The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1892-04-28

| commissioners under ordinary clrcum-
stances. They are not, however,
ready to join the forces of the other
side in efforts to strike down the COM
mission itself on account of the method
of selecting it's members.
Throughout the last campaign in
all my speeches 1 advocated an APP
pointive commission, and the people
elected me without raising their voice
against it. In my first message, dis
cussing the question, suggested their
appointment by the governor with
the advice and consent of the senate.
Quite half the term of the session had
expired before any suggestion was
made to elect them. Never had there
been, during the fourteen years OF
struggle for commission, q bill in
troduced by member of the House
or Senate proposing to elect commits
sioners. That question was not sprung
until after the substitute NOW the
law was offered in place of the
committee bill. The real cause
for that issue being made at that par
ticular crisis perhaps may never be
known 10 say the least, the great
gang of lobbyists that swarmed
ure from beginning to end became the
leading advocates of the elective fea
ture. Every enemy of the commits
sion declared for il. 1t is true there
were some friends who were willing
to and did support it earnestly. In
the present campaign every opponent
of the bill is declaring for an elective
commission; and the railway en-
ployes, who have been organized for
many months, have indiscreetly ex-
posed the real object of their leaders
by declaring against railway COM
mission, and in the next breath de.
handing the selection of its members.
have their resolutions adopted at
more than one place which fully OK
plain their main object to be the des-
truction of the commission itself. That
they have been acting under the in
structions of their superiors and lead
ers there can be no doubt.
Under the constitution the district
judges are elected every four and the
supremejudges every six years, but
the railway commissioners would
have to be elected every two years. If
it were possible under the constitu-
ton as it stands for them to hold their
offices for tour or six years, so that the
alternating one could be elected every
two years, there could be no special
trouble in the way. So far at 1 am
concerned, would be glad to see
every officer in the government elect
ed. have never held position by
appointment in my life, but have al
ways received my commission from
the people. While this is so, wish
to warn them now of the danger of
amending the commission law in any
particular. Those who have studied
it closest and are heart and soul its
friends and defenders find no objec-
ton to it whatever; while its enemies
assail it all along the line.
Corporations are too powerful and
formidable when moving in solid
phalanx to be resisted except by the
concentrated power of the people. Let
the people divide and the railways
would win. There will be plenty of
time for change in the method of Sc
Letting the commissioners after the
opposition to the law shall have
ceased. My advice to the people is,
that if they ever make the commits
sioners elective, they do so by an
amendment to their constitution fix
ing their terms of office four or six
years, so that at each biennial election
one of them can be elected. 1t would
be bad policy to have them all elected
at the same time. Should only one
have to run at each election the other
two could attend to the business dur
ing the campaign. The railroads
everywhere have clamored for the
election of the commissioners. Where
they succeeded they encompassed a
destruction of the law. In one Demo-
cratic state they combined with the
Republicans, elected obnoxious COM
missioners and the law was promptly
repealed by Democratic legislature.
For years they have tried to engraft
the elective feature in the Georgia
law so as to get chance to break
down the commission, but have failed.
If the people will instruct their rep
resentatives so as to have one commits
sioner elected every two years there
will not be so much, if any danger;
but at this time there is nothing that
could be more fatal to the success of
the commission, or more gratifying to
it's enemies, than to have the commits
sioners all elected at one time.
NEW ISSUES.
Now then, fellow citizens, having
taxed your time and patience with
the review of a record already made
and with the discussion of issues
which the opposition claim have been
settled, 1 shall proceed to tell you
what 1 shall do if 1 am honored with
reelection.
l. shall obey the constitution, adj
here to carrying out the instructions
of the people expressed through their
platform, and see that the laws are
faithfully executed.
3. shall stand by and support the
commission as it now stands.
8. shall favor law that will re-
strict and effectually prohibit the is
suance of watered stocks and bonds
by railroad companies.
4. l shall favor law that will pre-
vent the useless and extravaganza is
suance of bonds by cities, towns and
counties in this state, restricting them
within constitutional limitations to
actual public necessities.
x t shall favor a law that will de-