Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-10


the same position as did the governor upon
this question, and they were equally as
variable as the winds in their eagerness
TO get in on the ground floor. Reagan,s
former pronounced opposition to the rail-
ways of Texas would be remembered per-
haps to his credit. Yet the people would
recall his famous trip to Mexico in company
with one of his wealthy railroad opponents,
where he Jared like prince, smoking
cigars no worse than three for dollar,
wearing purple and fine linen and hobnob-
bling with the people, in whose interests ne
shortly afterwards was enlisted with even
more than the degree of interest when the
people were his friends. Applause.
Hogg, like Reagan, had opposed the COM
mission, believing that 1t was within the
province of the people to constitute them
selves commission, and by retiring lot
of members of the lower house Of congress
stop legislation in the interest of the rail-
ways and devote their energies towards
benefting the people. Reagan fought the
bill because il was imperial in its scope and
did not belong to a republic, and yet these
men charge NE with being recent convert.
When the fpeople of Texas determined
that a change was absolutely necessary,
was I to desert theml No. The question
had divided houses, broken up homes and
destroyed families, but l am proud TO know
that bowed to the VIII of the people, and
in thus performing what 1 honestly believed
&c be my duty, have been accused OF trying
to split and break up the party. ] am
chided for doing precisely what the people
demanded, and accused Of political perhdy.
] say TO you calmly and dlSpasslonately
that if my ideas of railway legislation do
p not prevail ere long, the people of the state
will rise up and wipe the whole thing from
the face of the earth. They will not much
longer stand the prevailing nonsense. [Ap-
plause.
If am elected, not one power which the
commission holds will be abridged, that is
constitutional. l would not live in the state
unless she had the power to protect. every
one of her citizens. Loud applause. And
the laws which are valid and constitutional
are sufficient to guarantee this protection.
One Of the grandest sentiments ever uttered
by Grover Cleveland (at the mention of the
ex-president pandemonium reigned in the
house, and for several seconds the speaker
was forced to stop was, ''Tell the truth. "
Fellow-citizeus, that have done and shall
do When was in Austin was told that the
railways did not need protection, but 1 was
appealed to, for Gods sake, to save the
material business interests of Texas. To
our appeals that Texas should not be held
down and ground to pieces beneath the
weight of unnecessary and unjust legISla-
ton, we were met with the statement that
! was railway attorney and lobbyist. But
we will yet lift the veil and disclose the
hideous skeleton which has destroyed the
prosperity of this fair state, and throughout
llB ldSl bNtuiy years CICdlCu ii IGpultLuAOAA
for Texas people and Texas methods, OF
which our people are ashamed and hang
their heads when outside the bounda-
ries of the state. Wild applausel.
During the entire week spent at Austin in
q consistent effort to accomplish something
for the benefit of the people of my state,
could do nothing in tact did nothing, ex
cept sleep one night with Dick Wynne and
Bob Mozart. Loud laughter.
Regarding my visit, l want to tell you
who came to me with tears in his eyes,
saying: ''You must go to Austin if you
love the state and labor to stop the legis-
Iation which is certainly working our
ruin" At first l declined, but afterwards
reconsidered the matter and concluded TO
do what 1 could. That man was B. j. Ken
drick, the president of Hogg's State AL
lance. Who else do you suppose met
there2 Why, j. l. MoodH Goodwin, the
Alliance editor, Cunningham, Rufe King
and dozen other Hogg men who added
their solicitations that l assist in framing
or securing legislation which would satisfy
and relieve the people. Kendrlck said the
governor and other state officials had mis-
taken their people, and he pleaded for Gods
sake to have the matter set right. l told these
gentlemen that they must get lawyer in
whom had confidence before would con-
sent to confer tupon the matters at issue.
They named Tom Brown, but declined to
treat with HIM, as in my judgment he was
too fresh. Ihereupon they secured Terrell.
Through him the Alliance people made
every possible concession which honorable
men could make under the circumstances.
Note the result. Terrell expressed salts
faction at the turn Ghings had taken, and
promised peace within an hour, and he was
frank enough to confess during this con-
ference, that all my statements were God
Almighty's truths. From this conference
Terrell went to the state house, where all
that had been said in candor and fairness.
cir On of 1pincr cOrOatbincr fOr.
which the people of the state would i'm
measurably thank US, was presented to the
governor in such q garbed way that the
fight was renewed and peace was as far
from contamination as ever.
tell you the commission people do not
want the question settled; they desire that
the old political sores shall be kept open,
and this confirmed me in the opinion that
1t is high time TO take this power from the
executive and put it into the hands of the
people. Applause There is not rail
way Official in the broad domain of Texas
who is not a friend of Governor Hogg and
who does not indorse his idea of railway
management. II am elected governor 1
pledge you my word that will settle the
railroad problem in one hour, and Texas
will be in at the front with ribbon in
each hand. The interests of the people are
Identical with those of the railroads, and
both alike share the prosperity which jul
diciouS legislation will surely bring in
its train. Their destruction. means ours as
well. ald nothing is to be hoped for except
a settlen ent Of this great problem under
laws by which every man and every cor
poration will and must have equal and eX-
act Justice me.ed out to him. Why should
we not let the railroads alone when they
are doing right, and only interfere when
they do wrong or are engaged in violating
the laws2 We asked the builders of these
roads to come here, and I now state rs re-
suit of all the foolish legislation OF the past
that there is not 1000 miles of paying rail
road in the state and challenge the com
mission to disproye my assertion.
The issue, stated cnncisely, is this Shall
Texas cont niue bound and tied through jg-
norance or shall she be free? Shall we con-
tinue TO approve a line of policy which is a
shame and diShonor to the state or shall we
create legislation which will place this
grand commonwealth in the leading posi-
ton which she is entitled to, and which she
can and must occupyl
The speaker referred to Governor Hogg's |
recommendation for the passage of an alien
land law, and said the governor had no more
idea of legislation than he (the speaker) |
had of music. He then criticised the gov
ernor's refusal to call the legislature TO-
gether, and said that the state never was in
a worse financial condition than at present. |
The repeal of these Ubiquitous laws would |
relieve the people, their welfare demanded |
it. yet the executive refused TO convene the |
members of the legislature solely because |