Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-01-20
WERELOST IN THEIR OWN SMOKE
"cITIzENs- TALKED SOMEWHAT
ABOUT REFORM.
Committee Called for Complaint.
Against the Democratic Adminis-
tration md Nothing Substantial
Was onered.

auditorium OF the city hall last night
In response to the call of the city Dem
ocratic executive committee for mass
meeting OF the party for discussion of
proposed reforms and to hear state.
ments OF grievances n there were any
10 be made.
The following gentlemen OF the COM
mlttee were present and occupied seats
on tho rostrum; Messrs j. p. Nlcks,
chairman; b. j. Houston, secretary;
c. W. Hoelzie OF the First ward; Capt.
]. C. Richardson of the Second ward;
Jerre Deems Of the Third ward; w. +.
Stewart OF the Fourth VIM. Barr of the
Fifth and r. IL. Orr of the Eighth.
The meeting was opened at o'clock
by Chalrmpn NiclSs announcing that
the committee was ready to hear from
assembled Democrats any suggestion of
reform which they might have to oner
or any complaints which they might
chance to make as Democrats against
the city administration.
Mai. c. c. Cummings arose and pro-
ceeded to review the situation, In an
bNtA W u nuHlDNl VI Calls from int
audience. After thanking those who
had called him out, he stated that
the Democracy was confronted by
grave problem, inasmuch as seven or
more wise men had got together not
long ago, and concluded TO place the
party in the hands of receiver, which,
he said. was about all he knew about
the Independent movement which he
had heard was on foot In the Sixth
ward
He entered vehement protest
against the proposed disruption OF the
Democratic party, and declared that
he and some others would feel like or
phans IL they had to leave It, He COM
pared the proposed citizens move
ment to the secession In which he and
II number Of other had part a number
of years ago. and said he had learned
something about trying to get away
from things he didn't like in that
way.
After entering short plant against
the proposed election OF city officers
by the council, he then took up the
comparison with which he had started
out and proceeded to elaborate IL as
follows!
I'VE have met 10 consider whether
or not we will place the Democracy OF
Fort Worth in the hands OF receivers
or continue doing business at the same
old stand. To determine this ques-
tion we must consider first what are
the assets of the party still remaining
on hand and then O. character Of the
said receivers. Our assets are these;
Fort Worth has contributed very cred
itably in the election OF a splendid
Democratic governor and for
this reason we may consider him as
on hand, because we helped to put
him there by decided vote. Then we
invested In n congressman, and the
vote of the Democracy OF Fort Worth
certainly decided whether he should
go or stay in the house, and he has
recently been heard from and his
voice IL still for The grent unwashed,
untOrrilied Democracy OF the West.
Then our Senator w. j, Bailey, who
is from Fort Worth and for Fort
Worth first last and all the time, owes
his place in the upper house at Austin
10 Fort Worth. and her pure. simon
pure, mind you, Democracy. He IL
ours for we made him, and we pro-
nounced him good-very good. He is
first-Class asset, / nope you will not
dwell on the first syllable of this word,
for you might mistake my meaning
and do him an injustice. for | was the
first man in FortWorthto nourish Bail
ey and cherish him--H stranger from
my country back in the states, while
he was young and green and tender
foot. fresh from Gods country, Then
there are our two representative
young Roy-Roy means a king, and
he Is Of blood royal, for he halls from
Johnson's station. whore Henry Fur
man and both caught the finest brace
OF FISH ever brought to the Fort Worth
market-our wives. you know. And
Thorp Andrews, why he is my neigh
Dor. and not to know Thorp argues
| yourself unknown, He ~ an all-round
httllI with IA - "a
| edges to trim Off, but a clean, smooth,
| 4-year-old, whose Democracy Is ALL
| wool and a yard wide. Wei, we
might go on and speak OF our mayor.
| who stands among the first in the first
| city In the West, but these seem as-
sets sufficient TO convince any reas-
enable creature that we have
| wealth of intellect enough In the party
| to hold her level. True Il Is, there Is
| complaint from good men that we have
| hoodlums in the party, and they are
repeating and using money in cleo
| tions, and that last spring they cried
turn her loose" and a slulCe ran out
In the cutters and filled them with
| larger beer and smaller beer and riff
| raff and what not TIL we grew sick,
| / am not saying this IL untrue. but let
us see who caused this. Some OF these
very kind, goody, goody men who are
| so far Off on practical politics that
| they ItAuFfu ~ 81 W AHN b'Nia tAAN
| leaders In the movement to put the
| Democracy in the hands of receivers,
| If their works do follow thcm, and the
| Bible says so, then we may look out
for them to remain in their business
places and refuse TO vote In the new
party as they did In the old, There
| are others who are for the receivers
who never smelt the powder when
| Democrats were under ilre-4that "
Democratic powder. and they are to
boss the new departure. Are you go
Ing to surrender the old nag for these
reasons and to such sentlmentalists
In politica that they are too pure 10
mingle with the common herd, and
hold back the bummers and FOUNDERS
and strangle the repeaters and those
who use money and swear they have
| not directly or indirectly paid
| or promised any valuable Z thing
TO secure their election2 Sure
~ moo. Old guards, up and
al 'em. and when the sun sets on cleo
tlon day at the ldes OF April let us say
Wa met the hoodlums, the FOUNDERS
and FOUNDERS and drove them out OF
the party, and have placed good and
efflcient men In office. When ! say
men mean Democrats. for no Others
need apply. Al Will then run as
gmOothiy as deep-Bowing river
Major Cummings wound up with NJ
eloatlent ndmonition to his hearer,
40 remain within the palS OF tn,
Democratic party If they wished Il
reform abuses effectually.