San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-07-27
AN OPEN LETTER.
From Hon. A. G. Kennedy Addressed
TO Friend And Giving His Views
On The Political Outlook.

From Hon. A. G. Kennedy Addressed
10 Friend And Giving His Views
on The Political Outlook.
Beeville, Texas, July %, 1896
i1Vn' ''''''''',.,...,,.t,t,
Dear Sir:-Your valued favor of re-
cent date has been received and after
due consideration in connection with
similar communications from other
friends in different parts of tn state
l will now atetmpt to answer.
AS there is no political party plat
form yet promulgated on which we can
stand, as good citizens we should lay
aside all our prejudices as to party
names and cast our ballots for the
least Objectionable one, as we see for
ourselves we can easily understand
what we are supporting if we vote the
Republican ticket. They propose to
administer the government on prac-
tically the same line they have follow
ed since the reconstruction of the Sc
ceding states and as we have always
differed with them in many respects
it is impossible for us now to fully a.
gree with them and while we have
earnestly desired and sincerely hoped
for gradual reform in national affairs
we could not see the necessity of any
radical or revolutionary changes and
therefore earnestly and heartily sup
ported the Democratic party up to this
time and we certainly believe if the
present administration had been sup
ported by the full party, we could have
succeeded in securing all the reform
we hoped for or really needed but as
they have failed to do this we can only
judge them by what they have set
forth in their recent platform at Chi
cago and by what their action has been
in this and other states in which they
have controlled, and taking this for a
guide We certainly cannot expect any
reasonable reform but If they should
succeed to the full control of the affairs
of the nation, we may expect such
radical and revolutionary changes in
our laws and in the administration of
the present laws that will so hamper
our progress that 1t will be many
years before we can again advance as
we should now be doing If 1t were not
for this unfortunate agitation. There
fore / cannot hesitate with the present
lights before me in thinking we had
best endure the ills we now have than
to fly to such as / expect will come
with these new ideas clothed in the
name of Democracy, name that is
dear to large majority of our South
ern people. But my friends, while l
feel confident that it is better to keep
the G. o. p. yet little longer in pow
er, / cannot connect myself with it
measured by what have always be-
lieved to be Democratic. am still
Democrat. I hold myself ready at
any time to assist in the advancement
of what we have been contending for
and that is a reasonable reform of the
policies of administering this gov
eminent through the strict construct
ion of the constitution consistent with
the greatest freedom of the individual
and to the states possible with proper
1 think the proper course for us to
pursue would be to try to elect as
many Independent sound money DEM
ocrats as possible to congress and
there contend for such reforms as we
have been contending for thus we may
hope to hold the balance of power Who
ever may be elected president. I do
not presume to advise any positive
course but would suggest holding a
conference at some convenient place
in this congressional district and dis
cuss the situation. Yours truly,
(Signed) A. G. KENNEDY.