Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1894-05-03

ei-Hon John ii Cochran opened his canvass
Tor the nomination for governor at Farmers
Branch, the place OF his nativity tonight. He
proceeded as followsi
FWhNOs AND FELOw,CirlzES3; Respond
inr TO the invitation ~ partial friends / ap.
pear before you for the purpose OF inaueurAt-
inr my canvass Tor governor by presenting for
your consideration the policies aud principles
ONCE
Let me say, however, that in the absence of
special invitation ] would have doomed 1t
not Inappropriate to open my campaign Mt this
place More than two score and ten years ago
my father now numbered with the dead, built
neur this spot the third log cabin erected In
Dallas county The smoke which assembled
rom those humble horlea married. the hrst
human hahitRtions west q White Rock creek.
Here upon the then wild frontier among the
hardy pioneers Of that early period VINO sowed
the seeds OF civilization with one hand and
wNrded OF the savage with the other, / spent
my childhood and Ooyhood; received the slen-
der education our meager facilities then ar
forded formed the ties and learned tho lessons
and imOibcd the principles which have so
largely Influenced my NE, Many, nay most
Of my ancient friends OF that day are no more.
some surrendered to the hardships OF life
OF whose prvations few can form any adequate
conception, others persisted under tomahhWk
and stalplng knife, others. taken captive, met
an unknown fate, while others OF happier lot
survived to yield their lives willing sacrifice
in their country's cause at Manassas, Freder-
icksburg, around Nicksburg, on Shiloh's dark
and bloody ground, on tho slopes OF Gettys
marked the progress OF tho bloody drama OF
the late civil war to tho close AZ Appomatox.
rnvapes OF war and recre9ting from the broten
elements o new civilization, greater grander
aud more benefcent let us hope than tho old
and still u few remain with us to this day, liy-
lug examples OF the virtues charRcteflslc OF
those dead, but not FORGOTTEN, heroes But
though dead, these pioneers yet live, They
live in the imperial domain rescued from the
savage and the wilderness, in the institutions
whose foundations they laid IN tho examples
OF patriotism and fortltude they set, ana in
their descendants, many OF whom see about
me at this time. 1t behooyes these and all to
take counsel That the sacrifices our fathers
made be notin vain and that we preserve ana
transmit undiminlshed II not augmented the
BLESSINGS secured us through their privations
But not only IRE you endenred TO mo my
felowcitizens, by these tender recolections
OF the past but by tho remembrance Of your
own kindness to me which has Sustained me
In every vicsstude OF life have six times
received your SURFACES for the legislature; Mt
two terms have presided as speaker OF that
body At all times have taken an active If
not an influential part. In addition, you know
that on no public question have / Remained
silent when 1t was becoming to speak II is
Therefore with deep and peculiar eradication
thut feel able to confront you on this occas'
ion, to begin my canvass whore ! begun life,
and to submit my candidacy to your judgment
In full view Of my whole life public aud prl-
waite. and to say that unless | receive your
support and the support OF Dallas county L
Will not remain in the canvass.
have come to this resolution because II
after my long residence in this county and In
innate acquaintance with her people you do
not esteem me worthy this honor cannot in
reason ask or expect the people OF the state at
large to support me for it, But with your cor
0lul support l lttl luAt may look WIN conn
dence TO the result OF the canvass upon which
Inow enter. Not that have or claim, any
peculiar merit for the position, but there Is u
deepening feeling prevalent throughout the
state among fair-utnded men of all parties
and overy class that the farmers OF the state
are entitled TO larger participation than they
have heretofore enjoyed in the responsibilities,
honors and emoluments OF public station. No
farmer with one or two exceptions, ever sat
in ether branch Of congress from this state
from its admission into tho union to this
day and no farmer save Gen. Ross and one
4tau ayar oil Tod GOV pf az "a
from the days OF the republic, Not only these
but all OF the high oitces in the state are now,
as in the past, monopolzed by our brethren OF
the legal profession and while make no war
on this profession, but on the contrary am
proud to concede the uniform high character
OF 1t members in this state and their many
public services, must protest against the un
just discrimination against the class to which
belong in the distribution OF public honors, q
class which exceeds all others III numbers and
extent OF interests involved and which, 1
venture to say in point OF character, capacity
for government and contributions to the pub
lie service, both in peace and war, is surpassed
by no other class or profession. The exclusion
OF tina farmer from these positions does not re-
suit from his deficiency in any OF the forego-
ing qualifications, but because his pursuit and
habits are such that he is incapable OF the con
cenration and combinations by which others
maintain their ascendency. Not only are the
farmers beginning TO feel their almost total
exclusion from all active participation in pub
lie life but the great labor interests also
beginning to egitate tor representation anu in
ali candor and sincerity declare my opinion
that marked improvement will be seen in
our public AFFAIRS when men from every
walk OF life and representing all OF its varied
and complex interests are permitted to share
in the responsibilities OF government. In a
multitude of counsel there is wisdom But
diversity OF opinion, in experience and in in
terests, which when combined results in wis
dom, is lacking when all OF the branches OF the
government are monopoli2ed by members OF a
single learned profession, OF the same training,
experience and habits OF life. While lawyers
are as to be expected, far superior TO all others
in technical knowledge of tine law, yet ordina-
rily those lawyers who have been most distin-
gushe1 as sttesInelii hHNe pG M, es.s. "a
OF the lawyer in the political life of America
has no parallel or precedent in England or on
the continent OF Europe In those countries
the great agricultural labor, mining manu-
featuring and mercantile interests receive due
recognition, and while most men in public lie
have general knowledge OF constitutlonallaw
and the science OF government, the statesmen
there are not now, and have never been d. tin
guished in the practice OF the law,
but passing from these preliminary consid,
the day, do not hesitate to declare that am
in favor OF preserving all OF the legislation OF
the recent past without change except as eIpe'
rlence may demonstrate the necessity for mod
itcation. | took part in framing these laws
and my opinion then formed and expressed In
respect to their wisdom has undergone no
change Reforms and revolutions do not turn
backward. In political life the order IL prog
ress. We must advance and not retreat Not
an inch OF ground once gained from monopoly
for the people must ever be abandoned. The
railway commission law must be preserved
and enforced in it's full vigor. II breaches are
made In IL by the supreme court OF the United
States they must be repaired and strength
ened and the agitation must not stop until
these common carriers, which owe their exist
ence to the favor of the law, are brought into
subsection TO the law and required TO conaucl
their business in view OF tho public as well a.
private purposes for which they were created
believe. however, that There is no necessity
for antagonism between the public and private
interests involved, and that Observance OF The
Law by these carriers will greatly expand the
resources OF This state, Increase the output Of
her farms, fields factories and forests and mul
tiply exchanges and rebound to the common
goodof all.
II will also be we'll to consider whether the
principle OF regulation cannot be advantage
olslY eXtended so as to embrRoe the charges o.