San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-10-27

in fee simple, but have done so, so
long that the memory OF man rum
meth not to the contrary and they
have the power, and with
1t the aid Of the ignorant voters
to keep themselves in place, to the
crack Of doom.
1t is true that once every two
years the "Big Six" submit their
names with such others as they
choose to put on their ticket to the
illiterate voters OF Bexar county, for
reelection. They have the County
court-that County court has the
appointment of all the election Of
officers and those election officers
can count in the "Big Six" ticket.
Their followers, qualified and IN
qualified, al, vote, andlmay get a few
dollars for their votes from a gen.
eral slush fund raised by assess
ment on each man found on the
"Big Six" ticket.
In language that L cannot imi-
tate, five years ago, that Demos.
thenian clatterer of Bexsr county,
whose voice is always raised on all
occasions, and on all sides OF each
subject, from crying over the bier
OF Judge, to the lauding OF the
pranks Of a festive drummer, or
the antics Of a cow-puncher, had
the following to say of "The Big
Six" which 1 adopt:
"Fellow Citizens: In the politi.
cal affairs of communities occa-
sions arise when the servants Of
the people, grown arrogant from
long occupancy of office, forget that
they are public agents, forget their
obligations to the principals, and
in their mad desire to perpetuate
their lives, they form unholy politi.
cal combinations to suppress op-
position, to silence the voice of the
people, and to continue their official
lives regardless of the wishes Of
the people. Wien such occasions
arise, 1t then becomes the duty of
citizens, not only to condemn by
their ballot the action Of their
official servants, but like
wise to denounce the wrong
Of such conduct and to assert
their right to choose their officers,
free from the demands of a ring or
dictates Of boss. Such an occa-
sion has arisen in the political af.
fairs Of this community, and ex-
ercising my right as private citi-
zen, l propose to denounce the un-
holy political alliance recently en-
tered into this county, having for
its purpose the parcelling out of
the offices Of the county, regardless
Of the wishes of the people.
ooh Temporal Oh mores % How
long, oh how long will a suffering
people stand this! We predict not
another day or hour. They are
aroused and will be heard. At the
1896 November election, the "Big
Six" and every man that ever fol-
lowed them will be hurled from
the Tarpeian rock to the deepest
pit below by an indignant people,
who will take back their offices,
their freedom and rights.
We are today contending for the
great principle that lies at the
bottom Of our system OF govern
ment-the right of the people to
choose their own servants. Power
full combinations may temporarily
overthrow them, but they, like
truth, are mighty and will prevail.
Love Of them stirred our forefath-
ers Of revolutionary days to de-
nounce a tyrant king because che
had made judges dependent on his
will alone for the tenure OF their
offices and the amount and pay
ment Of their salaries" Love of
them stirred our sturdy ancestry
to force from a brilliant but cor
rupt monarch on the banks Of the
Runnymeade the signed and sealed
promise: ITO none will we sell, to
none will we deny or delay right
or justice.
L say no. Let us draw the sword
in defense Of these principles and
throw away the scabbard. II, at
the coming election, we do not
secure their triumphant assertion,
let the sword still be held scab-
bardless, and the fight be continu-
ed so long as there is an arm to
strike and a blade to WELD.
"The mills Of the Gods grind slow
ly.
But they grind exceeding small,
With patience they stand waiting
With exactness grind they all"
We have raised the sluice gates,
we have turned on the waters; let