Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-03
Clark at Meatherford.

q great day IN UnlS Guy. EIdfly IN Jne ulOIu-
ing people began to arrive, and by the hour
announced at which Hon. George Clark
was to speak the city was crowded. Judge
Clark was in fine voice, and his audience
were soon en- rapport with the speaker. He
was enthusiastically received, and fire.
quently interrupted with hearty applause.
JUDGE CLARK SAID
FELLOW CITIzESs-It. is said that after
the charge at BalaElava, and which re-
suited in the useless loss of many brave and
valuable men, the cry went up from the
army as the remnant retreated back to its
lines, Somebody has Numbered" And so,
when we look abroad at this fair land, and
recall the many wonderful advantages
vouchsafed to US by kind providence, and
which ought TO make US the freest and hap
piest and most prosperous people upon
earth, and realize the stagnation around US,
the prostration of trade, the loss of conf
dence,
THE OPPRESSION OF LABOR.
the destruction of investments, the arrest
of progress and the general devastation and
ruin which rise up before our vision, that
same cry repeated by the English soldiery,
might well be repeated now with reference
to Texas, for somebody has blundered.'
Texas. to-day, ought to stand among the
sisterhood of states the brightest and most
peerless star in the galaxy God has done
for US more than we could have asked. He
has given US land fruitful beyond compu-
Jation, an atmosphere more genial than any
enjoyed by the children of men and people
who will compare most favorably with the
best the braVest and truest of which his
tory gives account And yet, no thought
full citizen of the state, who respects his
reputation for veracity, can say and say
truthfully, that Texas is prosperous to-day
For some reason her development has been
arrested, prosperity has left her borders,
sTAGNAT1oN AND BLIGHT
how bap. nrrri nj
is depressed, her labor fails to find remun-
erative employment, her money is garnered
in banks, her people are distressed beyond
measure. And yet she is the banner Dem
ocratic state of the union. 1t is TO be sup
posed that her government and her laws
are based upon Democratic principles. If
these principles and their application have
produced these results as legitimate conse-
quences I do not hesitate to say for myself
that l am ready to abandon any party
which advocates them. If strict adher-
ence to the teachings of Thomas jefferson
have resulted in prostrating these people
and bringing them to their political and
commercial ruin,
CAUSING DEsoLATIoN
TO sit upon their hearthstones and sadness
to rest in their hearts, these principles
have been erroneous and ought to be aban-
doned by tree people. But if, on the con-
trary, this result has been attained by an
evasion or a perversiou of these principles,
we cannot go back TOO soon to their reasser-
ton. and ought not TO neglect or forego any
effort until they are re-established as the
land marks of our government. For one
do not hesitate TO say, and l believe it with
a fervor equal to that of an enthusiast, that
all the evils and all the ills under which our
people now suffer, come from a departure
from the true principles OF Democratic gov
eminent as taught by the fathers of the re-
public, and thar we can trace every we'll
,-
by any class in our midst, to neglect
either from
IGNORANCE OR DESIGN
of those principles which must be the es-
seutial basis of every well-organized repub-
lie.
The trouble has been. fellow citizens, that
in our mad rush for wealth and for power
and for office, we have not been careful to
preserve the true landmarks and the true
principles of genuine liberty in our country.
Too frequently we have been disposed TO
sacrifice principle for expediency. to base
our political action upon what we thought
might win and not upon what we thought
was right. And the result has been that
our platforms Of party principles have be-
come paper promises, and their fulfllment
has been usually postponedto some more
convenient season so as to evade response
bilities or retain place, 1t is time, my fellow
citizens, that we should cali halt on this
line OF political action. ii we are party
of principles, we must assert those princi-
pies, and not only stand by them but be
ready to fall with them and for them. If
we are
PARTY oE TRAINERS,
the sooner we acknowledge it and disin-
tegrate the better for ourselves and the
country In so far as the governmental
evils under which we are laboring may
come from Federal sources, every Demo
crat can very well congratulate himself
that we, as party, can not be chargcahle
for we have not had possession |
OF this government for thirty years. 1t is |
true we may not have done all that we |
should have done to abolish that system of |
legislation which has precipitated these
evils upon the country, and our sins OF |
may be many; but, except in rare |
instances, no sin of commission can be prop |
erly laid at our doors l say except in |
rare instances, because we are not alto |
gether blameless even upon this basis.
Some Of the most advanced steps
TOWARD CENTRALIsN
in our government have been precipitated |
upon the country through Democratic ln- |
strumentality. I allude TO the interstate |
commerce law, and the oleomargarine |
law, but l do so, not with the
inspiration of carping criticism, but simply 1
as illustrative of the tendencies of the
times and of the broad road we are travel
ing TO destruction. l have no desire or in
tention to enter upon the question Of Fed
aral politics. neither does il concern me in
this campaign who shall be president
have already spoken upon Federal ques-
,ious with no uncertain sound, and I retire
those issues here and now with the simple
remark, that Notwithstanding any mistakes
of the Democratic party, decline 70 join in
my rebellion against the organization of the
party, ana expect 10 support Us nominees
most heartily no matter who they may be.
am here to-day TO discuss Texas interests
solely, 10 join issue with those who have
been in power in Texas for two years past.
and TO lay before you my views Of the situa-
.ion and the tendencies Of legislation, in
order that with JOINT counssls We may i'm
prove our condition. ! am here as a
CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR
u opposition 70 the candidacy of the Hon.
lanes S. Hogg, the present incumbent of
hat office. I am not here TO abuse hing per
;oually. or TO say aught against him in SO
ar as he as an individual is concerned.
With his personality / have no concern. ]
propose 10 deal only with his public acts as
lserVant Of the people. And am candid