The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1890-06-12
JUDGE COOK
IN A TELLING SPEECH AT KYLE
OPENS HIS CAMPAIGN FOR
GOVERNOR.
HE Is VERY MODEST
AND DOES NOT CLAIM TO BE THE
BEsT.OFFICIALlT TEXAS
EVER HAD.
COOKS WITHERING SARCASM.
The Judge Declares His Platform in His
Usual Fearless and Emphatic
Style.

KYLE, Tex, June To-day at p. M.
although rain was falling and the streets
running with water, according to appoint
ment Hon Gustave Cook of Houston made
his opening speech here for the governor
ship. Preparations had been made for a
large gathering, but for the bad weather
the crowd would have been great, but il
seemed that the Hogg men at the speaking
were largely in the majority. Judge Cook
made an earnest speech in his own behalf
and having once lived in the county has
many strong personal friends who will
support him warmly for the governorship
Among the notables from distance who
were present were Hon. B. G. Neighbors OF
San Marcos, who is chairman of the Cook
campaign committee of this congressional
district, Judge Ed R. Kone, Ned Kyle and
o. Ford, Esq. The Cook men claim the
county while the Hogg men are jubilant
over the prospect.
Following are the principal portions oi
Judge Cooks speech:
Fellow Citizens-I have presented mysel
Z as candidate for nomination to the high
place of governor at the solicitation OF IA
large number of gentlemen of high respect.
ability, residing in various portions of oul
common country and well known as patri-
otic citizens. | should so far distrust my
own fitness as to decline an honor so ex-
alted but for my confidence in their SINGER
ity and friendship to myself and assurance
of their patriotism.
have never been able 10 discharge the
duties of the several offices l have held
with that degree of satisfaction to myself
which world make me feel justified in re.
hearsing to you the service l have
done the State. | have always fell
that maybe l could have done better if
had been more dlligent or possibly had
more humility.
After all, l have sometimes thought
might say, II am an Improbable servant,
Having never experienced the sensation,
can only imagine how exuberant must be
the Joy one feels when he can recite his un
broken series of victories over 1.-The world
the flesh and the devil" and pent and
he an easier task than falling off log, viz.
running the State government of Texas.
For me, the exercise CT the mighty pow ers
entrusted to my keeping by the people car
as with it such sense of responsibility to
myself, my country and my God that
tremble at the contemplation. Power, God
given power, to be exercised over the peo.
One might not have the capacity and eXer-
else it with justice and for good.
But when one never had the doubt of his
having always been right, long practice
gives him confidence In himselfoyec many
[ only propose that, in case so unlocked
for a thing should happen, l will, by the
help of God, make you the very best gov
ernor l may be capable OF If you should
put me in the place. | would prefer greatly
to be Judged by my Intentions rather than
by my accomplishments
But enough of this. | claim simply to be
a candidate for the nomination for gov
ernor and shall proceed at once to the pre-
sentatlon of the views | represent upon the
question at issue before the people. In Or
DER to appreciate the main question at issue
and TO the end that it may be tested blythe
% democratic w standard offaith, let us go back
little into elementary principles. 1t is
very simple to repeat that when God cre-
ated man He made him in His own image
and blew the breath OF life into his nostrils
and became living soul, and God gave him
dominion over the earth and atterward he
commanded him that he should Have
none other God but Me-" Didft ever strike
YOU that this might well be accounted the
foundation of liberty and free government?
But more than this. He endowed man
and gave him the will and capacity to en-
ioyand exercise these endorsements: More
over. when the proper time came, He sent
Moses down the mountain bearing the tab
lets engraven with the Ten Command
n entsF and to this blessed day they are
the standard of truth. From them are
drawn the principles by which every ques-
ton of right and wrong may be correctly de-
termined.
The application lpropose to make OF TINS
ia that the true theory of government, Is
that form which protects every man equally
in the exercise Of every right which God
gave him, or, if you please, with which he
was endowed by nature. =,
II used to be commonly accepted OF all
men and even now large proportion hold
that in forming governments men give up
norton of their rights in order to preserve
the remainder. l declare this downright
beresy to the Democratic faith. God did
not make any mistake in the plan or exc
cution of the creation.
He made man gregarious and SOCIAL be,
inc and by reason Of the Fall in Adam
Government became and was and is YET
ggecessary to restrain the strong from I'M
nosins % on the weak and the crafty from
pyerreaching the simple and the rlch' IL