The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-02-18
JUDGE CLARK
ANNOUNCES HIS CANDIDACY FOR THE
GOVERNORSHIP.
He Declares for an Elective Commission and
an Appeal From 1t to the Courts.
Governor Hogg is Hit
Some Blows.

| porter OF The STATESMAN Judge
Clark said today:
"Yes, | am a candidate for governor,
and you may 50 announce
In reply to further questions as to
the probable issues of the campaign,
he added:
"There are plenty of issues but the
railway commission is not one of
them. The people of Texas have de-
cided, after mature discussion, that
our railways shall be regulated by
this method, and | know of no pur-
pose ON the part of any one to question
the decision. My own opinion is that
the commission is here to stay, and it
is back-number business to discuss
its ACCESSIBILITY or utility. Asa Demo
crat / always bow to the will of the
people. The opponents of the COM
mission idea have had their day in
court and lost the case on appeal to a
higher tribunal, and they can accom-
plish nothing by kicking at the judg-
ment or even asking for rehearing."
"There are certain features of the
commission law, however, that are
proper subjects for public criticism
and discussion, and furnish some
living issues for the campaign. This
law must stand its trial before the
people this year and they have fright
t., IL,
features of that law, as they occur to
me now, are those provisions which
give the governor the power of APP
pointment, and practically debar
railroad companies from the privilege
of appealing to the courts of the coun-
try for the protection Of their property.
This latter feature smells of rank COM
munism, and neither of them, as they
stand, reflect the matured views of
our lawmakers. They are the spawn
of midnight conclave, and We're
fOisted upon the statute book under
the lash of an intOlerant executive.
The governor is alone responsible
| for depriYing the people of
their right to select. their agents
for the administration of Justice, as he
is also responsible for those other pro-
visions OF the law which trample I'M
| liberty as embodied in Magma Charta
and in both of our constitutions, state
and Federal. He dictated both and
refused to tolerate any modification of
either, as is well known to members
OF the legisla lure. And Legislators
yielded their own judgment in order
not to jeOpardize commission. II
| elected | shall most certainly recon-
mend:
/. That railway commissioners shall
be made elective, and that their Ie-
sponsibility shall be to the people di-
rect and to no other authority. By
! this method of selection, no man will
hereafter have the power to manipu-
late and prostitute this purely bust
ness agency to the accomplishment of
the people and the roads will have
some assurance of equal and exact
justice to both.
.. That the provisions of sections >,
6, IA, Is and II should be so modified
as to conform TO the constitution and
the established principles of civil lib
erty. 1t is monstrous that in the
closing years of the nineteenth CEN
fury the law-givers of Texas have
seen fit to build their laws upon prin-
ciples which disgraced the dark ages
anterior to Magma Charta. The right
of a free and untrammeled appeal to
the courts for protection of person and
property is sacred right inuring to
prince and peasant alike and equally;
and it's exercise cannot be hampered
or INSTRUCTED by pains and penalties.
If elected governor, / shall recon-
mend such notifications of these sec.
tions as shall keep the courts of Texas
open to railroads, as they are to other
persons; and that investors, for any
! injury done them in their
property, shall have remedy by
due course of law, and shall not be
compelled to litigate under the serious
menace of absolute confiscation.
"This denial of justice in the courts
and the equal protection of the laws
to a great interest has done more 20
place Texas in false attitude before
the world than the alien land law or
any other law. And the damage done
was wholly unnecessary and foolish
in either case. The mistakes are at
tributable to a dense ignorance OF the
plainest principles of legislation and
government 1t cannot be difficult
task for Texas to regulate her rail
roads most efficiently by commits
sion, and to protect her people fully
against the conceded evils of great
landed estates and absentee landlord
ism, without disturbing in any man
ner the conservatism Of business, OF
the confidence of those wishing to in
vest among us. The people
of Texas are great people, as
they are just and liberal people
They possess for the inheritance OF
their children an imperial domain
ripening for development and painting
for healthy progress; and | have al
abiding faith that they will force theil
government to move in unison with
these great objects and responsive t.
their liberal and enlightened aspira
tions.
ave are governed too much, more
than Republican Massachusetts, anc
many of our laws result only in eat
ing up the substance of the people
Let us abolish all useless offices, re
duce our establishment and eXpend
itures, quit taking care of our friends
L. =. 4