The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-11-08


IL had been consulted with reference Il
the call would have made some sugges,
tIons on the subject, and may yet hsv,
occasion to do so, but am not yet full!
in possession of all the facts l need, bu
will be before the meeting takes place
and will present them in my report a
that time, not before. | desire that yol
shall select the place for the meeting a
set forth in the call of the secretary.
Yours very respectfully,
| j. 5. DAUGHERTY.
Chairman of the immigration Committe,
of Texas.
| REPLY TO THE SECRETARY.
AUSTIN, Tex, November 1.-The above
letter, coming from the chairman of the
state immigration committee Just on the
eve of the assembling of two great con-
ventions, will be surprise to all lovers Of
peace and harmony and well-wishers oil
Texas. The chairman Endorses the call
and says: ~ desire that you shall selec
the place for the meeting as set forth In
t ne call of the secretary" but the "rail-
roads will be with us" and Immigration
has been a success" exctes his Indignation
to that extent that he repudistes the cal
and states it ''purports" to be signed by
him, which he denies, and that il soon
tains matter and statements which l dc
not indorse and will not vouch for the
truth Of" He further says immigration
efforts have proved an "ingIori-
Gus failure;" that its failure
is due to the railroads "per-
sistently refusing though frequently re-
quested" to carry out their promises and
contracts with the state committee. do
not intend to defend the railways; they do
| not need my sympathy, nor do they care
for the chairmans attacks. Mr.. Newman,
as their chosen representative, made the
fairest and most liberal promises in the
world, coupled with which he used this
language: at will require active work on
your part in advertising your state and
giving assurances that you want immi-
grants. 1t will require a reasonable ex-
penditure of money. We want you 20
determine how you will raise your money,
how you will spend it, and what you ex-
expect of the railroads, and we will try to
meet your views. The railroads want
to meet you fairly in this business. We
are here for business, and we will remain
as long as it is may be necessary. And
what we are prepared to do, we hope be-
fore adjourning that you will be prepared
to say to the railroads what the
people of Texas propose doing"
Now, does the chairman pretend to
say that the people of Texas carried out
their pledge and promises made at that
conventionS-or is there a single member
of the state committee or railroad Off
cial who, would indorse his statement if he
did? Every member of the executive
committee knows we'll what obstacles we
have labOred under, and how, more than
generously, the railways have treated US,
and how patiently they have waited and
urged certain measures which it has never |
been in oar power to take advantage of. |
Again, it is known fact thRtit has been |
asserted publicly from the first month |
that "the State Immigration Bureau move
ment was failure" and that, from want |
of funds, i6 could not exist. The railroads |
we're fully aware of these facts. as was
every member of both committees. There |
fore, it is not in keeping with justice or
common honesty to gloss over" patent |
facts to the injury of the innocent. The |
attack of the chairman against my probity
and the use of his name as to the call of
was hssty and unwarranted.
There WAS no "purport' or fraud intended,
o, calculation made as to the
D icial sanctity, weight, inhH-
ence or personal strength his name would
carry when it was attached TO convention
call, but it was simply used as an official
courtesy, which he does not seem to have
Through perfect confidence,
a Qz ! hr-n I h.a
left entirely free by both committees,
state and executive, to manage the bureau
the whole year according to my best
judgment, financially and otherwise, none
of them dreaming that l could keep 1t
going or meet expenses for more than
month or two; therefore, as secretary of
both committees, and under all the cir
it was not Necessary that l
should have used the name of the chair
man at all in calling the said convention
together. As 10 his objection to state
ments of success" and in regard to
which he says, II will not vouch for the
truth of, offer not only the flies of my
Office to prove, the testimonials
from this and nearly every
other state, and thousands of letters, but
the oyerworked and poorly paid clerical
force who have performed the labor, and
the Austin postoftice through which has
often passed as many as from three 70
four hundred letters per day from this
office. Now, as to my great sin when /
said in call that 1.-THE railroads will be with
us" now take an added pleasure and
pride in ressSerting that in our coming
great convention the railroads will b.
with u.s." They will be Just as Liberal in
promises as they were in the last conven-
ton; they will ask for the raising and
of money by the people, and
the establishing of general offices at vari-
Gus northern, eastern and western cities,
just as they did before; and they will ex-
pect the people to carry out their con-
tracts, while they perform theirs; and so,
without fear or favor, the railroads will be |
present at the coming convention. As to |
myself, do not think it necessary to set |
up a defense before the state committee |
or the people of Texas. The chairman |
intimates in his letter that reports" |
will be made to the convention, |
and he might have added that they |
Eould reveal the facts, without bias or
prejudice, "purport" or "untruth." My
report to that convention will be-that
considering the independence with which
Texas began the immigration movement,
she has reached unqualified results; that
The seed has been sown and the harvest
viii be reaped; that every committeeman,
and official, and all interested
parrIss have done their full dutv nndar thu |