The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-09-08

whether the principles represented by
James s. Hogg or the principles rep
resented by George Clark shall be APP
piled in our governmental methods as
rules OF action for the civil conduct in
this state. The platforms promul-
gated by the two conventions are be-
lore the people of Texas and speak for
themselves. undertake to say with
out fear of successful contradiction
that most critical examination of the
platform upon which L stand will fail
to reveal single settlement or soli-
tary expression inconsistent with the
teachings of
ABSOLUTELY PURE DEMOCRACY.
There these principles stand enl-
blaZoned in burning words, capable
nary intelligence and speaking for
themselves their own patriotism and
wisdom without the necessity OF one
word from those who may advocate
them. We had as we'll attempt to re-
fine pure gold or paint the lily as to
add line to the platform promul-
gated by that patriotic band at Hous-
ton who met in Turner hall. Those
principles come from Jefferson with
out adulteration. They are the prin-
ciples our fathers taught us in
the better and purer days of
the Republic. They are the princi
Piles under which this government
grew and prospered beyond computa-
ton, and while so growing and pros
pering preserved to each man his
individual liberty and that blessed
right to pursue his own happiness
according to his own methods with
out dictation, let or hindrance on the
part of government. Surely if those
principles were good and produced
such results in the earlier days of the
republic, they must prove equally
efficacious in these latter days, for
principles are eternal. If true yester
day, they are true today. If they did
good yesterday, they will do good to.
morrow They may be derided by
our opponents as obsolete and not
adapted to the change. of onditions OF
human affairs as we find them exist
ing in this country today, but similar
reasoning would abolish the Christian
religion or even the laws of Moses
upon which our system of jurispru-
dence depends. Those are great truths
in theology as the principles of Jeffer-
son, are great truths in governmental
philosophy and the principles of both
are as we'll adapted to human con-
duct today as they were when first
promulgated.
Let us turn our eyes briefly 10 the
other platform promulgated at Hous-
ton by the followers of Governor
Hogg, and let us measure that decla-
ration of principles by the same
Dem ocratic measure we measure GU
own. AT first glance, it seems to be
Peoples party doctrine, anarchy and
slush. some of its planks are sound
because they did not happen to origi-
nate in the brains of the leaders VINO
formulated the platform, but were
copied from greater men. Time will
not admit of a thorough examination
of each and all of it's features in detail, |
but L shall content myself tonight |
with the discussion of three |
prominent features of said plat
form, each of which, in my
judgment, is contrary to and utterly
subversive of genuine Democracy.
These are:
First-It's declaration upon silver
coinage.
Second-It's declaration in favor of
a graduated income tax for federal
purposee.
Third-It's demand for the incorpo.
ration of state banks.
These Will be discussed in their
order.
FREE COINAGE OF SILVER.
1t is part of the jurisprudence of
the party that federal questions be-
long to the domain of our national con-
ventions. This does not presuppose
that individual Democrats, or even
an aggregation of Democrats in the
state convention are not privileged to
speak their sentiments upon federal
questions upon all proper occasions.
In the absence of declaration by our
convention, or in absence of
such declaration, it is competent for
every Democrat or assembly of DEM
ocrats, no matter how enthusiastically
small may be their representative Ca
pacity, to declare their faith both as
to men and measures whether federal
or state. But when an issue has been
submitted clearly to the national tri-
bunal, and has been thoroughly argu-
ed and fairly decided, then silence
upon the part of those opposing this
official declaration and decision is
golden and adverse speech becomes
mutinous and revolutionary. This
question of free and unlimited coinage
Of silver at the ratio heretofore pro.
vided by law was formally submitted
to the representatives of Democracy
In national convention assembled at
Chicago, and the decision was unmis-
takably against tho principle. United
States senators may chase rainbows
in q vain attempt to reconcile the
ninth plank of the Hogg platform at (
Houston with the silver declaration
in the Chicago platform, but such at
bempts are idle and fruitless and only ;
serve to bring their author into rdi-
Guile and contempt. The declaration
Of the Hogg platform at Houston un.
means that it's makers
and supporters are in favor of the
free and unlimited image of the !
present silver dollar whose actual I
value is only 65 cents, The declara- (
lion of the Chicago platform upon that
subject is an equally unmistakable
declaration that the Democrats of the ;