The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-09-17


party. 1t is n trust we should not regard
lightly, for our acts may be fruitful OF
great good, or productive of ilnmeasura'
bic harm to our state and all the citizen
ship of it. The representatives of party
in convention assembled are supposed tC
mark out the line along which its mem
bers are to follow, and out of the fullness
of the confidence entertained by our ere.
ators. we have been sent here today tC
shane and fashion the course TO be pur'
sued by the republican party of Texas
during this political campaign, which VIII
eliminate in general election on No
vember 3 of this year.
For many years our party has been
practically a silent onlooker in this state
feeling its inability to successfully cope
with the opposing parties in consequence
of an evident disparity in numerical
strength, as well as debility brought
about by organic disorder. The weakness
of our party in Texas is the result of
two causes-lack of organization, causing
haphazard and random action, when
never is productive Of favorable results,
where the concurrent action OF al IS nee
essary as in politics. Second, at the time
and since our state began to materially
increase in population the democratic
party has been the dominant party by
such pronounced majOrltlcs that there
was no incentive for men taking up their
residence here to assert their political
opinions against such overpOwcring odds,
hence many who entertained opposite
opinions mutcly fell in line with the dem
ocrats. And so its power has increased,
both from the ranks of its political
friends as well as its adversarics. 1t can
he truly said that up TO within few
years the democratic party has had full
sway dcfying all opposition and recog-
nzing no political bcIigerents. As is GUS
tomary iii all human institutions, contln-
nance and unlimited scope of power has
been productive of arbitrary action, AFRO
gance and corruption on the part OF those
participating in the communism Of pclf,
they recognizing no limitation of author
ity and yielding no obedience To their
constituency. The bOundlcss plcntitudc
of our natural resources. made rcsplend-
cnt by the touch of artiiice, entlclng ana
inviting immigration, influx of wealth ana
enterprise within our midsts, the heritage
of our empire bcqucathed to us by wise
and patriotic predecessors, free from faint
of debt or liability, with all the Opportu-
mites and facilities to nurture and cdu-
cate all those found within our borders
and countless thousands yet unborn. the
domestic commercial and industrial in
terests as well rs the civil and political
liberty OF tIe present Gi,lZHnSn,p OF In mG
as, naNe uii pJri Will .nv Pi ~; Toy ",'
oli'Ioi Ur o"u ti,,t tho ad
, ~ of arfn;rs IN tTnvos was
,hnno,'tar;.nl H.. rnnsnmoIJ, dn"roo nf
ma.; 'nr ,'d y o",lot;yo fnirnnss liner
atty and wisdom, resulting in widespread
prosperity and happiness to our people.
The eyes of the business world were
upon us and our lands, our products and
that fine Mother the legislative nor
executive arms of our state government
wore other than favorable 70 any of the
agencies renuisitc to tbc DEVELOPMENT of
onr infant state. The man of Drawn and
the man seeking investment both found
an canal welcome. and felt sure of
equal PROTECTION before the law. Under
that condition of affairs. Texas had no
equal in the great galaxy of states. The
lone Star" was a synonym of security,
thrift. DrosDertv and bapDiness. pcOplc
of neighboring states looked ndmiringiy
on, bestowing upon us n bounteous
credit and Offering MS n generous as
sistance. But what occurred then?
w. ,-nat of power was transferred from
thn noon,o 70 tho nolItician. 1t was
, un p.dJhh Inv, tbo nnIit;roi Sonhodrin since
which t;me highhnnded noliticol locerde-
80, b"e hnnn tbo orjor ~ tho dov
man '''D .l,o ,,I,on e
Demagogy ms taken Wy u"eN "a
PATRIOTISM, ana preJudlce has ulisea, i,u
reason. Inc people nave pteii n' u. t NV
innocent TOOLS tiroush Wlilch tl'u pes1 ~, ~,
terest OF our state mas eeeil s se up
IN the Wild scra,lpie ioI olnIt' "'i;
effort to upDulld an lhVihciplt pol.loY1l
machine. olass ,eglsiatiol mas pi"uc
such raVages, ana lhlilical laws nave
wrought sucn havoc upon the eSsehiiai
elements OF strength mat we now ma
ourselves largely dependent as we were
twenty years ago, upon the spontaneous
productions of our unalded native re-
sources. As has been seen many times,
great colonies of people have suffered
and starved out on the boundlcss prairies,
locked up in the embrace of native re-
sources, and so we have drifted apart
from those with whom inter-communica-
ton brought prosperity, till we are alone
with our virgin resources and our
harvest of commercial death. The people
in the meantime have been tossed by the
waves of political commotion. and dashed
into frenzy by the goad of class prcju-
dice, solely to foist into power the politi-
cal conspirators forming the Texas state
trust, who have belcd the declaration
that public Office is public trust" and
have proven that it was Il private trust.
1t has every feature of II monopoly cX-
cept the name. The offices that should
he open to meritorious competition by the
nnopln ara fornnl nut nv tho mnrhiup