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

of faithful anu patent stuuy, L nave
failed to grasp the meaning Of either
farm. How nonstrous the proposition
that the people are not capable of Sc
Iocting these commissioners. Why,
thew selected the Governor himself,
,ho man who under this law is to sit
slothed with arbitrary and irresponsi.
HE power charged with the appoint
mont and removal of the commss on.
prs For many years they have
selected the judges Of your highest
sourt, and who can say they have
made mistakes in this selection? This
uas a popular movement it was re-
.ponse to the cry of the pee pie for re-
lief; it came from the people them.
selves in response to their demands
uttered in overwhelming tones. How
appropriate it was then, that the peo-
ME themselves, having demanded this
scepcy, should at least have a voice
in its selection. And how peculiarly
appropriate it would have been to
have devolved upon the people them
selves the responsibilities and all the
responsibilities of the law. And yet,
tbey we're denied this poor privilege
by the will of the executive when they
we're clamoring for the right to elect
by direct vote their United States
Senator'S, ana even the President of
the United States. The time has
come when they intend to assert this
right The day for beseeching the
executive for the privilege of exercis-
ing this constitutional right has
passed. He and his friends were i'm.
plored to give the right to the people,
and it was refused. 1t was conceded
TO him and to his friends that he
should have the right to name the first
commission who should hold office for
two years, and the demand came in
response that he should have this
right for four years, and after
that, it should be made elective, upon
the assumption, l suppose, that after
the retirement of His Excellencv from
the executive office there could not be
found any man in the state of suffi
cient virtue and intelligence to exer-
else the power which he had arroga.
ted to himself.
And how have these powers been
used since? What use has the gov.
ernor made of the commission? Why,
his very first slept in its organization
was to pervert it for the heneit of
himself and his friends. Who thought
of Horace Chiffon as United States
senator before his appointment by
Governor Hogg? Who contemplated
in this state such contamination of
political affairs anterior to its happen.
ing? There was no vacancy in the
senate. The seats from Texas were
filled. And yet, by some hocus pocus
not yet Ineligible to observant minds
distinguished citizen of the state
who had been honored with this high
and dignifed Office, stepped down and
out and took a much humber position,
aud the governor appointed his friend
even before the vacancy had actually
occurred in law, and before the people
of Texas were aware that a vacancy
existed. | dislike to draw compari-
sons, my fellow citizens, between the
public acts of Democrats and Republi.
cans, especially when such compari-
son Is in detriment to my own party,
but my mind Involuntary turns TO a
similar condition of affairs which ex-
listed in the most intense Republican
state of the union. | allude to YER
mont. A distinguished senator from
that state who had served his constit-
uents faithfully for many years in the
u. s. Senate, for reasons satisfactory
to himself, resigned his high office
about the time of Judge Reagans
resignation. There was no haste by
the governor of Vermont in filling this
vacancy; he took his time. 1t is sup.
posed that a distinguished gentleman
who then held cabinet position at
Washington, Mr.. Proctor, would be
the immediate recipient of the honor.
But yet there was delay in making
the appointment, and this delay
passed from days into weeks
and from weeks into months
until there was a clamor among his
friends to know the reason why. 1t
was supposed that the governor OF
Vermont had some sinister motive in
withholding the appointment of Mr..