The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-27

things for two purposes; first, to
demonstrate to the people how cur
laws are executed, and second, to
manifest how silly the cry which we
occasionally hear as to the credit due
this governor or that governor for the
execution of the laws 1t is hollow
preteuse, a bag of wind which the
prick of pin will collapse.
This constitutes. my fellow citizens,
all that | have to say with reference
TO the present administration. 1t
may be naturally expected by you
that l should say something rs to
what purpose doing in case am
cleo ted, and this feature can be dis
posed of with becoming brevity. |
am not arrogant enough to think that
my election will work a revolution
either in the methods of government
or in the prosperity of the people.
am not bold enough to assert that SO
humble an ind vidual as myself can
accomplish this or accomplish that as
reforms lin government. Your gov
ernor Is not possessed with either the
power of making laws or of admin
isterlng them. The public policy of
your state is declared by your law
makers whom you elect every two
years for that purpose. What the
Twenty-third legislature may do after
you send them to- Austin no man can
foretell. But will say this in refer
ence to myself personally, that what
ever of wisdom | may possess, what
ever of patriotism may inure to me,
whatever of vigilence [ can exercise,
hat IF off /
will be given solely and honestly for
the best interests of the people of
Texas. One thing l can promise with
abiding confidence. that will adhere
strictly and faithfully to the pure UNI
adulterated principles of honest dem
ocracy. [ may be an old fogy, but
this L cannot help, for / still believe
with the old fathers, Notwithstanding
the opposite tendency of the times,
that the best government for the in
terests of the people Is the least COY
eminent. | still adhere with abso-
lutte tenacity to the principle that a
rich and powerful government inevi-
tably means a weak and poverty
stricken citizenship. | still believe
fellow citizens, and believing shall
act always on the belief, that govern
ment was instituted among us solely
for the purpose of protecting us
against wrong doing. l can never be
made to believe that government was
organized for the purpose of enabling
one of my fellow citizens to use it for
the purpose of taking the Substance
from another of my fellow citizens, no
matter how specious the preteXt may
be. still believe and shall always
act upon that belief, that no depart
ment of government can have any
legitimate concern with the business
of the people. | still bow at the
shrine of liberty and worship the
word as the sublimest and most COM
prehensive in the language. I be-
lieve in it with all the ardor of nv
nature, aud that whenever it is |
stricken down either by law or the |
strong arm, that the blow, thong h in |
stigated by an idea of benefit to the |
public, must always result in disas-
ter to the very people intended to be
served We cannot tamper with lib
erty without reaction upon our own
interests. The situation in our state |
to-day has been produced by steady
and foolish blows at the liberty of the |
citizen. SO long as government and !
the law Is constituted solely for the |
protection and enjoyment of liberty |
in all its forms there can be no desc !
lation in Texas, there can be no de-
preston in our business, there can be |
naught but happiness for cur people, !
there can be nothing but good for the |.
com monwealth. But when we depart
from this great principle and stran-
gle here one feature of liberty and
stlfle there another feature, and cramp |
10 81 A. =
ana unnecessary restrictions upon his !
business, upon his habits, upon his |
ideas and expressions and enjoyments |
ana contracts just at that point des- |
poGlsm walks in and Sc yes upon our
households. And despotism, whether
In the shape of one-man power or the |
despotism of majority, is equally |
disastrous and equally des tructiVe. |
If we would preserve our.liberties in .
this country we must begin to learn .
to understand what liberty means.
We must educate ourselves and our
children to realize that we cannot too
vigilantly guard its sacred fire. 1T is
surrounded by enemies on every
hand; snares and dangers
encompass it on every side; Ignorance
10 Its chletest for; and nations have
persisted from the face of the earth
because of a want of knowledge of
that which was essential to the pre-
servation of their liberties. We have
the history of the world to guide and
direct us. So far every experiment
OF popular government except ours,
has failed, and if we but keep up the
tendency of the times and forget the
teachings of the past which admonish
us in letters of living fire, this grand