Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-08-27
A POPULIST'S VIEW
A LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATE AT III,
FALL ELECTIONS
Speaks his Mind ON the Question Of
Voting Local option for rur-
pose. of Revenge.

Ane tonoWlng communication wal
received this morning from A. w. Hart.
man. is especially directed to the
\ fopuiists OF the county, and treats Of
phase OF the local option question
| tnht mas been given considerable prom.
insnee In certain Populist quarters:
Eultor Meil-Telegram--Wha does Il
profit man to cut on his nose ts
| spite his face2
Some peculiar questions, TO say tn,
| ieast nave arisen In the local option
| campaign now stirring the county OF
Iarrant TO Its uttermost limits.
| Ihe element OF revenge for real OF
| iahcied injuries In said TO promise "a
cut considerable figure In the settle.
nent OF the question now before thu
| public.
II Is asserted with considerable
| show of reason that the weight of tn,
| liquor dealers influence and the power
OF their money decided the campaign
OF last fail In the interests Of Demoo
raoy. II that be true, both the liauoi
dealers aud the campaign manager
have n terrible load OF sin to carry
ma the ohnker of romorae should eat
Into their conscience TIL repentanc,
comes. But the punishment for thel
inlsdolngs should be left to a hlehci
power unless there II an absolute Ger.
hlnty that In the EFFORT to wrcal
vengeance on their sinful heads tn,
friends OF honest government and tn,
people against the Entertainments OF
lnw-m0de monnpollca and robbcr com.
pines shall not receive equally the
iotce OF the blows.
The man who would divert the cours,
OF stream from which numbers OF
his friends obtained life because, for.
nooth, many who had injured him alss
gathered aid and comfort from tn
waters, would not be considered a wise
NUN nor ilt TO SIT as Judge upon the
decdH OF His fellow-men. Equally. II
IN the punishment OF those tinholy
men who. 1t Is alleged entered into
combine TO pcrpctuutc Democratic mis-
government In Tarrant county at the
price Of Immunity from punishment lot
violation OF the laws OF the land. tho
stripes should fall with equnl severity
upon friend and foe. Is It not the part
Of wisdom to stay the hand that Yields
the rod
My pen would be slow TO move In
this controversy did 1 believe that real
honunt would accrue to the moral well.
being OF the community ny the udop-
ton OF local option, at Whatever cos,
to It's material Interests. But the eX-
pertinent has proven a failure wherever
tried, The blind tiger. the cold storage
house, the malt extract and hard cider
ana various other alcoholic tunlcP with
Infinitely greater destructive power take
the place OF the reYenue.produclng,
lhw-govcrnod dealers In spirituous and
malt liquors.
In the elections last fall II large num-
Der OF the worldngmen OF Fort Worth
joined with the POpuliut organization
In an effort TO secure better govern.
ment FOR the county. To-day II In M.
serted 10y people whom | believe to be
IN no sense authorized to speak for the
party that the Populists OF the county
propose to teach the liquor dealers a
lesson by voting local option upon the
county, II Is not even asserted that II
Is proposed to do this because the r,tlin.
ty would be ndvantaRed by the Hucocsi
OF the local option movement. but sole
~ as a disciplinary net IA Fort
Worth worn inRnan-cne OF the many
Whp dii their Utmost - secure the sue,
e. ~ ct the reform movement last fall.
! protest that the injury done 20 III,
worklngmen Of this city by such
course would far outweigh the good
eirects Of the discipline, Tho city has
been enjoying reasonable prosperity,
rs compared with tho conditions gen,
orally thrpughJut tho country. great
many buildings, large and small have
been erected. and more are o0ntem.
plated but II does not need the brain
of n Webster to understand that ~
large number OF business stands and
The houses occupied by the men con-
quoting them arV suddenly vacated, the
demand for buildings would cease and
tho men now engaged IN the building
trades forced into idleness. A very
large proportion OF the workingmen OF
Fort Worth | believe. are of the opin-
Ion that this In but bagatelle to tho
stoppage OF work OF all kinds
which any such shock would cause In
the city
The eject Of such calamity would
not only be to force n large number
Of our people out OF the city. but would
In the breasts OF those who
were unable to go feelings OF bitterness
toward whomsoever they held respon'
iible for their misfortunes. THIS would
be calamit0us for the cause OF Popu-
ism. whose succesB In absolutely de-
pendant upon securing the votes OF city
The charge that the local option
is In any sense POpullst
movement should be rcpudiated. The
for which the POpulist organ.
zation stands are too far-reachinR
n their scope. too benefcent In their
lnnl effects to be Jeopardized by an
mort TO secure minor reform. which
q at least doubtful even as an ngent
or the Improvement Of morals.
Finally, no combination OF liquor
icalers and spells politicians can pos
IDLY retain control of the county gov
'rnment II the people really desire
eform. Many OF those who are now
rowling for prohibition know In their
iearts that they themselves are re-
Iponsible for the defeat Of reform.
Traternally, A. w. HARTMAN.