The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-09-10
GOVERNOR CULBERSON TELLS
THE SUFFRAGANS WHAT IS
THE NATTER.
DEALS ENTIRELY WITH SIATE ISSUES
No Longer So SolicitouS About Free Sill
yer, but Consumes His Time in
Showing How the Populists Could
Not Run the Government.

yesterday with advance SnCets OF llS
speech delivered yesterday at Pittsburgh
Tex. Following is the substance of that
specchl
Fellow Citizens--ln the present cam
paign the people of Texas must choose
between the republican. the popu!ist and
the democratic party. Broadly speaking,
the national republican party stands for
Il consolidated general government, cX-
travagant expenditures, perpetuation Of
national banks of issue, Il service pen
sion, n high protective tariff trusts and
trade conspiraccs and the gold standard
Of value. The doctrine of Capitalization
which the party advocates would destroy
the autonomy of the states and sdbvcrt
the governmental system of the founders
of the republic. 1t would remove the
agencies of the government from close
contact with the people by concentration
of all power at Washington. gradually
lessen their respect for the people and
their observance of official accountability.
and finally undermine public rights and
liberties Always cXtravagant and prof
ligatc, it disregard of public duties and
its contempt for economy and lrugality in
expenditures are shown in the uncon-
scious appropriation of S5lJ,O0O,OOO for
the fiscal year 1t would conlidc the
financial affairs of the nation to the
money power through the national banks
and give to them the sole right to issue
all the paper currency that, in addition
TO gold, must supply our commercial
wants and necessities. How periIous this
power is in view of recent events may
he drawn from the prophetic declaration
of Thomas Jefferson: Il believe that
the banking institutions are more danger
Gus to our liberties than standing armies.
Already they have raised up II money
aristocracy that has set the government
ut defiance. The issuing power should he
taken from the banks and restored to
the government and the people, to whom
it belongs. Let banks exist. but let
them bank on treasury notes" 1t would
convert the congress and the pension of
flee into cOpartnershp with dishonest
pensioners and degrade national generOs-
lty for martial heroes TO the level of pO-
litical debauchery. Its policy of high
protection has led to the industrial en-
savement of laborers and producers and
the formation of gigantic combinations
in trade. BY the operation of these une
quail and oppressive laws wealth has ac-
cumulated in the hands of few without
parallel in the history of the world Of
fering constant menace to patriotism and
to liberty, and they have created and
fostered an arrogant money aristocracy,
practicing ObsequiOus snobbery and aping
the ways of an effete and expiring royal
ty. AS final act of financial and indus
trial oppression it would fasten upon us
the single standard of gold and thus COM
plete the subjugaton of the people to
the compassionless despOtsm of avarice
and greed. Its career in Texas, cut
short by the burning philippics of Coke
and the wrath of an indignant people, is
worthy of its national life and conduct
Gaining power alone by the bayonet it
sought to retain it by arbitrary measures
and denial to the people of the precious
right of self government. Its legisla-
lures were the plant tools of Spectators
and corporations, the most corrupt and
venal that ever assembled in the state.
They squandered the public lands robbed
the school fund and rioted in the treas
ury. designations of II cowardly and
subScrvient judiciary were held to compel
political obedience and loyalty Finding
Il state tax rate of Il cents and a mod
crate average tax rate in counties. when
driven from office it left the state rate
at % 1-2 cents and an average county
rate of S2.lo. 1t assumed control with
the total state debt only S216.641OS. and
when defeated after three years of mis-
government the debt was S4,1J0, 0D5.4J
Its contempt for civil procedure and per-
sonal liberty was as great as its disre-
gard of the property rights of the people.
The Infamous conduct of the government
in its declarations of martial law, and
the arrest, imprisonment and butchcry of
1nI hon,
are some of the crimes of reconstruction
and republican control, and when for
these and other Offenses it was diSlodged
and expelled from power by an incenscd
and outraged people ii Strove unSuccess-
fully to usurp the government by a
shameless decision of its supreme court
and wicked appeal to federal authority.
The populst party, as other
parties, is composed of many sin
cere and patriotic men. They have
Joined this party for various
reasons, but many OF them have voted
with that organization merely as Il pre- |
text against the financial measures of
the present national administration and |
not in Endorsement of the organic prin-
cpleS of pOpuliSm. 1t is with those who |
believe in the structural theories of the |
party, therefore, that we should deal, |
for those among them who have hereto
fore acted with the democratic party need
no further argument than the clear and
unequivocal declaration by the state and
national democracy recently of the prin-
ciples of Jefferson and Jackson. In
leadership and controlling features the
populist party is the successor of parties
which have advocated some of its pres
ent policies. For several years it was
known as the greenback party under
different names, demanding fiat money.
1t was the non-partisan party in 1883, |
advocating government ownership of
railroads and immediate payment of the |
public debt in fiat money: and the union |
labor party, espousing the cause or gov
eminent ownership of railways, fiat |
money and woman's suffrage. This last |
named party also demanded the pas
sage of u service pension to every hon
orably discharged soldier of the United |
States" a measure which would bring |
certain bankruptcy to the government. |
1t stood on the Ocala demands in 1890, |
for government ownership of railroads, |
fiat money, and the sub-treasury, and |
as the peoples party in 1892 these de- |
mands were renewed. 1t was known in |
1894 as it is the present year. as the |
populist party, insisting upon the gov
ownership of railways, an IT. |
and baseless paper money |
and the sub-treasury. All candid and |
men well know that under |
existing conditions the popuists can ac-
nothing. Before the action of |
its national convention recently the party |
had been destroyed in all but two or