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

Dltfary power and deals more largely IN
public patronage than the sovereign OF the
British empire. This same idea of exec
utive patronageipermeated our constitution
antecedent to the one under which we are
now living, and the governor was invested
with such power and such influence as en-
abled him at his pleasure to precipitate
upon the people
An oLIGARcHT
instead OF republic. In 1875, however
the people of Texas determined to change
their organic law, and their representa-
tiveS in convention being duly advised By
their constituents, proceeded TO frame q
constitution more in accordance with Dem
ocratic principles Wherever practicable
the governor was stripped OF power and
such power was returned to the people
and this constitutes one Of the chief excel
lencies of the instrument.
It was hardly to be supposed that in any
important addition to the ofice-holding ma
chinery of our government, = Democratic
administration would be found to antagoniZe
this principle so thoroughly asserted by the
trainers of our present constitution and 50
dear to the hearts Of the people The dis
cussiOn rs 10 a commission made before the
people two years ago, did not involve any
debate as TO how the commissioners should
be selected. II was assumed that under
Democratic institutions there could be 10
question but that
THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES
should select those TO whom they proposed
to entrust the administration of such i'm
portant functions. And yet when the leg
islature met and proceeded to carry cut the
will of the people in framing law which
should protect them from railroad injustice
and at the same time protect the railroads
from injustice at their hands. which was
the popular desire, it was ascertained that
the executive whom the people them
selves had selected had determined in
ind rhur ba chr n,
vested with the power of naming these
commissioners and of substantially direct
ing their action, for such is the condition Of
the law to-day. II was urged upon the floor
OF the two houses by Democrats of unques-
toned principle and of thorough devotion
to Democratic teachings that II was pc
culiarly appropriate and fit that these CON-
missioners, vested as they were neces-
sarily under the terms OF the bill
with arbitrary and absolute power over
great investments, should receive their
commission from the people themselves and
be responsible only to the people for their
discharge of what ought TO have been sd
cred trust. But their arguments were met
with
THE IPsE DIxIT
OF those who stood near the governor that
he would not tolerate this Democratic
method OF government, and if a bill was
passed giving to the people their inaliena-
Bile rights to select their own agents for
the administration of their gov
ernment, his excelency would
veto the bill This had its
erect, of course and after 4 struggle for
the supremacy of Democratic principles the
advocates of those principles yielded their
judgment aud surrendered to the executive
4 right which belonged to the people The
significance of the movement was not
detected by the masses. 1t was not
seen by them that this was a
long step in the direction of abso-
luteism in our state. They did not know
governor should be supreme in the admins
tration of the commission law, and that his
word or his nod should prevail thereafter
in the operation OF this board. 1 do not
charge that the governor has interfered
with the administration Of the law by the
commission. Possibly he has not, and for
the sake OF argument l am willing to admit
that he has not uttered one word or pro
mulgated one suggestion to the commits
sioners since he approved the bill. But
that is not the question The question IS
one of power in the executive, of violation
of Democratic principles, of
INVESTING ONE MAN
by law with autocracy, which is inconsist-
ent in any shape with genuine republican
liberty. The motive was artfully con
concealed in this, as it was concealed in the
attempt to deprive the railroads of their
power 10 70 u Tue COURTS IOG F6lel- lEGIE
was no mention made III the law that thu
governor should have power to re
move the commissioners, and it was eyel
urged that this power not having beeG
granted to the governor was incapable e
exercise by him. This specious plea cOuls
not impose upon any one familiar with Tia
laws of this state, for turning to the Re-
vised Statutes, there stands law (which
authorizes the governor to remove any ap-
pointive officer in the administration at his
own will refer to article 1887 of the Re
viscd Statutes. And SO, when the wor4
was done and finished, we found this great
investment in
THE STATE MANACLED
so as to prevent them from going to the
courts and praying as an humble suppliant
for justice, and the administration OF its
affairs placed entirely in the hands of three
men who were selected under the law be-
cause they had no interest whatever in the
investment and were liable to removal al
any time at the will of the governor who
appointed them without check or hindrance.
II this is not abSoluteism, what
would you call it. fellow citizeus9 If this
IS not step in advance of anything under
taken by Edmond J. Davis in his career in
in this state from 1870 TO 1874, what would
you call its If this style of law making is
not absolutely inconsistent and incompati-
bic with liberty and with Democracy, then,
after long years of faithful and patient
study, have failed to grasp the meaning
Of either term. How
INDUSTRIOUS THE PROPOSITION
that the people are not capable of selecting
these commissioners Why, they selected
The governor himself. the man who under
this law, is to sit clothed with arbitrary
and irresponsible power, charged with the
appointment and removal of the commits
;ioners. For many years they have Sc
ected the judges of your highest court. and
who can say they have made mistakes
IN this selectionl This was popular
movement; it was a response to the cry of
he people for relief 1t came from the peO-
pie themselves in response TO their demands
Uttered in Overwhelming tones. How APP
1ropriate it was then, that the people them
selves having demanded this agency should
1t least have 4 voice III its selection. And
low peculiarly appropriate it would have
been to have devOlved upon the people them
selves the responsibilities and all the re-
possibilities of the law. And yet,
THEY WERE DENIED
his poor privilege by the will of the exec
tive when they were clamoring for the
light to elect by direct vote their United
States senators, and even the presi-
lent of The United States. The time
las come when they intend to assert this
light. The day for beseeching the execu-
i've for the privilege of exercising this
right has passed. He and
lis friends were implored to give the right
o the people, and it was refused It
vas concpdad m him and IN his friends thar