San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-05-31
PATRIOTIC TALK
From an Earnest Republican, Who
is Not a Candidate for Office.


Houston, Texas, May 30, 1894.
To the Daily LIGHT:
The work OF reorganizing tn,
Republican party in Texas is be
fore us. The decentralization of tn,
Democratic party seems complete
; There never was more favorable
| time to get the Republican party
on a sound basis, The masses are
realizing the great benefits Of Re-
publican national policies now
that the "well has run dry" and
are ready to give heed to Repub
lican sentiments. However, when
we look at our disorganized forces
The discord and elements in our
own party we see that systematic
and hard work is necessary to re.
claim the organization from the
hands of unwise leaders and re.
establish 1t on a. foundation that
means Republican success in the
not distant future.
differ from the views expressed
by the LIGHT as to being guided in
our local matters by the National
committee. The weakness of the
Republican organization in Texas
is OF local character, and needs a
local, not national remedy. Po-
litical leaders only travel in the
paths blazed by popular public
sentiment and party platforms.
We must agitate the reforms we
desire, and give direction to public
sentiment. Public sentiment con-
trolls the world. The most meri-
torious proposition imaginable,
that has not popular support, will
not receive attention at the hands
OF national leaders. The greatest
idiosyncracy in the world, taken
up on a popular wave, is treated
with consideration. Leaders and
defenders are found everywhere, as
has just been instanced in COXey's
Industrial Army of Peace.
The Houston and Birmingham
appeals to Harrison in 1888 gave
promise of reform. They were the
spontaneous outgrowth of the occa-
sion. The atmosphere around Har-
rison was impregnated with false
conception of the Southern situa-
ton and after brief struggle the
machine triumphed for the time
being. We were sowing the seed
then now we are looking forward
to the harvest. Public sentiment
is trending our way. We are not
looking to our national leaders but
to ourselves to establish the re-
forms. The leaders are fighting
the battles of the party on the lines
Of the national platform until it is
revised. The leaven of reform
comes from the people. We know
our needs. We must suggest the
remedy to bring party success.
The blighting influence on the
party here, Is of a sectional char
acter involving race prejudice and
race conditions ignorance and
immortality twin relics of the
barbarism of slavery. We have
been guilty of attempting to force
political assimilation of incompat-
IDLE elements contrary to the Or
dinances of nature, the truths of
history and an educated popular
public sentiment. We have sur
rendered the machinery of our
organization to the control of
lower civilization fresh from the
degradation of recent slavery and
untitled for leadership. The vital
interests of the Republican party
the best interests of both
races demand that the high
er civilization shall lead
until such time as the conditions
of both races are more nearly equal,
or that the inequalities will not
operate to defeat Republican prin-
clples and assist in the corruption
Of American citizenship. Inde-
pendent and proportionate repre-
sentation should be given to both
races, not representation by court
esq, but defined so that friction
will not exist. Such a representa-
ton as is proposed under the CEN
sus basis Of organization, policy
calculated to open the doors of 9TH
er political organizations to the
colored people and make the vir-
tues and acceptable characteristics
of the race apparent in political
relations instead of their vices and
weaknesses and thereby become an
aid and not a stumbling block to
Republican success.
Fl. f. MACGREGOR.
INQUIRE ABOUT THIS.