The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-08-29
DICK VNN|E INTERVIEWED
80 lEL IL IilFAlI
HE EXPRESSES HIMSELF ON THE
OUTLOOK FOR TEXAS
DEMOCRACY. i
FAVORS REAGAN AS TILE NEXT
NOMINEE nor GOVERNOR
In Case the State and National Platforms
Disagree on the Silver Question.
The Man Who Can Unite
All the Factions.

; Fort Worth, Tex, Aug. 24-(Special.)
lit is well known that Colonel r. NJ.
Wynne was greatly pleased at the
outcome of the Democratic State BIZ
metallic convention. He regards it as
:. an assurance that the next State Dem
ocratic convention will not straddle the
silver issue. He was also nightly pleased
at the enthusiastic reception accorded to
} Judge Reagan. Colonel Wynne is as
enthusiastic now as he was last year in
his admiration of the Old Commoner. For
this reason q Statesman reporter called
his attention to the letter of Judge Reagan
recently published in which he said he
would not be a candidate for governor
next year and intimated that he would
support Governor Culberson for renomi-
nation and asked the colonel for his views
as to the gubernatorial succession. He
replied:
Il have read Judge Reagan's letter and
the purported interview. L apprecia tie
Judge Reagan's delicate position, and can
understand how man of his manly i'm
pulses could be urged into such declara-
ton by Misrepresentation. l know how
earnestly he desires to quit the public
service, and spend the remainder of his
life in the quietude of his beautiful home
and the Uninterrupted companionship Of
his noble wife; but, with all due respect
to Judge Reagan, l think he should have
remained silent, in view of the political
situation in Texas, because no man, how
lever wise, can know what demands the
future may make upon his patriotism
And while the proposition that to accept
the office under man and then oppose
him is bad faith is correct, moments re-
Election will demonstrate that it would
have no application in Judge Reagan's
case. He was not appointed because of
his political friendship for the governor,
nor for political service in his campaign,
nor from any personal consideration, but
purely to promote the public service.
Judge Reagan was the man of all others
whom the masses of the Democratic party
demanded on the railroad comission.
Many strong friends and admirers of him
refused to support him for governor be-
cause they wanted him to remain ON the
commission. His appointment then was
but good politics, because his appoint
ment was demanded by the situation.
He was the heart and soul of the railroad
commission and Governor Culberson per-
formed far greater service to his own
administration in appointing him than he
did to Judge Reagan. | think these facts
will be conceded by all fair-minded men,
Nov, as l see it, we will be confronted
next year with some very unusual and
grave conditions. First, we will have a
spit in the Democratic party If the very
best and wisest anagement is not had
Second, we have got to disarm the COM
plant that we are running the Democratic
party for the distribution of offices. Third,
should the eXigency arise, we should fore
go the party precedent of second terms
Should the Democratic party in Texas
adopt plank declaring in plain language
for the free and unlimited coinage of both
gold and silver at a ratio of 16 to l without
discrimination against either metal
as the money of final redemption, which
in my judgment will certainly be done,
and should the National Democratic con-
ventiOn do likewise, we are in no danger
whatever in this State and any good man
in whose honest sentiments OH the silver
question the people have confidence can be
elected as the nominee of the party. But
if the State convention declares for free
coinage of gold and silver and the Ma
tional convention declares for gold
standard or even makes q well-defned
straddle ON the question, there is danger of
disruption in the Texas Democracy, if
indeed it does not result in two tickets,
each claiming to be Democratic. And in
such am EVENT. would mean certain defeat
nate a man who can not command the
unqualified confidence of the silver people
| of Texas ON the one side and command
the respect of the gold standard men on
the other.
1.-The free silver Democrats have a
feeling that they have been fairly dealt
with at the Dallas convention, that is
had men claiming to favor free coinage
of silver acted in good faith, the silver
men would not have been defeated in
the platform. They believe free silver
was sacrificed in the interest of har4
mony-and to secure the offices. On
the other hand, the gold standard men
claim they Were betrayed; that after
they helped to nominate the candidates, all
of whom accepted on their platform, some
of them at the first opportunity struck
4 them full in the face, and their cry has
| now changed from anybody to beat Rea-
gan, to anybody to beat these fellows
And so sure as there is radical or even
well defined difference between the Ma
tiOnal and State Democratic platforms on
| the financial question, the gold standard
Democrats will either nominate a man
on platform in full accord with the
| National platform and make the fight,
or they will refuse to vote for free silver
Democrat-unless we nominate a man
against whom they have no grudge. Now
when it is und0ubted that the Republicans
VIII NOle Will any SluS " INC
regular Democracy, it is folly for the
free silver Democrats to contend that in
such an emergency we are in no danger.
1t is wisdom to recognize the danger and
overcome it by good management. Sound
political wisdom will suggest to the
thoughtful man that we should not drive
from the support of our candidate the
many good Democrats who believe in
gold standard by selecting a candidate
against whom they have a grievance"
Then, Colonel Wynne, what is your
solution of the trouble in the event there
is a difference between the State and
National platforms on the silver ques-
tion"
I'm such an event the Democrats, in
my judgment should nominate Judge
Reagan without regard to whether he is
candidate or not. He is the strongest
man in Texas before the people. All the
silver Democrats have unbounded conf
dence in him. His refusal to run on the
Dallas platform emphasizes his honesty
and consistency, and won the respect of
his bitterest opponents. He could rally
the free silver men as no other man could.
He could gain all the old Democrats who
| - Gnl