounded by the sea and not by
the river, but having no geography st
hand, he avoided that issue, and Inquired
further as to the possibilities OF con-
veption.
1.-THE chance Of a convention In the
Eleventh district nominating 8 dark horse
is too improbable to justify much specu-
lation about it. There is no necessity for
such thing being done, and 1t is not
reasonable to presume that q foolish thing
will be done without any cause sufficient
to bring 1t about. Should the convention
be locked on Mr.. LSnham, however, it does
not follow that the marplots who
may have effected that result will reap
any benefit from it, Gven II nomination
be made. The larger strength of LIN
ham, and the good sense of the conven-
tion, It is reasonably to be hoped and sup
posed, would turn to some first class man
such as Jim Browning, or ex-senator j.
q. Davenport, or Judge A. T. Watts, who
are well known throughout the entir
district, snd the state besides, as mea OF
principles aud ideas, and not mere weath-
ercock politicians who straddle the fence
on every public question, be 1t great or
small, until the current of public senti-
ment sets strong enough to indicate tie
side on which trey wish 10 fall."
What necessity is there for having suy
convention?
''None vhGtever. The object Of con.
vention is to defest the opposing political
party; not II give politicians sn oppor-
tunity 10 defeat the choice of the people
In having forced on them 8 man they
would not otherwise have chosen. II
another Democrat should enter the race
with Mr.. Lsnhsm, 1t would not in tn
least iDperil the chances of q Democratic
victory. The first campaign in this dis
trict wss in 1882. There was no conyen-
ton then, and there were three Demo-
cratic candidates, Mr.. Lsnhsm, MIR
and Mr. Buck, against oue
candidate OF the opposing Greenback-
Radical party; yet Lsnhem defeated the
held by decided plurslity over the next
highest man. In 1884 there was no con-
vention, but an open field for sll. and this
time Lsnhsli got Only about 1000 votes,
IS against less than 200 cast for W a |
Saylor. Ia 1886 the first aud Only CON-
veation was held. This time the com
oined enemies Of our Democracy agafn |
had Dr.. Barnett in the field, am were |
sble to give him only shout ZOO votes, |
IS against nearly 20, 900 cast for Lsahsm. |
Had the Democratic vote been equals |
divided between two Democratic csndl- |
dates each Of them would have had $500 |
votes more than Barnett. OF course,
however, the Democratic vote could not |
have been equally divided. snd had there |
been three Democrats Lanhsm would |
have been elected, Just as In 1882"
"Do you think . convention will be |
It is not likely. The present chairman |
Of the district has no political Ak to grind |
and no relative hoping to be hiI BY zsg-
zsg stroke Of lightning Should he call |
! convention, however, that step VIII NOT |
decide the question Of nomi-