The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-05-28
EX-GOVERNOR ROBERTS WILL
DRAWS FROM THE CANVASS
FOR GOVERNOR.

Ex-Governor Roberts, in remarkably
able letter, which we publish this morn
ing, withdraws as n candidate for gov
ernor of the state of Texas. His main
reason for doing so is that we are all i'll
the dark as to the real issues that will
enter into this canvass for executive Oh
fees. He thinks that the proper time
for n convention or conventions of Dem
ocrats of Texas will be after the national
convention of the Democratic party shall
have decided upon and promulgated II
platform of principles which it would be
the duty of loyal Democrats to support.
Governor Roberts in this letter has
given very interesting review of the
principles upon which the Democratic
party was founded and the Importance
to full expression of the will of the
members of the party in the adoption OF
the two-thrds rule in Democratic CON
yentons. He shows very conclusivcly
that the workings of that rule are not
merely for partisan policy, but that
it partakcs of the fundamental principles
of republican form of government such
as the government of the United States.
This review of this subject by Governor
Roberts is u very interesting and inn
portant contribution to party history and
the history of the country, together with
its connection with the principle of the
people ruling. 1t exhibits the same clear
analytical powers that characterized the
able legal opinions of Governor Roberts
as a Judge found in the Texas Reports.
He used the vote of 1G to 10 of the Dud-
ley committee MS an illustration of the
violence done to the two-thrds rule prn-
ciple and its pervcrsion of the rule of the
people to the rule of one man. Gov
ernor Roberts also exhibits the same sa-
gacity in attrbuting to the Dudley free
silver party an effort to turn over and
use the machinery of the Democratic par
ty for the benefit solely of the free silver
party; and rs Governor Roberts believes
in the free coinage of silver, certainly
he can be taken as an unprecedented Judge
on this subject
From Governor Roberts standpoint it
may be best for him TO withdraw from
the canvass until after the sessions of
the national conventions, when the Dem
ocratic party in Texas could hold its CON
ventions and align itself with the ma
tional Democracy; but Governor Rob
erts ought also to be able to see, as he
doubtless does, that ii is n foregone con-
cusion that if the national Democratic
convention should adopt Il sound money
plank that the Texas free silver delegates
will Immediately withdraw or bolt from
the Democratic convention and enter the
national free silver convention, which
has so timed its meeting that its arms
will be opened to receive these free sill
yer delegates. Governor Roberts has
also doubtless seen that these delegates
will be more entitled to seats in the ma
tional silver convention than they will
be in the national Democratic convention
for the whole machinery by which they
were made delegates is wholly free sill
yer and not Democratic machinery.
We confess that Governor Roberts
candidacy embarrassed to some extent
the sound money Democrats of Tex
as Although free silver Dem
ocrat, the sound money Democrats
would have voted for him on account OF
his advocacy of Democratic laws anC
usages, but as square free silver fight
will offer them the gauge of battle they
are now at liberty to select champion
who can carry, without any seeming in
consistency, the national rs well rs tn,
state flag Of the Democracy.
Governor Roberts closes his very inter
esting letter by denying most emphat
cally that he was being used by design
ing politicians" He says he has Away
played the part of Il man and in his owl
way. We believe that this is iina
retiracy from politics of Governor Rob
erts and we desire to say, as Il politica
farewell to him, that of all the laurel
that will adorn his brow and commend
rate his memory after he has passe,
onward and upward to the other world