Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-07-05
SENATOR Chiffon.
His First Public UtteranceS as a
Full Pledged Senator.
DELIVERED AT CAMERON.
II was Before the Largest Gathering Ever
Assembled in Milan County.
He Places Himself on Record on the Issues
of the Day: Tariff, Free Coinage,
Sub-Treasury, Land Loans
and Land Banks.
Special to the Gazette.

ing of people as was assembled TO witness
the laying OF the corner stone OF the new
courthouse, and afterwards 10 hear Senator
Horace Chiffon eXpound true Democracy.
The people began 10 get here early and 10
O'Clock the corner stone Of the new court
house was laid by Grand Master George
Tyler after which an Representatives, was
delivered by Maj. William McGregor.
The crowd then gradually drifted to the
barbecue grounds i'll the city park. Hon.
HUr;-ce Chiffon then held the crowd for
about two hours. His speech was fIc-
quently applauded. The farmers were out
in force, and We're attentive ana apprecia-
tive listeners. The crowd was remarkably
well behaved and good natGed. There
was never such crowd assembled in Mi
lam county Us was in Cameron to-day.
Senator Chiffon spoke as follows:
Senator Chilton's Speech.
1t is now thirty years since the great
civil struggle between the Northern and
Southern states of the Union began On
the 4th of July, 1861, the congress of the
United States assembled in extra session
upon the call of President Lincoln, to de-
wise and organize methods 10 carry on the
war. The bOmbardment Of Fort Sumpter
ami other minor engagements had demon
strated to the Northern people that if they
made war al all it must be upon scale of
great magnitude The celebrated battle of
Bull Rua came soon after, while congress
was still in session. and brought that body
to an intense realization OF the danger and
expense which the conflict involved. The
great Democratic leader, Stephen a. Douglas
had died Il few weeks before the senators and
representatives from the cotton states were
gone to the homes and the camps of the
Confederacy, and the few Democrats from
the North and from the border, who still
held their places in the halls OF congress,
were in all but name mere idle spectators
of the immense preparations set on foot by
the aggressive chiefs of the Republican
party. About this time, and under these
leaders, was fully inaugurated change of
policies in the American government, which
subsequent leadership of the same sort has
enlarged and perfected into the powerful
system which now governs the industrial
progress of our people.
SO we come to the 4th day of July,
1891, and here upon this day sacred to
patriotic purpose, we can view panorama
of practical experience in pOlitica admins
tratiOn which runs back through thirty
years, without contrast and without inter
ruptiOn. This retrospect furnishes an I'M
eXampled record in the life of The republic,
Tor there is no other instance in our history
where one set of policies have continuously
predominated in public affairs for so long q
time.
AS we look back and scan this picture,
each scene conveys its separate lesson,
each follows every other in orderly stages,
and all combine to show the most casual OBJ
server that we have not come to our pres
ent situation from accidental or temporary
causes. And now when the climax seems
at hand, if the condition which has resulted
is glorious, let the Republican party receive
the plaudit; if it is deplorable, let the full
responsibility rest upon that same party.
1t cannot be pointed out too often that there
has never been week since 1860 when the
Democratic party held the presidency, the
senate and the house of representatives at
the same time. 1t has frequently held one
or the other, and thus checked much of the
evil but it has been powerlcSs TO make new
laws or repeal those already upon the
statute books
What then is the condition 10 which the
protracted ascendancy of the Republican
party has brought the country! Look
around you for the answer. Unrest is visi-
bic everywhere. Though this is an off year
in politics, there are signs OF activity and
agitation as far advanced as is usual at this
season of the election years. Taking aG-
vantage Of the dissatisfaction which pre-
walls, new parties ami ingenious theories,
which in ordinary times would be Instantly
discarded by sensible men, are being floated
into general notice.
No right-minded man can congratulate
himself upon the condition of the country
at the present time. Mr.. Blaine and
Mr.. Carnegie may give us page aft"r page
of statistics to show that the general
wealth of the United States has multiplied
enormously since lS60-that the deposits III
savings banks have grown many millions
yet we have only to look up from the page
TO see that this wealth and these savings
are not equitably distributed among the
people, but that particular sections and
classes have absorbed il. The president
may talk about the benefits that agriculture
receives from the home market which the
Republican policy has built u p, but if he
had time to take a "trip across the
country on horseback he would ind that
these benefits are purely imaginary, and
that the farming interest of the country IS
in state of depression of which he can
gain no conception from the rapid observ.i-
ton of railroad travel And when Repub-
lean orators refer to the fact that the coz
veniences of life have multiplied SO
greatly within the last quarter OF u CEN
fury they should remember that the main
advantages of these improvements have
been derived by those whose means
are independent, and that the
working farmers of the land
are barely as comfortable as they were
forty years ago. The poor OF the cities en-
JOY even more of these comforts than the
farmer, because they find i'll many towns
free schools, free libraries and public bene-
factions of other sorts which compensate in
q degree for the hardships OF a life OF day
labor. Hence, we notice that though few
years ago the greatest activity OF discon-
tent was found among the laboring people
of the cities, this disturbed feeling is now
more general among the laboring people of
the country. Clearly the reason for this is,
that the oppressive system of the Republi-
can party finally throws its principal
weight upon agriculture. Our great towns,
even in the South, are not so stagnant as
the country districts. The problems of
streetspaving. artesian wells, better lights,
electric cars and new additions, things that
10 give room TO growth
more or less definitely in sight; these are
the questions which occupy the minds of
Dur city people, but the great mass of the
country population is pressed continually,
not by the question of improvements, but
by that of actual subsistence.
1t is undoubtedly true that both city and
country populations feel the effects of the
faulty system of political economy, now
maintained in the United States, but they
feel it in different degrees of severity. The |
city people in Texas are not doing as well |
As they should, and the country people are |
ioing worse than the city people. In fact |
It may be stated as an accepted proposition |
hat taken as a whole, the occupation of |
farming is now the most laborious and least |
profitable Of the pursuits Of the American |
pepple. All will agree that this is an IN |
Natural condition of society, for no perman- |
ent healthy development can be expected in /
! country where the primary vocation of |