Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-02-28


stitution, If he has faithfully and unself-
ishly administered your laws, if he has so
acted as to manifest that he has regarded
your former confidence as sacred trust 10
be administered Solely for the public ben
eft and not as
PERSONAL cHATTEL
toibe used in the interest and for the behoof
Of himself and his chosen friends; and if
under his administration conteutment and
prosperity have come to your homes and
happiness reigns upon your hearthstones,
you would be an unwise people to demand
his retirement in behalf of any other candi-
date, for he would be entitled 10 a renomi-
nation and reelection at your hands. If,
however, he has proved unfaithful: If he
has disregarded your constitution, either
through design or ignorance; If he has ad-
ministered your public affairs rs If they
were private property belonging to himself,
and to be used only for the benefit and
advancement of himself and his friends,
and if under his rule and as consequence
thereof, prosperity has spread her wings
and sailed away to other lands, leaving be-
hind her many hopeless hearts and ruined
homes and general prostration of material
and commercial advancement, then you
would be equally unwlse II you did not de-
mand an immediate change in that Office.
There can be little of sentiment in your
decision, fellow-citizens The question IS
| purely practical Individuals or individual
interests, so far as the incumbency of pub
lie office is concerned. count as an intinit-
esimal quantityEwhen compared with the
welfare of a whole people; and the I'M
written law of mere custom cannot out
| weigh tie public security and the public
interests. That under ordinary conditions
it has been a party custom with us 10 con-
| tinue governor
IN OFFICE FOR TWO TERMS
is not pregnant even with the suggestion
I ~. 1l-
own detriment. If the present governor of
Texas deserves a second term at your
hands, he will receive it; if measured by
his public acts he fails to come up to this
standard, he ought not to receive ii. This
is the sole question for your decision.
am not vain enough to assume that even
the governor or myself are indispensable to
to Texas or to the party. Doubtless there
are other citizens of the state who could
serve her better than either. Indeed, a
wall comes from some sources that neither
of US are desirable in the present emer-
gency. But, nevertheless, the governor and
myself are here, and circumstances have
made US opposing candidates for the high
est Office within your gift. Speaking for
| myself, and knowing the governor as [ do,
/ think also could speak for him in this
behalf we have entered upon this race be-
cause we are proud 10 represent opposing
ideas in government, and so far as L am
u.
speak for himself when he addresses the
people-that am not a candidate for my
I health nor am l candidate in behalf of
anyone else nor have l any idea of waving
my claims Of claims l have) for the benefit
and advantage of some fellow who is sitting
in the grass waiting for nominating light
ming to strike him. There is no room in
this race for politician of
THE NEUTER GENDER.
There is no special demand at this juno
ture for the appearance of some plant fel-
low who happened to be made at time
when backbones had given out and the
Lord used jelly fish for the purpose of
supplying that portion of his anatomy.
There will be no room in this fight for
hybrid ticket composed of Chinaman and
q niger. This is contest of ideas it is
battle of principles, and it will be fought to
a finish before the people Of Texas between
Governor Hogg and myself, regardless of
dark horses, or any other kind of a sable
animal. The governor Will want to be re-
elected on the principles and policies repre-
scented by his administration, and l will
seek the same high honor upon the princi-
pies I advocate. The advantage-if ad-
vange it be-that / hold over him, is that
his day for promises has passed, and he
must now be Judged by his performances
his public acts are now on trial before you,
fellow citizens, and his past promises are
useful only for purposes of comparison.
The day of undue passion and excitement,
of angry prejudices aroused, or harsh
words spoken because of intolerance
of opinion, Of false hopes ex-
cited by promises incapable of fulfill
ment, have all passed, thank God, never to
return hope, and we stand to-day amid
peaceful atmosphere with the clear sun
light beaming upon US in full effulgence,
enabling US to search all places and find the
living truth.
That the condition of Texas has changed
within the past two years, and changed for
the worse, no man can deny. Her people
are burdened as they never were before:
her material development is arrested; new
enterprises are hardly discussed, much
less projected and executed; her farmers
in great measure are impoverished her
laborers are
WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT.
Her commerce and business is stagnant,
and nearly two-thirds of the state still
awaits development Only two years ago
your retiring executive congratulated the
the state in his farewell message upon the
hattering measure of prosperity which
then obtained with cur people. To-day
blight seems to have settled upon us and
prosperity is a "reminiscences. Our lands,
the chief basis of our wealth and our credit,
by reason of constant attack upon our
titles, are unsaleable and unpledgable and
banks only are possessed of any money. The
la0crlng masses are crying aloud Tor some
relief, and even the accumulations of the
rich are taking wings and flying away,
we know not how, we know not where.
Money, which moves the world CO mes to
US no more, and
THE LITTLE WE DIG
out of the ground leaves US as we reach out
our hands 10 grasp it. This condition of
stagnation comes with peculiar hardship
upon the poor. Usually wealth is not af-
fected by such depression--it is always
able to take care of itself; and capital,
when unprotected or antagonized, seems to
possess wings with which it can fly to other
lands and there enable its possessors to
revel in their accustomed Injuries; but the
poor must remain and starve, for they have
no other alternative. If it be a crime on
the part of government TO Cypress capital,
how much more grieveus, how much more
damnable is it when, by means of such op-
preston, it lays its heavy hand upon labor,
for labor cannot live without employment,
and stagnation means for it starvation.
Now it would be unjust TO charge the
whole responsibility for this condition of
affairs upon the present administration in
Texas. 1t comes from several causes:
From scarcity of circulation; from the
robbery of tariff which ruthlessly tram
pies US under foot for the benefit of
FAVORED FEW,
and deprives US of the power of making ex-
changes of our products for the products
of other countries who wish to trade with
US and to buy of US; and il comes also from
from an organized system OF robbery under