The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-08-18
JUST BEFORE THE BATTLE.

JUST DEFOHE LIE DdI AJbL'
Go to church this morning, it i
your duty as doubtless your pleasure
but before you take the train at nool
for Houston give an hours reflection
as a citizen of Texas to the duties tina
will confront you there. You are
delegate to a great Democratic con
vention, convention whose member
shin will number almost 1000. Yol
are only one man, 6, small part per
haps of such great body of men, bu
individual responsibility cannot there
be more escaped, be better hid in such
a body than in the world at large
with its millions of human souls, each
one separate entity. How will you
as one man, one delegate discharge
your duty to your county and to yoni
state in that convention? Have you
made up your mind? If not do not
wait for the excitement of the
convention to move you; don't
wait to be determined by
the enthusiasm of a moment; but sit
down today quietly in your own ROOM
go over with yourself the situation
and arrive at your duty, and when
the time for action comes you will
the better pei form it.
We are at the close of the most men,
orable political ante-convention cam
paign in the history of Texas. The
long roll of counties has been called
and their delegates are now EN- route
to the scene of their labors. What OF
their action? The whole state is in
the throes of expectant excitement.
For, leaving out of question, the issues
of the campaign and favOritism as
between the two candidates for the
governorship, the state is anxious for
the welfare of that political party
which has so long governed her af-
fairs. In the past the people have
looked only to the Democratic conven-
tions for their rulers. When these con-
ventions have spoken, the people have
turned again contentedly to their
daily avocations, and business has
routed politics. But there are those
who now loudly proclaim that
this year will mark a departure from
this time honored precedent; that if
either of the present candidates is
nominated the fight will be continued
until the ballot box is closed in
November, and that it will not be
fight between Democracy and COM
mon foe, but fight of which the most
bitter feature will be the warning of
Democrat against Democrat - the
stabbing Of Democracy in the home of
its friends. Can such so ominous pre-
diction have foundation in actual
cause for fear of calamity so dread? If
On, can the ambition of any man, the
partisan zeal of any faction be allowed
to foment such internal strife? For
we are not building for today, or to-
morrow, but for all the future. The
glorious Democratic majority that has
been our proud boast and bulwark
must not be imperiled. Start the
entering wedge now and when may it
not be driven home, splitting the
grand old Democratic party in twain,
and forfeiting to us the right and
power to rule the greatest state in the
Union?
So we say to you this morning
yours is personal and individual
in that convention.
Have you weighed well the RESPONSE
bility and have you determined upon
such line of conduct as will result in
the best good to your party and your
state? If not, take the hours of today
before your journey commences, for
with yourself, your con-
science and your duty.