The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-10-04
THE SWAMP FOX.
Some inside Facts Concerning the
Record of Marion Martin.
From the Hopkins County Echo.

In another part of this issue we publish
An article from a former Exchange" in
which article brief outline is given of
= Mr.. Marion Martins record as state
I senator in connection with important
land legislation, and, as now Mr.. Martin is
so-called Independent democratic (?)
candidate for governor, and is posturing
IN the guise of a peoples man." and as a
lifelong opponent and enemy of corpo.
rate power and monopoly, it is we'll TO
look into his political history and conduct
little, in order that the people may
know what manner of man he really is.
To do this, we publish the article above
alluded to, and ask our readers and the
public generally to scan it Closely,
and we propose to add, here,
some remarks of our own, and
present some facts upon his record as a
member of the constitutional convention
of 1875, and we shall endeavor to make it
plain that his actions there placed him
in line with those who opposed the real
and best interests of the people, and who
supported such measures IN making or
ganic law as tended to the upbuilding
and continuance of gigantic corporations
and monOpolies. We use the phrases
Corporations" and "monopOlies" know
ingly, and not because cheap modern
demagOguery has a fashion of finging
these terms in the faces of the people in
order to blind them to the real purposes
of Tie demagogues. We use the terms TO
rivet the attention of the people upon
the fact that such combinations are nat
ural enemies to the rights, the interests
and the liberties of the people, and that
the democratic party, from its foundation
down to the present time, has been the
constant, open and bold opponent in state
and national legislation of such oombina-
tions. Individual members of the demo-
cratic party, in our own state and out of
It, have been recreant to its principles and
have, from time to time, betrayed the
trusts cOnfided to them by the people and
by party Affiliations, but the party, as
whole, has been and is to-day the only bul
walk against tine eDcroachments of selfish
and sectional legislation and the merc-
less grasp of associated capital and cor
porations.
We believe Mr. Marion Martin to be
and to have been one of these recreant
democrats, and, so believing, we have had
his record as a member of the last cons,i
tutional convention examined, and have
| found good evidence, we think, 10 con
denim him in his claims as friend to the
people. Any citizen who wishes to vote
for Mr.. Martin as an exponent of prOhibi-
| ton cen do so in good faith we believe,
as his record in that way is without dU
plicity as far as we know, but we don't
want any man to be misled and to vote
| against Ross and for Martin upon mis-
taken or false view of the actions of tine
two men in and upon public questions
which affect the material interests of the
| people and the perpetuity and success of
| free government. And now to the record.
On page 378, journal of the constitu-
tiOnsl convention, the committee on
"reveuue and taxation" submitted an
article, in, section, of which the legisla-
tive powers to tax are defined and on
page 422 of journal, j. R. Fleming offered
substitute for said section 4, in the fol
loving language:
! Section All railroad corporations in
this state, or doing business therein shall
| DO Subjeo to taxation for state, county,
| school, municipal and other purposes on
real and personal property owned or used
by them, and on their gross earnings,
their net earnings, their franchises and
their capital stock.
On page 52S of the journal an amend
ment was offered to section 4, as follows:
The power to tax all of the property, |
real and personal, of corporations shall |
never be surrendered or suspended by act
of the legislature, but the same shall al
ways be taxed as other property.
This VALUABLE AMENDMENT WAS TABLED |
UPON MOTION CT Mr.. MARTIN, OF NAVARRO.
On page 615 of journal Mr.. German |
offered an amendment to section 2 of |
article "Public Free Schools" as follows: |
"Inserting after the word whatsoever
all lands forfeited to the state by railroad |
companies" The original section to |
which this was amendatory defined the
various funds, lands and other property
which should go to make up the perma-
nent free school fund, and this amendment
proposed to add to this fund all forfeited
railroad lands. Mr.. Martin helped to
defeat this amendment.
On page 6S4 of journal Mr.. Darnell,
chairman of seleo, committee of fifteen,
reports as follows, In the name of ma
jority of said committee, though this was
denied by Mr.. Blassiugame:
"Your select committee of fifteen, to
whom WAS reported an ordinance, 4
have had the same under careful consid-
SIdllOu, anu buc Liza JOIlby VI SdIu COullnlJ-
tee instruct me to report the accompany
ing ordinance back to the convention and
recommend its passage, with the following
to be added at this end of aid
ordinance, to wit: Provided, that nothing
herein contained shall interfere with any
contract heretofore made by said company
with the citizens, or any Of them, of any
county or town on the lire or lines of its
road, as to the completion of any part
thereof. And provided, further, that said
road shall be constructed on its chartered
line from Fort Worth to a point at or
near FL Paso, on the Rio Grande river.
Signed n. Fl. DARNELL,
Chairman"
The proposed ordinance, to whichthe
above amendment was to be added then ,
sets out the Legislative and other grants,
purchases, property rights and franchises
Of the Texas and Pacific Railroad COM
pany, as claimed by sad company, and,
after assuming certain facts, becomes
concrete in the following resolution:
Therefore, resolved, Tha. none of the I
legislative grants made to or acquired by d
i'd company in respect TO taid COM
Increment and prosecution of sid work. .
Dr. as to the date of completion of any .
portion of its lines in Texas, shall b, held ,
10 have lapsed, and that the sai1 com many |