Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-07
AN OPEN LETTER.
Some Questions Asked Hon. George
Clark, A. I. Watts, Seth
Shepard and Others.
Called Forth by the Assumption OF Dictator
ship Never Delegated to them by the
Democratic Party.


sion amendment my unqualified support and
holding that as the dominant party in Texas
we are charged with the entire responsibility OF
local government, and in duty-bound to correct
abuses wherever they exist to the detriment OF
good government or the best interests of the
people, in order that the highest degree OF
civil liberty and the happiness and contentment
of the people may follow, desire to plead to
the Indictment in my humble way, that you
have seen fit to prefer against me, IN common
with more distinguished members, and verify
believe four-ffths of the Democratic party of
Texas, and you will excuse me If l do 1t cate
gorically.
What is true Democracy as tried by your
What has the Republican party done, in your
Judgment, to condemn it? Do you charge IN
common with Democrats, in and out OF Texas,
th7t the Republican party is responsible for the
national legislation Of the last twenty-five
1900 and that that legislation has been IN
seEsa3 material instance designed TO build up
Tenrich favored classes at the expense OF the
masses?
What do you think of the act ma king
the outstanding interest bearing debt OF
at that time worth high premium?
What do you think of its twin brother in in
iquity that demonetized part of that debt
paying coin in the interest Of the banker and
Eastern bondholder, and levied tribute untold
upon the producing classes. What do you think
of the financial policy in addition to this that
making it worth more and more and the wheat,
corn, cotton and meat products of the people
worth less and less until it now threatens this
entire class with bankruptcy?
And to complete the schedule of political
prohigacy and piracy, what do you think of that
superlative infamy, the protection tariff? Do
you say we heartily join you in denouncing all
of these n-Democratic. as class legislation,
enabling the favorites of the Republican party
to levy tribute or taxes upon the products of the
peoples toll; as subserviye of the sound Demo-
cratic rule of ''equal rights to all and special
privileges to none;'' as the legitimate percentage
of the trusts and conspiracies formed TO subvert
the natural laws of supply and demand and
legitimate competition? But who is responsible
for the administration of our state government
for the past sixteen years with her l0O OCO Demo-
cratic majority? And for our present constitu-
ton? And for legislative fealty to its plain
commands, the Democratic party? Then stand
up and answer why you, who would
assume special guardianship of that party, have
permitted equally as un-Democratic abuses to
grow up and frauds to be perpetrated against
the people of Texas by the great railway cor
porations that have been chartered and fostered
under laws, the liberality of which have never
been eQualed, and whose manipulators, schooled
in this Federal propaganda of financial vice and
monopoly, have actually been given carte
blanche to finish the plundering of the Texas
people by levying upon the products of their toll
q transportation tax limited only by the egreed
and avarice of human nature? Do you answer
that you have promulgated in her Democratic
constitution, article 10, section l, that rail-
roads are common carriers and public highways,
ana That the legislature snail pass laws TO pre-
vent discrimination and extortion in rates, and
also maximum freight rates;' and in article IL
that no corporation shall issue stock or bonds
except for money paid or labor done, and that
all fictitious stock shall be void; and again in
our Democratic platform: eve favor the enact
ment of such laws as shall restrict the charges
of railways. etc., TO fair interest on the money
actually invested in them.
This sounds well, but what have you, or either
of you, ever done to redeem these Democratic
pledges? Why have you some of you in the
CHARGED officially with the execution
of these sacred trusts. refused to secure the
passage of laws to prevent abuses and extortion,
freight laws that you now so much
love, and to limit the taxing power of these cor
porations to fair interest upon their actual in
Why have you permitted these
scrupulous railroad manipulators, four-fifths of
whom believe TO be Eastern Republican cam
paign fat-furnishers. to issue property cost
ing them not over S120, 000, 600, and taxed under
heir sworn valuation for less than half that
the unparalleled enormous sum of S29l,-
0O0, 900 of fictitious and fraudulent bonds
and stocks; and why have you permitted
these nonresident manipulators, convicted out
of the mouth of their chief Mr.. Gould, before
the congressional committee OF applying, not
your Teas law to theis freight schedules, but
BEAR to levy and enforce through unlawful
trust or combination "trattic association
with which in its power OF extortion
over the people of Texas the Standard oil, sugar
or any other trust of Republican parentage pales
into insigni6cance, tax upon the industries of
Texas to pay themselves interest upon this
of fraud?
Are you content to take your stand with Mr..
Blaine, who cabled over the pernicious doctrine
that trusts are private affairs, with which
neither the government nor private individuals
have any concern, F" which is so infamous that
even his Republican colleagues dare not openly
espouse it?
Do you pretend 10 doubt tina. they are collect
ing freight taxes through this gigantic traffic
trust to pay interest upon this fraudulent CAPT.
talization of four times their outlay, saying
nothing of their princely subsidies, equal al
n
S4fyou do, what did they issue it for, and why is
ftsthat the commercial value of their mortgage
bonds are to-day near and many OF them above
parf If they are worth Sl.16 to SIPS shingled
all over with fraud, an honest bond, based
upon actual cost of plant, under the present
freight schedules, would be worth 300 per cent.
in the open market, and challenge the denial.
But to return. did any OF you join Professor
Roberts in his material assistance OF the rail-
road lobby and free liquor and poker rooms in
Austin at the last session CT the legislature in
obstructing the reasonable demands of the peo-
pie for reform in railway matters and redemption
Of Democratic pledges for relief by urging the
unconstitutionality OF q commission bill; which
pretense served the tender consciences of so
many members and, which you are unani-
nous now in pronouncing pretext, such, as to
quote you Mr.. Shepard, no respectable lawyer
would endorse; and did you support the resolu-
ton submitting this amendment, comforting the
authority that you now say amply existed
drunk then. or is he now2 May not some of
your friends that are upon record in the legisla-
ture well exclaim, Lord, deliver me from my
friends ,,
Do you concede the Democratic doctrine of
our apostle that 1.-The right 10 tax is the power
20 DESTROY; and also that this right is the high
est prerogative of sovereignty; and also the doc
trins laid down by the supreme court of the
Upites States and every other court in the nu-
5ssfous bond cases that railroad corporations
hold this right from the state under their char
ers and by virture Of the fact that they pub
lie highways and common carriers and their
functions performed that OF the state.'' II you
10 how in the of common sense
Ices leach speaker pretend to draw
parallel between the individual
tights OF the citizens" and the ''inaiienable
rights of the people, - and the legal rights OF
railway corporation, every one OF which is a
grant of power by the state upon the express
,ondition that it shall be employed in good
aith. and for the benefit OF the people2 aud
hen proceed TO lash not only the winds - but
into fury, and ponr forth volumes of
'uperiatiye inyectives against the would be
leaders, who Won say appeal to class preiu-
lice and the baser passions of men,
Now my apology for this lies IN the fact that
Tou have. in my hum Bile judgment, challenged
ne to it by assuming dictatorship never dele
yated 20 you BY the Democratic party of Texas
Ind have proceeded. without warrant in fact, TO
arraign. denounce and vilify good Democrats
Who have been loyal to every party behest but
who believe that the manipulstors OF railway
have grossly abused their char
cred privileges and that their freight schedules
should be based upon their actual investment
md limited, by Law, to a Just and reasonable |
compensation for services performed; that this |
an best be done through commission. that
here should be no question of OF its legality.
ILL