The Waco evening news. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 1891-1894, 1892-02-27

|
: chief excellencies of the instrument
: 1t was hardly to be supposed that in
any important addition to the Office
holding machinery of our government
Democratic administration would bs
found to antagonlze this principle 40
thoroughly asserted by che trainers Of
our present constitution aud 80 dear /.
the hearts of the people The discus.
sion as to a commission, made before
the people two years ago, did not in.
volve any debate as to how the com.
mlssioners should be selected. 1t was
assumed that under Democratic insti-
tutions there could be no question but
that the people themselves should go.
lect those to whom they proposed to
entrust the administration of such i'm.
portant functions. And yet, when the
Legislature met and proceeded to carry
out the will of the people in framing a
law which should protect them from
railroad injustice aud at the same time
protect the railroads from injustice at
their hands, which was the popular
desire. it was ascertained that the ex-
eoutive, whom the people themselves
had selected, had determined in his
own mind that he should be vested
with the power of naming these com.
missioners and Of substantially direct.
ing their action, for such is the condi.
ton of the law to. day. 1t was urged
upon the floor Of the two Houses by
Democrats of unquestioned principle
and of thorough devotion to Demo.
cratic teachings that it was peculiarly
appropriate and fit that these commits.
sloners, vested as they were necessa.
rlly under the terms of the bill with
almost arbitrary and absolute power
over great investments, should receive
their commission from the people
themselves and be responsible only to
the people for the discharge of what
ought to have been a sacred trust.
But their arguments were met with
the ipse dixit of those who stood near
the Governor that he would not toler-
ate this Democratic method of govern.
ment, and that if bill was passed
giving to the people their inalienable
right to select thor own agents for
the administration of their government,
His Excellency would veto the bill.
This had its effect, of course, and after
a struggle for the supremacy of Demo-
cratic principles, the advocates of
those principles yielded their judg-
nent and surrendered to the execu-
live a right which belonged to the
people. The significance of the move.
nent was not detected by the masses.
1t was not seen by them that this was
a long step in the direction of abso-
lutism in our State. They did not
know nor realize that this meant the
Governor should be supreme in the
of the commission law,
and that his word or his nod should
prevail thereafter in the operation of
his board. | do not charge that the
Governor has interfered with the ad-
of the law by the com.
Possibly he has not, and Cor
he sake of argument | am willing to
admit that he has not uttered one
word or promul ga ed one suggestion
20 the commissioners since he APP
proved the bill. But that is not the
question. The question is one of
power in the executive, of violation of
Democratic prinoi Piles, of investing one
nan by law with autocracy, which is
Inconsistent in any shape with genu-
ne republican liberty. The motive
vas artfully concealed in this, as it
vas concealed in the attempt to de-
rive the railroads of their power to go
o the courts for relief. There was no
mention made in the law that the
Governor should have power to remove
he commissioners, and it was even
'rged that this power, not having
,een granted to the Governor, was in.
apable of exercise by him. This
pecious plea could not impose upon
ny one familiar with the laws of this
state, for, turning to the Revised
statutes, there stands law which au-
horizes the Governor TO remove any
ppointive officer in the administration
t his own will | refer to Article
1897 of the Revised Statutes. And
o, when the work was done and fin
shed, we found this great investment
n the State manacled SO as to prevent
hem from going to the courts and
ra vinu nc on hmm hla Snppliont for