The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-10-25

reform success, the young democrats have
In each case nominated Independents, to
the exclusion of men who have always
acted with the party. In every case, also,
they are strong tariff reformers. Those
already in nomination are John f. An
drew IN the Second, Thomas Wentworth
dlgglnson in the Fifth and Joseph Bur
nett in the Ninth. There are good reasons
for the belief that these three candidates
stand an even chance of election. Burnett,
perhaps, has the most in his favor, as he
Is popular personally, and little, if any,
fault Is found with his course on legisla-
ton III the house. Andrew is pitted
against the shrewdest politician in the
state in the person of Aanson W. Beard.
but Is IN gooS hands and has in his favor
the strong personal influence of Leopold
Morse, the present representative. But il
will be hard contest at best.
Higginson gains strength every day,
and has the influence of Harvard uniyer-
sity at his back and the republican dis
satisfaction with Banks in his favor, and
he needs both in a district where the usual
republican majority runs up into the
thousands. The feeling against Banks is
strong, however, and at least one republi-
can paper, the Arlington Advocate, has
openly bolted his nomination. The en-
tire political interest in this section CEN
ters in these contests.
In his letter, just issued, accepting the
democratic nomination., L. w. Higginson
has something of interest to independ.
ents to say about President Cleveland
"In his nomination and election
says Mr.. Higginson, "the democratic
party entered on q new career Of
activity, and his action has been
in my opinion, very useful to the
nation. 1t has put an end tothe delusion
that only one of the tRo great parties is
truly patriotic or canibe trusted with the
government, this being theory which
strikes at the very root of republican in
situations. 1t has placed ID Office presi-
dent of singular courage, trmness and in
dependence. If it has not done through
him as much as might be desired for the
reform of civil service, II has at least done
far more than the opposing party would
have been likely to do under the man of
its choice. Through the manly action of
President CleT9land the great question of
tariff reform has now been brought into
ouSh budI IL uWdTIb eV6Ty
other issue of the campaign and makes it
a discussion of princi pies and not of per
sonalities. The mere fact that the repub-
lican party has been compelled to bring
forward tariff reform measure of
its own is confession of the courage and
craftsmanship of Mr.. Cleveland. For the
first time in many years we have presi-
dent who practically leads both parties, the
difference being that his own party fol-
lows him promptly and hravely, land their
opponents with obvious unwillingness
Whether the oppressive war taxes are
finally to be removed by democratic or
republican actions the credit due to Presi-
dent Cleveland will be the same, for with
out him another generation might have
passed away and left them untouched.
But if praise belongs justly to him it
belongs also to the party which put him
in office and now proposes to keep him
there. Every party which elects upright
men is entitled to the credit of their good
actions, just as every party which nomi-
mates INSCRIPTIONS men, or even takes
them for its real leaders while going
through the form of nominating some one
else, drops to their level and is responsible
for their misdeeds.