Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-17
Tom Brown Comes Down Like
a 4o-Ton Trip Hammer.
THE COMMISSION CHAMPION
Replies to the Charges and Arguments of
the Waco Candidate.
A Closely Packed Room OF Attentive
Listeners-An Argumentative Speech
Which Carried Conviction with
1.-THE Tndsn Club.

| from Sherman. IN response 10 request
| that had been made for him TO come here
and reply to Judge Clark He is known as
1.-The father of the railroad commission, -
and has been a prominent figure in Texas
| politics for many years. He was met at
the train by a number of friends,
| by whom he was escorted up town. and
during the day he received and entertained
a great many friends and admirers at his
rooms in the Pickwick
At about eight O'Clock he proceeded to
the court house, where crowd had gath
cred in the district court room that filled it
| to uncomfortable fullness. His entrance
was greeted with applause, upon the SUBJ
| siding of which
James S. Davis. president of the Tilden
club, took the stand and announced that
this was the regular meeting night of the
| Tilien club but as the Hon. Tom Brown of
Sherman was to speak the club would not
transact any business until after the speak
! ing.
In a few minutes the speaker, Hon. Tom
Brown. was escorted TO the stand by Hon.
| James w. Swayne and James H. Davis in
PRODUCED Mr.. Swayne, who would introduce
| the speaker.
Mr.. Swayne said:
GENTLEMEN AND FELLow-CITIzENs-
Since the last election we have had panic
over this country; and not only this coun-
try. but all countries have felt 1t, and to-
day Texas has been held responsible for it,
and now 1 introduce to you the father of
the law which is to place US on our feet
again, and he is here to defend. not only
Texas interests, but all our interests
HON. T. J. BROWN.
Mr.. Brown took the stand and said:
LADIES, AND GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW
CITIzENs:-It affords me pleasure to speak to
you tonight upon question, or questions,
at issue in the state of Texas. The state Of
Texas is greatly interested in her campaign,
and not only is one portion interested, but
all the state, not only one city, but all
cities, and none more than Fort Worth;
but gentlemen, you should consider well
the questions, not of one, bnt all. They
are vital want to say to you, my fellow
citizens, tonight the questions are of more
consequence than eany one man or set of
men. Men may come and men may go, but
the questions now before the people are
here to stay-for while at least. tell
you, in my Judgment, if the commission
bill is wrong in its provision, let it go; if it
is right, let it stand.
Now, my fellow citizens, I propose to give
you plain talk-facts on the issues. I
come before you to uncover a campaign of
false issues. 1 shall deal in ne harsh Ian
guage towards those who oppose my opin-
ions, but shall say l assure you, in unInis-
taxable words what think and then back
it up by proof l shall not attack Judge
Clark personally, but the ideas he advo-
Gates. This is free country. have
high regard for man who asserts his opin-
ions, and if his opinions are not in accord
with mine I'll argue the point. 1 have utter
contempt for a man who is afraid TO ex-
press his opinion. Before 1 tackle the
issues l desire to clear away the rubbish
that has been thrown in the path.
In the last campaign Governor Hogg was
the candidate, and Judge Clark was the
power behind The throne to oppose, him.
The people elected Mr.. Hogg to the guber-
Material chair of Texas and announced in
thunder tones that they demanded a rail
road commission to regulate the question of
rates of hauling the products of our state.
Now, my fellow-citiZens, the contest did
not end here. When Governor Hogg took
his seat at Austin he obligated himself to
regulate these things.
Judge Clark hied himself to Austin and
assumed control of the third house for the
purpose of defeating the will Of the people
In order to defeat the legislation demanded
the opponents of the commission got their
heads together and excited the animosity of
the people against the appointive feature of
the commission.
OJudge Clark said yesterday that he re-
manned at Austin during the sitting of the
legislature for only four days, and left. If
he was away four days during the sitting
of the legislature did not miss him, and l
was there all the time. I know his power.
You don't know his power unless you come
in contact with i'll have.
Judge Clark Appeared to his followers to
defeat the legislature, but Judge Clark and
his third house went down the first time
in fourteen years. Now he has appealed,
in band-wagon procession STYLE, to you, my
friends, to defeat it in this campaign-in
the coming election. He stood in the road
then, was pushed aside--uow he asks you to
put him in charge. He says he is not
man of promises. He said yesterday at
Whitesboro: 'tElect me governor, and I'll
settle the question now before the people in
one hour" My friends, there's only one
way to settle this question in one hour, and |
that is to turn the state over to him-that |
will settle it. Elect him-he'l kill-itl
propose now TO discuss the charges he
(Mr. Clark has made against Hegg's ad- |
mlnistration. l do not wish 10 defend Hogg |
IN particular. I am simply defending the |
work he has done and its results. tell |
you Governor Hogg is as honest and SIM |
cere as any man who treads the soil OF Texas. |
Others are as good and as honest, but I'm |
talking about him now. He represents the |
commission idea. The success of that meas |
ure, the best measure in Texas, is the one |
prayer of nv heart, and that prayer is to |
place him there as the target Of assault. I |
have heard men say, Il don't like Hogg, |
but am commission man"
When man says he is a commission man
but don't like Hogg, ask him what he has |
done that has in the slightest deviated from |
the San Antonio platform; wherein has he
failedl Has he done one thing that is
against the interests of the people of /
Texasl Tell me, ask them, but they do |
not. They say Governor Hogg made mis-
take. ] presume they refer to him signing
certain documents that had been passed
Except that he has disturbed
some railway land titles, and that while ne
was encouragement, no charges are pre-
ferred.
My friends, take the platform, take his
message, take his legislative record, and
tell you it is the first administration Texas
has ever had where the pledges have been
pledges similar to those of forty
six years ago-that's long time, but refer
to them.
One objection is that he appointed Horace
Chiffon senator and refused 20 appoint
Roger Q. Mills--trying, my friends, to
swing onto Mills coattails TO get dragged
into position. Now shall not vote for
Chiffon; there are other men prefer. I
have known Horace Chiffon for twenty
years, and his record in private and public
IS an honor TO any man.
Another alleged objection Is that Gov
srnor Hogg has made no appointments
from North Texas. Ny friends, does it
matter from where an appointee comes, so
ong as the man is capRblel The trouble
IS. there were not Offices to go around
hey dent charge his choice was not good
1ne.