Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-29
Writes an Open Letter to the
Democracy of Texas
ON THE EXPULSION OF MR.COLE
The Sub-Treasury FIagraptly Undemo-
cratic-The Foe which the Democ-
racy of Texas Must Throttle
in tho Next Campaign.
To the Democracy OF the State of Texas.

mlJleCS. W give MY VIEWS upOu lIo dCllou
of the Dallas county Democratic executive
committee in requesting and obtaining the
resignation of one of that body (Nlr. Cole
upon the ground that he is an adherent and
advocate of the ''sub-treasury'' theory
and in order that one letter may serve as an
answer to all, l write this open letter to the
Democracy of the state al large.
During the last campaign, in answer to
the inqiery of what qualifications should adj
nit one to the primary councils of the
party, wrote the following advisory letter:
TYLER, TEX, Feb 3, 1890.
Editor Corsicana Observer
DEAR SIR-Your favor of the LIST. asking me
to state the qualifications that should prevail
in the admission OF persons into the pr mary
councils or actions of the Democracy, has been
received and considered. and in reply beg 10
say:
man should be Democrat who partici-
pates in Democratic primaries
= He should reside in the locality where the
primary is held and possess the general qualiti-
cations OF a voter.
3. Where it is thought necessary TO protect
the party against its enemies getting into its
councils or participating in It's primary action,
the local executive committee should provide
the method. being careful to exclude no Demo
crat who openly espouses the principles of the
party and is willing to support its action by
voting for its nominees.
/ In the case of conventions, it is usual and
proper to pledge the delegates TO the support
of the action of that body, and the action OF the
party generally, N the case or primary eleC-
tions the party voting thereat should be able
to satisfy the officers of the election that he
Will be qualified voter in that locality at the
next election. openly announce his belief in the
principles of the Democratic party, and pledge
himself TO support the party nominees.
The party has not, either in its national or
state organizations, announced any castiron or
fixed rules 10 govern admission INTO primaries,
but trusts to the loyalty and discretion of its
members in local organizations 10 protect its
primaries from intruders. and at the same time
TO freely and gladly admit into her ranks and
councils all Democratic voters, however recent
their conversion.
In April following the state Democratic
executive committee, at regular called
meeting at Lampasas, approved and adopted
my letter as its own expression upon the
subject. June "a, 1890, in an open letter to
the Democracy on the subject of secret po
itical organizations, said:
Nomau who owes fealty TO another political
organization should have any voice i'll DE- mo-
cratic councils, and il there be any such anIag-
onstic organizations in particular localities
seeking admission into Democratic primaries,
the solemn duty rests upon the Democracy of
such places to ket p out the wolf IN Sleeps
clothing. and preserve the purity OF Demo
cratic expression
In August succeeding, the Democracy of
the state. in convention assembled at San
Antonio. Endorsed and adopted the express
SionS OF its chairman as just and correct for
the government of the party. 1t may, there
fore. safely be. assumed that these are the
latest deliberate expressions of the DemOc-
racy of the state touching the matter of the
government of its organization, and they
should be adhered to upon all points upon
which they legitimately bear.
At the time of the meeting of the last
Democratic state convention the bill, now
known as the 'sub-treasury bill, > had been
introduced in the congress of the United
States, but no political party or organiza-
ton in Texas had espoused the support of
the measure or become open advocates of
the principles involved. At that time the
effects of such measure upon the business
interests of the country, and the political
principles underlying such legislation had
attracted much attention and discussion on
the apart of public men; and our Texas
senators and representatives in congress,
without an exception, believe, had, through
public prints. strongly condemned the
measure as unwise, visionary and disas-
trous in its effects. and the principles upon
which it was based grossly undemocratic.
In the light of the tendency of this meas
ure, the general public discussion of its
principles and effects. the almost unani-
nous condemnation OF it by the leading
Democrats of the country, as rank in its
paternal and centraliZing effects, and bit
terly obnoxious to the oldest and most fun
damental tenets of Democratic faith, the
state Democratic convention spoke the
voice of the Democracy of Texas upon such
legislation in the third plank of its platform
as follows:
That on this principle we oppose any tariff
or duty for other purposes than revenue only.
We oppose the collection and distribution by
the Federal government OF any money in aid OF
the educational systems OF the different states,
or any of them; or in any way of advancement
or loan TO auy citizen or class, upon any sort of
security. whether government bonds. CONNER
cial. farm other products. We oppose the
election law recently passed by the Republican
house OF representatives. and condemn all the
recent entertainments by the Federal judiciary
upon the power of tie states.
No one then doubted the fact that the
Democracy of Texas had declared its oppo-
sition to the principles of the 'sub-treasury
bill'' and all legislation of a ike nature; all
understood what was meant by ANY ad-
vancement or loan to any citizen or class,
upon any sort of security, whether govern
ment bonds, commercial, farm or other
products" The Sub-treasury bill was not
but its vital element was, and this
plank of the platform was made broad
enough to cover it and any measure of a
kindred nature to it.
The principles of the measure are SO
fagrantly undemocrAtic that the Democ-
racy of the whole country through her in
dividual adherents condemns it as with one
voice; her trusted leaders and opponents
the country denounce it; the
organized Democracy of this state, in its
platform of principles, with emphasis, de-
clares against it: and it is not an open ques-
ton. subject to debate. as to the duty of
Democrats in relation TO it-they are placed
against it by the oldest and plainest prin-
ciples of the party, by the united VOICE of
Democrats throughout the government, and
by the solemn declarations of the party of
the state in platform enunciation.
Subsequent to the time of the Democratic |
state convention, the national organization
Of the Farmers Alliance met at Ocala, Fla,
and adopted platform of political princi- |
pies or demands chief among which was
The utterances of its leaders and officers,
pledged the membership of that organiza- |
ion Inqualifedly to its support. Following |
he action of the national organization, the |
Alliance of Texas Endorsed the measure, |
and pledged its mem berShip in Texas to its |
advocacy and support And at a meeting |
If the members of that order at Waco, in |
April last, they solemnly pledged their sup |
port to the 'sub-treasury bill,' and with |
equal solemnity, bound themselves to |
oppose by the ballot ali persons who did |
lot favor it Since that time the state |
Alliance has expelled from its convention |
halls its prominent members who have |
Jared to openly fight the measure, on ac-
count of that action on their part: and |
;1b-Alliances were instructed by it to ex-
pei them from the order, which has been
lone in a number of instances, and the
forfeiture Of their charters provided for in
:ase they did not expel them
The ..Sub-treaSury'' adherentS have cap